1967 Sears Custom 6 off road build

Hey everyone! I just started a build on a 1967 Sears Custom 6. I picked it up in New Castle, Indiana, on October 26, 2024. It is not in running and/or driving condition. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the engine was not original to the tractor. It was a Home-lite engine, not sure of the hp rating. The transmission was full of water and someone spray bombed it and the frame at some point. Also, someone in the past had cut up the grill to fit that motor and exhaust stack in. I found a complete pile of Custom 10 as a donor parts tractor.

I will be modifying this tractor into an off-road rig.

Some of the mods will include:
-Peerless 2300 from a John Deere 200 series.
-Custom belt/ clutch assembly
-Rack & Pinion steering
-Custom front axle setup
-Predator 670 V twin
-Custom foot boards/ tree kickers
-Hydraulic pit bike brake

Here are some pictures from the day I picked it up:










I finally started working on the tractor about the beginning of December. First thing I did was strip it down to the bare frame. I posted a video on the YouTubes of that process:






The following weekend I installed a transmission from a John Deere 200 series. It's actually the original transmission that came out my 214. It is in perfect working condition, it's filled with 2 parts Lucas 80W-90 gear oil mixed with 1 part Lucas oil stabilizer. The differential is Fozzy locked. Before the build is done, I will open the trans back up and lock the diff in a stronger way. The reason I am using the JD 214 trans is because: I have many of them, they are abundant, they are spline hub 5 bolt lug, they are at least 10 years newer in most cases. And like I mentioned above, the one in this Sears was full of water and frozen up. Plus, it is, let's just say, no longer with us...



















When i installed the trans, I moved it back approx. 1-1/2" from where the stock unit sat. That inadvertently caused the deletion of the hitch plate, which is ok because I'm trying to keep this tractor light as possible. Once the majority of this build is complete, I will make something, most likely out of tube that will shroud the trans. Possibly a structure that has a removable tow hitch so I can pull a trailer if desired. Another thing that happened was I eliminated the bracket on top of the trans that was in between the frame & trans. Now the boss on top of the case bolts directly to the frame.
Because this 2300 was in a Deere, the axles are centered on the case.  Unlike the Sears 2300 where the axles are offset so the wheels are spaced equally from each side of the frame. In order to correct that issue with the Deere trans, I will have to run a 2"-wheel spacer on the right-side hub. To get an exact 2" length difference on this Deere trans in the Sears frame, the trans case needs to space 3/16" off the left side of the frame.
I fabricated some custom mounting brackets that reincorporated both mounting boss bolt holes on both axle tubes.
All of this can be seen and explained better on video here:




Bringing this post up to date now. Last weekend (12-14-2024) I fit the obnoxiously large Predator 670 into the little Sears' engine bay.







I had to cut out the gas tank/ battery shelf and a small piece of the frame to relieve space for the fan shroud. This engine also got into the stirrup on the left side. Not sure if I'll be able to salvage it, even so, the clutch pedal will most likely not be going back in it's stock location. I planned on building some custom foot boards with integrated tree kickers anyway, so time will tell what happens there.

Here is the YouTube video regarding the engine installation and fitment:



Here we are now on 12/19/2024.

I had asked  @MightyRaze if submission of this build still qualifies for the 2025 build off, and it does! In that, no further work will be done on this tractor before January 1st, 2025

The boys and I are excited about this build. Not only will it be fun to ride but it will also be the tractor I bring and run at future competition events, like TTC. In the meantime, I will be gathering pieces, parts and materials to continue this build!  

Excellent!  I am glad you started up a topic for it.  When you enter the build-off, you will need to start a new topic for it again for that.  That is OK, as what I normally do is Lock this one until the build-off is over.  Once over, I will merge it back to this original topic and unlock it.  It will allow for a seamless single build thread.  Sounds like a pain, but it isn't.  I can't wait for this build to continue and eventual completion!  It will be so cool.

Locking this topic for now so it can be merged with the B/O topic at the end of 2025!

Build-Off topic here:
[25] TNMTHomestead - 1967 Sears Custom 6 "Blackout"

Good Luck man!