The Red Fox

This is my entry in the 2014 ATLTF build off competition. In Memory of the original Dirty Old Man, I'm planning on turning this decrepit MTD into a Sandford and son truck replica. To show that it started life as a lawn tractor, I'm leaving the mtd grill and hood alone





I haven't decided what motor to use, the four easily available are the 12 hp original



a 17.5 single cyl



a 16 hp briggs oppy horizontal shaft



and an 18 HP briggs 422437 model oppy horizontal




What do y'all think would be best for this retro rat farm tructor?

I love Oppys, but the horizontal shafts will present some driveline difficulties. Use one if you can, I'd love to see it. Welcome to the buildoff, good luck!

Doc, I'm thinking of using the 16... I noticed it had a solid plate mount on the back, and a shaft coming out each side, perfect for a PTO or possible front drive line (grin)
I may use the MTD varidrive pulleys as a sort of torque converter/clutch for Mr Red here

That oughta prove interesting!

Nice tractor, I like that hood and grill.

i have that same dump cart... junk. until me and my welder got a hold of it.. lol. good luck man

GOOD LUCK!

i like the look, cant wait to see wat it looks like in the end

Are you building a cab for it? Also, is it a vari drive and are swapping it out?

How bout them tires from BMI? They gona work for ya? That was you right? lol
I am interested in seein how they are...

The tires from BMI will be used on a rally machine in later build. I'll probably use the troybuilt as a base for that one. The Red Fox IS getting a cab... it will hide the roll bar. As far as the Vari drive... I'm gonna try to repurpose it as a primitive torque converter. Red F is also getting a Leaf spring rear and a custom built by me solid axle front suspension.... also leaf sprung. I'm making the leaves in the front suspension out of old lawnmower blades (redneck supergenious enough for ya?)  

Both axles will be relocated rearward... the rear to about the center of the bed, the front to just behind the engine. Motor will be mounted Jugs outward, and the belt is gonna snake in way's you'd swear a belt can't go with any hope of retention. the rear fenders will be cut off, and flipped around to be front fenders, new stepside type fenders fabricated for the rear. Tires and rims are gonna be donut spares from small cars (for the old truck tire look)

Basically, I'm turning this into a Lawntractor version of a 41 ford p/u ... just like the sandford and son's truck

are you moving the axle back so it is under the box?

are the leaf springs just for looks? or are lawn mower blades made from spring steel? I guess i just assumed lawn mower blades were made from high carbon steel?

Creepycrawler wrote:

are the leaf springs just for looks? or are lawn mower blades made from spring steel? I guess i just assumed lawn mower blades were made from high carbon steel?

Yea, I thought mower blades were extremely hard and wouldn't hold up to flexing a lot.

redlinemotorsportts wrote:

Creepycrawler wrote:

are the leaf springs just for looks? or are lawn mower blades made from spring steel? I guess i just assumed lawn mower blades were made from high carbon steel?

Yea, I thought mower blades were extremely hard and wouldn't hold up to flexing a lot.

They are..Mower blades are made from high carbon steel.  They won't make good leaf springs.

One of the advantages of being a bladesmith, my friend, is a good working knowledge of materials and metallurgy...


Springs are typically made of High carbon steel that has been hardened, and then tempered back down to a spring temper. Many folks confuse hardening and the term tempering. Hardening makes it hard and brittle, tempering makes the already hardened steel a bit softer but much more flexible, allowing the steel to flex, yet retain it's shape without breaking.

Most Larger Lawnmower blades are made of 5160.... Some of you may know this as Leaf spring steel

For those who might wanna make a spring for something, the backyard method is pretty simple.

dig a hole in the ground...

Build a fire in the hole

stick the steel in the fire

attach a hair dryer to the end of a piece of steel tubing and direct air under the steel at the coals

do this until the thing glows a nice bright orange color evenly across it's entire length (you can do several at the same time, just make sure they are all evenly heated)

shut off the air and let the steel stay in the fire till the next day.

remove the steel and start the fire again. heat the steel to dull orange and remove, bend to desired shape. Place steel back in the fire, heat to bright orange, remove and quench in oil. lay spring aside and repeat for the others.

when all are done and cool, arrange the springs around the perimeter of the fire... not in the coals, but close enough that they get the heat from the fire (you are looking for 5 to 6 hundred degrees.... not glowing, but pretty hot) and leave them there till morning.

all done.

Some folks have been askin me exactly WHAT am I gonna do with all this junk, so here's a rough sketch up in paint (really rough     )

That's a pretty ambitious project Lawren. I guess that's what it takes to win though. I can't wait to watch it progress into a pickup. Dundun Dahnah!    

Thanks for taking the time to fill us in, Im always trying to learn new things.  

I know I'm gonna end up lookin like a gorilla ridin a tricycle on this little thing, but it oughta be fun... I need to relocate the front axle rearward, behind where I'm mounting the engine... The rear axle will move rearward, and the dash, seat, and shifter will move foreward. Remember, the original MTD front grill will remain

Both axles and the body will have to be widened (it'll be a 2 seater
and I have to fab a roll cage (cab) and do a LOT of sheetmetal work for the fenders

You probably know this but the cab will be a lot taller then in the pic, I know it's rough but I think the cab might be out of proportion compared to the bed and front clip.

I think it's going to be really cool.  It's already the right color too!  

And I think you might want to leave the roof off of the cab for some head room, like the go-kart bodies do.

I know that redline... like I said, a rough sketch.... I'm obviously NOT gonna be able to proportionally fabricate a 1/2 size 41 ford, not and be able to get in it lol. I am, however, gonna put the seats as low as I can, and NOT on top of the center rise / tunnel like the seat is now...I may need to narrow the portion inside the cab. The hard part will be making LEG room (I'm 6 ft)

Nice drawing / Sketch.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Deere-314-riding-lawn-tractor-STRETCHED-FRAME-4-JD-seats-bed-Hydro/321292731414?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D261%26meid%3D3994593160774983727%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D161190396547%26