What is this?

bontai_Joe · Dec 1, 2008

Any identification stickers or nameplates under the seat? I'm 99% sure it's MTD, and would guess vintage to be around 1980 give or take. The hood has a resemblance to the Bolen's hoods of that era, but it's a coincidence only. MTD didn't aquire Bolens until they gobbled up GardenWay associates in the middle/late 1990's.

mudcat · Dec 1, 2008

That's a a racing tractor!!!

dqdave1 · Dec 1, 2008

If engine is original; you could run the serial number on the briggs/ That may help with a year ( close to) and maybe a certain company used certain serial #'s for there production runs. Check along frame for some numbers.

Paystar · Dec 2, 2008

Thanks. Ya, there is no numbers under the seat (seat pan nor tractor). I'll have to take a closer look at the frame. I didn't see anything, but like I said it was all repainted. Any ideas where they normally stamp the frame...front or back? I know there is engine serial number on engine.

bontai_Joe · Dec 2, 2008

MTD of which I am pretty sure this one is, typically puts the numbers under the seat on the fender pan.

DmansPadge · Dec 2, 2008

It looks an awful lot like a MTD made Lawnflite. I inherited one when I bought my land. And yeah... the tag should be under the seat. Is there nothing there or is it just painted over?

I narrowed mine down to a mid 80's model... it has an 18hp B&S. It hadn't ran in years and I put a little work into it just for fun. I ended up taking the deck off and put some bar tires I got for free on it.... just kinda use it for fun and pulling stuff around. But I tell ya... with those bar tires and good ground clearance with no deck on it... that baby will go through anything!! And I've put it to the test!

I'll attach a couple pics...

Paystar · Dec 2, 2008

DmansPadge, awesome that's definately the same machine! Except mine is only a 16 h.p. My small engine guy tells me the only difference to make it an 18 is the carburetor though. I just went out and looked under the seat and there is no numbers stamped, or a plate, but you can see there are two retangular decals that were painted over. Is that where the info is..on decals?
Hard to tell in your pic, but what do you think the original colour was....red or orange? Yours looks cool with those bar tires. I was thinking of painting mine like an old International Harvester, as they have the same look with those two round headlights, and I have a bunch of old IH badges off of my old trucks, but now after seeing your pic, I might go original. It's just a project for fun also, but I still mow with it. Thanks again!

DmansPadge · Dec 2, 2008

Paystar said:
DmansPadge, awesome that's definately the same machine! Except mine is only a 16 h.p. My small engine guy tells me the only difference to make it an 18 is the carburetor though. I just went out and looked under the seat and there is no numbers stamped, or a plate, but you can see there are two retangular decals that were painted over. Is that where the info is..on decals?
Hard to tell in your pic, but what do you think the original colour was....red or orange? Yours looks cool with those bar tires. I was thinking of painting mine like an old International Harvester, as they have the same look with those two round headlights, and I have a bunch of old IH badges off of my old trucks, but now after seeing your pic, I might go original. It's just a project for fun also, but I still mow with it. Thanks again!

I would think that the decals you are seeing is where the info is. Its been a while since I looked at mine and it isn't here where I'm at so I can't look right now. Sitting here thinking about it I don't believe it was like a plate riveted on or anything so I think what you are seeing is the serial # and whatnot. I had to rebuild the carb on mine and I believe I got #'s off the engine to match up the kit for it. I'm pretty sure it was red to begin with. I just used some old black paint on it to give it some cover and keep it from rusting. It is kinda an inside joke but the only thing that wasn't painted over was the "Transaxle" decals. It was fun... cheap... and it does come in handy. Most of the parts I used I either had or got for free. I did a bunch of rewiring, new lights, switches, tires, changed all the fluids a couple times, battery, rebuilt the carburetor, painted, and a few other little things. From what I can remember the Lawnflite's were only made a few years and where sold through hardware stores in the mid 80's.

dqdave1 · Dec 3, 2008

You may be able to clean the decals to read some numbers.

Paystar · Dec 4, 2008

OK thanks for the help. I am going to try to clean those decals off. I doubt it was prepped very good before paint, and the paint usually peels off those glossy decals pretty easy anyway. But at least I know where to look now.
Thanks again.