Cub Original Recoil Start
 

I have a chance to buy another Original. It is a 61 with a 5 digit serial number. The tractor is both recoil and electric start. Was this common at all to have both? I understand recoil start was standard and electric start was an option. Did all originals come to the dealers with recoil start and then if the customer wanted electric start the dealers added it? Any info is appreciated.

Wow, that is awesome! I would love to have a recoil starter for the one I am completely restoring. They are getting hard to find. I do not know how the options went back in the day with IH. Some originally had a starter, some had a recoil. Your Engine will tell you what it originally had. The K161T had the recoil, and the K161S had a starter originally.

I'm new to cub cadets, but here's what I know.

I recently purchased a 5 digit original. It had a recoil starter from the factory. It broke, so now I'm just using a rope like the previous owners did. I do not have a coil for ignition, it just uses a magneto on the flywheel (as far as I know, I haven't taken the cover off yet). I can see that you have a coil, so I don't know what that means.

That's kinda neat that you have both. I think it will still need a battery in place to run, but I'm not sure. Having a recoil backup is great for those dead battery days :)

That will be a great find! You don't see them with both starting options. Hope you get it.

what allen said:beerchug:

According to a 1961 Price List, from the Factory, you could obtain the CCO either way.

Seeing as how you have a coil ignition, I'd say yours was originally electric start and the recoil was added later. I have the O my Grandfather purchased new in 61 that was a recoil that he took back to the dealer shortly after purchase and had electric start added. It retains the magneto ignition. Dealers were usually happy to oblige and the original purchaser may have had the recoil added at purchase time.

Bob

mrmiller, i too have an "original" w/ recoil start, and have a bad coil. it's a k161t, and i've been using a rope to try and start it. i'm not exactly sure, but if the engine came with elec. start, you were able to add the recoil by mounting the aluminum cup to the flywheel which you need for the recoil. since the ignition switch for the 161t was just an on/off switch, the three position switch basically worked the same, just by turning the key once. what you should do is take the recoil, shroud and flywheel off and see if there is an internal magneto. and if so, please explain how this setup works. this is what my 161t mag/coil looks like.
the black thing with the electrical tape is the coil.

Recoil
 

Thanks guys for the information. This tractor is in fact originally recoil start it is a K161T. Kind of neat how it also has the electric start.

Does anyone have any close up pictures of their recoil starter front and back and the cup the the pawls grab into that is on the engine? I am looking at one online and not sure if it will work or not. It is for a K161 but does not say specifically for a cub cadet.