I look at putting several nonrunning tractors together. Find a tractor with a running engine that is the type you need but has a blown trany. They are usually cheap. Good Luck, Rick

 

Welcome to the madness, err, I mean Forum!!!

You must be talking about Fearless Front on youtube, he builds some cool tractors, I love his diesel conversion.

There have been guys I've seen use the Harbor Freight clone motors, some use the 6.5 Hp for just a tow tractor, others have used both the 11 and 13 Hp and made them workers. There is a couple I have seen also to use 10-13 Hp diesels in the suburbans and have successfully used them as workers.
http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/topic/34540-finished-a-re-power/#entry450451
www.mytractorforum.com/showpost.php?p=4751234&postcount=1
The early suburbans only came with 10 or 12 hps Tecumsehs and they mowed with 42" decks. I would venture to say that the 10 Hp diesel would be more than adequate to mow in your SS16 tractor. The tractor maybe slightly bigger than the older ones, but that 10 Hp of diesel would hang with a larger Hp gas engine.
If you want to keep it factory, do as boyscout stated and find a motor or another tractor with something else wrong with it. I know some guys have swapped in newer Twin motors also.

.I bought a Speedex in the fall that the guy was using a 10Hp Diesel on with a 44" deck.....and those tractors are heavy boogers.
The PO kept the diesel motor, but here is the tractor the day I sold it, little bigger than my Sears 16/6 single

 

Thanks for the links, I will check them out. The deck is pretty shot on my SS16 but the rest of the machine looks pretty good. Perhaps I will just make it a tow tractor. I will read over the links, thanks again.

 

The Ford looks similar to a Bolens YT I have in a spare garage. The seat tilts up until the cable stops it, has an opposed twin 16 hp briggs, and a blown transmission (5 speed I think). Your shifter looks to be in the same location as on my Bolens. The Bolens I have was my fathers and I just never could bring myself to part it out, but am strongly considering it as time passes. Good luck with your Ford.

 

Yup I just looked it up...Fearless Front is the guy who I saw. Guy seems like a nut, and I do mean it in the best of ways.....seems like me when I was much younger.

We all need a little crazy in us....if we did not have crazy in us life would be a total bore

This weekend I plan on dragging the old girl out of the weeds and getting a good idea on what I have in store for me. I just picked up a JD 318 and I have an existing 318....I think I can make one good one out of the two......so that idea of buying one with a good engine but bad somewhere else is already on my radar. I want to finish that JD first then the sears is next on the plate.

Depending on how far the tractor is gone is really going to push me in one way or another....I know the deck is history....not worth welding up....but the rest of the machine I think is not too bad. If I feel halfway good I might pull it out tonight...I will be sure to take some photos if I do.

 

My Dad and I did a motor swap using a Harbor Freight Predator 13 hp motor on a

1966 vintage Sear Super 12. The only hassle was making a pedastal to mount the

belt tensioner on. Very reliable and lots of power and very thrifty on fuel too. I wouldn't

be afraid of using Harbor freight motors for 12 hps Tecumsehs swaps.