The Wheel Horse 500 Special is a lawn tractor with a rated power output of 6 hp, categorising it as a lighter machine within its class. It was manufactured in 1968. Its engine is a 1-cylinder petrol air-cooled unit, paired with two-wheel drive and a 3-speed gearbox. This model is suitable for operations covering up to 200 acres.
Provisional listing — the headline figure is shown; full specifications are auto-generated and pending verification against published sources.
Rated power
6 hp
Catalogue coverage
Variants represented
2
Richest spec table
31 rows
Recorded power
6 hp
Transmissions
3-speed gear
Production years
1968-1968
Verified variants
0
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Overview
ManufacturerWheel HorseReference
Garden tractorReference
Built in South Bend, Indiana, USAReference
Original price was $600 in 1968Reference
The Wheel Horse 500 Special was special edition tractor to commemorate the Indianapolis 500. Wheel Horse has provided tractors to the Indy 500 as pit tractors for a number of years. The 500 Special was built to celebrate this; they were not actually used at the race.Reference
Two-wheel driveReference
SteeringmanualReference
Open operator station.Reference
Engine
6HP Tecumseh 221cc 1-cyl gasolineReference
Tecumseh H60Reference
gasolineReference
1-cylinderReference
air-cooledReference
Existing documentation indicates that a recoil-start H60 was the only engine offered in the 500 Special by the factory. A number of 500s have been found with electric-start Kohlers, suggesting that it was a popular swap, either by the original dealer or early in the tractor's life.Reference
Displacement13.53 ciReference
Bore/Stroke67 x 64 mmReference
Power4.5 kWReference
Starter typemanual recoilReference
Transmission
3-speed gearReference
TransmissionWheel Horse Uni-Drive 5053Reference
TypegearReference
Gears3 forward and 1 reverseReference
Dimensions
Front tire4.00-8Reference
Rear tire6.00-12Reference
32" mid-mount mower deckReference
Lawn/turf front4.00-8Reference
Lawn/turf rear6.00-12Reference
500 Serial Numbers
19681-3631 (model code)Reference
FAQ: How to read a serial number table.Reference
32" Mower deck
Typemid-mount Wheel HorseReference
Cutting width81 cmReference
Values normalized to UK metric units. Every figure is traced to at least one source; verified specs are cross-checked against two or more.
