The 1812 is based on the IH cub Cadet wide frame but was mad after MTD took over cub Cadet in 1981 the 1812 was built between 1986 to 1989 and it had a Hydraulic nlift with front Hydraulic ports. It was a mid level Garden tractor for it's time period and had a Hydrostatic transsmission. It was just under the cub Cadet super Garden tractors. It had a optional Cat0 3point hitch for it but did not have a 540rpm rear Pto avaliable for it. They made a seperated 8hp engine driven tiller for it. Avaliable attachments such as either 42inch or 54inch dozer blade ,45inch snow blower and of coarse it is shaft driven. The 2165 is basicly a older version of the modern Cub Cadet 2500 series tractors minus the cast iron Transmission case. It iss shaft driven as well avaliable with a 46inch or 48inch mowing deck. avaliable attachment for the 2165 was a 42inch dozer blade or 45inch snowblower as well as a PTO driven tiller. But the modern Hydraulic tiller and electric lift sleeve hitch from a 2500 series will fit on they tractors The 2000 series tractors for the time of the 2165 were thentry level Garden Tractor because they were still producing mid level GT's with hydraulic lift and they were also producing super GT's still The atachments will not interchange between the 1812 and the 2165 Two diffrent tractors Both where full frame tractors. The 2165 was not avaliable with hydraulic lift. The have a spring assisted 6 postion lift which rases and lower mowing deck and 42inch dozer blade. If I were yopu I would go with the 1812 over the 2165 Just because it a more rugged tractor built close to the old IH cub Cadets. I own 3 John Deere's and 4 cubCadets 3 IH cub cadets and one MTD made cub Cadet I Have a IH made original cub Cadet 1963 and a 1965 IH made 70 and a 1970 IH made Cub Cadet 106 and finally a 2206 which is a few years newer than the 2165 Basicly the same tractor as the 2165. I have the electric lift sleeve hitch and 30inch hydrulic tiller for the 2206 as well. But for modern attachment the 2165 is pretty compatiable with them. The 1812 is already at least 20 years old so I don't know if it will last another 20years But I do use my 39 year old Cub Cadet 106 alot year round Garden plowing,leaf pickup and for snow removal with a 38inch snow blower. The 1812 is based on the same frame as a IH cub Cadet 782 Here is a link that might be useful: IH cub Cadet

OK, It's still not clear to me if the engine spins or not when you attempt to start it. IF it don't spin then I would remove the spark plug or plugs and see if it spins over really fast? If it don't then I would suspect an electrial problem. If it does I would wash the cylinder out by spray carb. cleaner in the spark plug holes and motor the enging over (motor means turn the start switch and spin the engine over cleaning and blowing out the combustion chamber or chambers) and clear the combustion chamber. now I would install the spark plugs, prime it by about a 2 second blast of carb cleaner down the carb. pull the choke and it should fire right off. If not then I would check compression. Maybe just one of them that needs the valves adjusted or you have a compression problem that may need further investigating. I sure you read the other posts that gas from the carb. maybe leaking into the comb chamber hydra locking the engine, if so you should see raw gas spewing out the spark plug holes initial when you removed the spark plugs and I would also look at the oil see if any gas has got pass the rings into the crankcase.

Manufacturers seem to go back and forth on whether or not they should paint blades- both on new equipment and as service parts. People see a heavily painted edge and feel the blade isn't sharp enough. So they decide not to paint them and sometimes drop them in a bath of protectorant at best which doesn't seem to consistantly keep them from rusting. So the answer is: based solely on blade rust you shouldn't assume the machine has been hanging around for a while. If the finish looks good and your otherwise happy with the mower say no more.

The LTX1046VT is a Lawn tractor they do not make a cat o 3point or a Sleeve hitch for the tractor. The only implemets you could take with it are probably these in the Link below. They use the standard tow Hitch on a Lawn tractor or ATV Here is a link that might be useful: Work saver