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2010 - Volume #34, Issue #6, Page #22

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"One-Lunger" Garden Tractor

"It's definitely one of a kind," says Loren Etter, Mora, Minn., about the one-lunger garden tractor that he built by stretching out an old Wheelhorse garden tractor and mounting a 1912 vintage Cushman model C 4 hp engine on it.
  The Cushman "black binder" engine was originally designed to operate horse-drawn grain binders. It's equipped with a flat belt pulley on one side and a big flywheel on the other. A big, screened water tank is used to cool the engine. As the water drips down the screen it's cooled, and a water pump cycles the water back through the engine.
  Etter cut through the tractor behind the front axle, then lengthened the frame by 12 in. and built a metal platform to mount the Cushman engine on. He then remounted the Wheelhorse's nose cone and front axle. The engine's clutch pulley is used to belt-drive the tractor's transmission gearshift lever via a chain-driven jackshaft.
  He relocated the tractor's battery box behind the nose and replaced the original seat, which was worn out, with a cast iron seat off an old McCormick Deering implement.
  "I often take it to antique farm equipment shows and drive it in parades. It's a real attention getter," says Etter. "Top speed is 15 to 20 mph, but I usually go in first or second gear at a slower speed. It looks so good that some people think it's a commercial model. One guy told me it was the oldest Wheel Horse tractor he had ever seen.
  "I bought the Cushman engine from a collector. The engine rotates at only 400 to 600 rpm's and makes a æputt putt' sound. It's not a hit and miss engine but is throttle governed so it runs steady and fairly quiet. There's no muffler on it.
  "I added a kill switch on the dash that's used to disconnect the battery. To start the tractor, I connect the battery to make contact and put the transmission in neutral. Then I get off the tractor, turn the gas on and then turn the flywheel by hand," says Etter. "Once the engine is running, I get back on the tractor and put it in gear by pulling on a long lever that's connected to a clutch lever that was already on the engine."
  According to Etter, the Cushman engine was built from 1910 to the mid 1930's. "The Cushman model C engine was designed to replace the grain binder's bull wheel and operate all the binder's mechanical systems. All the horses had to do was pull the binder. The same engine was also sold as a stationary model mounted on a small cart for operating a feed grinder. It could also be used to power a butter churn, cream separator, old washing machine, and other tools and implements."
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Loren Etter, 1921 130th Ave., Mora, Minn. 55051 (ph 320 679-5500; nika1@ecenet.com).

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One-Lunger Garden Tractor TRACTORS Made-It-Myself It s definitely one of a kind says Loren Etter Mora Minn about the one-lunger garden tractor that he built by stretching out an old Wheelhorse garden tractor and mounting a 1912 vintage Cushman model C 4 hp engine on it The Cushman black binder engine was originally designed to operate horse-drawn grain binders It s equipped with a flat belt pulley on one side and a big flywheel on the other A big screened water tank is used to cool the engine As the water drips down the screen it s cooled and a water pump cycles the water back through the engine Etter cut through the tractor behind the front axle then lengthened the frame by 12 in and built a metal platform to mount the Cushman engine on He then remounted the Wheelhorse s nose cone and front axle The engine s clutch pulley is used to belt-drive the tractor s transmission gearshift lever via a chain-driven jackshaft He relocated the tractor s battery box behind the nose and replaced the original seat which was worn out with a cast iron seat off an old McCormick Deering implement I often take it to antique farm equipment shows and drive it in parades It s a real attention getter says Etter Top speed is 15 to 20 mph but I usually go in first or second gear at a slower speed It looks so good that some people think it s a commercial model One guy told me it was the oldest Wheel Horse tractor he had ever seen I bought the Cushman engine from a collector The engine rotates at only 400 to 600 rpm s and makes a æputt putt sound It s not a hit and miss engine but is throttle governed so it runs steady and fairly quiet There s no muffler on it I added a kill switch on the dash that s used to disconnect the battery To start the tractor I connect the battery to make contact and put the transmission in neutral Then I get off the tractor turn the gas on and then turn the flywheel by hand says Etter Once the engine is running I get back on the tractor and put it in gear by pulling on a long lever that s connected to a clutch lever that was already on the engine According to Etter the Cushman engine was built from 1910 to the mid 1930 s The Cushman model C engine was designed to replace the grain binder s bull wheel and operate all the binder s mechanical systems All the horses had to do was pull the binder The same engine was also sold as a stationary model mounted on a small cart for operating a feed grinder It could also be used to power a butter churn cream separator old washing machine and other tools and implements Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Loren Etter 1921 130th Ave Mora Minn 55051 ph 320 679-5500; nika1@ecenet com

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