Who likes their older mower?

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There may already be a thread like this so I apologize if it's a repeat. We just moved and I felt compelled to spend a little time sprucing up my older mower. It really reminded me what a nice piece of equipment it is. Who else is rocking vintage or older OPE?

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I have a few 2 stroke LB's from the 80's and 90's that I really appreciate. Not really vintage though. The 80's model is a commercial mower with no mechanical brake (on/ off switch only
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), engine guard, 1 gallon fuel tank and steel wheels with bearings and grease zerks. The 90's model has the traditional LB offset wheels. Very light and easy to maneuver. The newest LB I have is a Duraforce from the early 2000's. Once again, not really vintage, but still neat.. 6.5 horse 2 stroke engine.. That thing cuts.

A member here said 2 stroke exhaust smells like victory. Can't remember who it was, but i tend to agree. Since 2 strokes dont get an oil change, I feel they are pretty anti BITOG though. Lol.
 
I like the deck height adjusters on yours better than the ones on my spankin' new Honda of the apparent same model line I just got last week. Yours would appear to offer a finer/preciser adjustment like maybe in 1/4" inch increments instead of the 1/2" increments mine has.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
41 years old and still going strong.



Older than most of the people on this forum.




Nice! If only they still made them like that 210... I hope there is 41 years in this little guy at the lake...

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I got an older lawn boy. We sharpen the blade,service it and wash it sometimes and its still going.AND...its paid for in full.Thats the best part.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I like the deck height adjusters on yours better than the ones on my spankin' new Honda of the apparent same model line I just got last week. Yours would appear to offer a finer/preciser adjustment like maybe in 1/4" inch increments instead of the 1/2" increments mine has.


I'm not sure the adjustment increment but I do like that it adjusts both wheels from one side.

Lots of Lawn Boy! I will add one to the fleet one day...
 
I have a John Deere je75 that i bought for $35 in 2013, not sure what year it is ?? Has to be the best mower i have ever owned. does a better job of mulching than the toro super recycler that i had before it, and heads above my honda !!
 
1991 Toro Wheel Horse 312-8. Built like a tank. I can easily get another 30 years out of it. It has over 900 hours now.



And my Craftsman push mower with Honda GCV160 engine. It's about 14 years old now and still in great shape. Just put a new carb on it a few weeks ago.

 
Current trimmer is an early 90's Toro 20620 With a 3spd RWD and a Suzuki GTS 4 stroke It starts on the first or 2nd pull once I freed up the choke butterfly. The sitdown is a very battered '77 IH Cadet 80. When I picked it up the 8 hp ? had been replaced with a B+S 11 HP I/C. I've had the Inty since 2K and the Toro since '09 Both were free. I stopped paying for mowers 25 yrs ago.EPA can go jump in the lake. There will be Lawnboy 2 strokes running yrs from now. They have a cult following. Deservedly so IMO
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My main mower is a 1972 Swisher Big Mow. Which I bought new. Has 32 inch cut with 2 blades, and a 6 hp tecumseh engine. 3 wheels with the front wheel driving. Had the carb cleaned once, and new points 2 years ago. Did have to replace the sump gasket a few years back. Uses very little oil. For many years it mowed an acre, but the last few years it has only had to run for about an hour or less to get "R" done.
 
Wow, you guys have nice looking equipment. Usually lawn mowers and stuff are not taken care of. Some look like they even get a coat of wax!
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The N-Series are probably one of the finest tractors ever built.Way ahead of anything of that era. Makes a John Deere of that time look primitive.I have a 9N that still spends regular time brush hogging..Yours is a great looking tractor. Can't tell your distributor location, is your an 8 or 9N?
 
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Originally Posted By: Papa Bear



Seeing a pic of that Lawnboy brings back some memories. I grew up in the late seventies and eighties and our neighbor (he was a police captain and died in '84) had a Lawnboy. My dad worked mid-shifts for several years so my evenings were spent next door. I can remember being allowed to turn the kill dial and prime the carb before he started it. As I got bigger... I learned how to check oil, top off the gas tank and cut grass with a mower very similar to that one. Good memories.
 
Originally Posted By: apwillard1986


Nice! If only they still made them like that 210... I hope there is 41 years in this little guy at the lake...


They do. Any of the X series John Deere tractors will run circles around the old 210. Don't get me wrong-the 210 is a solid old machine, but there are a lot of quality garden tractors that will last just as long.

Originally Posted By: Lubener
The N-Series are probably one of the finest tractors ever built.Way ahead of anything of that era. Makes a John Deere of that time look primitive.I have a 9N that still spends regular time brush hogging..Yours is a great looking tractor. Can't tell your distributor location, is your an 8 or 9N?


That's a 1947 2N, serial number 304943. The casting dates are May of 1947 which put it in the last few days of production before the 8N changeover. You can always tell the 2N and 9N from the 8N by the wheels-8Ns have smaller inner wheels. 2Ns and later 9Ns also have the oval radius rods; early 9Ns have the I beam radius rods. A closer look would also show that the 9/2Ns have the clutch and left brake on the left side, 8Ns have both brakes on the right along with the 4 speed transmission. 9/2Ns also have the Ferguson System badge on the front, the 8Ns dropped it after Henry Ford's grandson ended the handshake deal made in 1938.

Early 8Ns, along with the 9/2Ns had the front mount distributor (my personal favorite); later 8Ns (the last 3 years of production if I remember correctly) had the side mount.

I also have an 8N that I use for bush hogging and a very early 1939 9N that is my show tractor. I recently sold my other 8N show tractor. All of them were either refurbished or restored by me, and the one in the picture was brought home in parts and boxes.
 
I've got a 25yr old Toro that works great, starts on the first pull, doesn't burn any oil, mows pretty good. Only headache I have is the one way clutch system in the drive wheels. They get a little sticky and I end up with one wheel drive sometimes, and the goofy belt drive is a little weird at times.
 
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