What is this?

[Paystar]

I got this tractor from a friend. Can anyone help me identify it. I have no manual and can't find any model number on it. As you can see it has been painted, not sure if it was a joke when I was going to pick it up, but it made me laugh anyway when i saw the flames and OCC emblem. At first he told me it was a Bolens, but as you can see it has a MTD emblem on the grill. It has a 16 h.p. Briggs twin in it. Hopefully the pics are here, I never have any luck with computers. I'd like to know the model and approx. year?

 

[crbr]

I like the flames.

 

[kenmac]

MTD mabe ??

 

[Travelover]

MTD Corporate :: About MTD Products

Used to be Modern Tool and Die years ago. They have manufactured all kinds of lawn equipment over the years - mostly low end stuff.

 

[LBrown59]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/lawn-garden/115358d1228077586-what-100_2731.jpg
It's not a bolens as the back wheels don't attach like this on a bolens.

 

[Paystar]

Kenmac, ya, I kinda figured that. Now maybe you can tell me year and model. Just wasn't sure if Bolens was connected to MTD at all. Anythings possible as International Harvester once sold their lawn and garden line to MTD. There were also some connection between MTD and Cub Cadet also. Read it on Case/IH website. Just wondered why people were telling me it was a Bolens?

 

[GaryS]

I love the Orange County Choppers decal on the hood

 

[kenmac]

Kenmac, ya, I kinda figured that.

Just looking at the way the front axle , king pins ,( if you want to call them that ) mower deck, etc, are made / attached to the frame. Looks like my MTD. I don't know how long MTD has made lawn tractors with the Bolens badge. I know that Lowe's sold Bolens made by MTD . As for the mod / year.

Sorry, I can't help you there

 

[KubotaEd]

Your pictures look like a smaller version of the White lawn tractor I bought used to mow a lot on my property several years ago. I'm sorry I don't know the year, but the model number of mine it GT-1855. The sheet metal forming the platform and rear finders are like mine, as is the shape of the hood, and the front axle, as far as I can see.
It was probably made by MTD because some replacement parts I have purchased come with MTD as part of the number.

sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Paystar]

Thanks evryone. Just wanted to see if anyone recognized the model. I mowed with it last year and it works good. But with two acres to mow, it takes more time than I want to be on it. But until I decide on a new sub-compact with FEL and BH I'll use this and my atv with all my attachments for it to do all my yard maintenance. Just want to fix it up a bit more and if I knew what it was exactly, it would save me from having to match parts up. A lot of the safety stuff is missing from the deck (there's levers and arms hanging everywhere that aren't attatched) and I've been replacing a couple of the pulleys, as the bearings are siezing up from lack of lube. I also had to replace the muffler, but a friend of mine fabbed me a new one and it works great. Nice and quiet. Still a lot better machine than my old "Bob Villa Special" (Craftsman). What an expensive headache that was.

 

[bontai_Joe]

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]

That's a a racing tractor!!!

 

[dqdave1]

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]

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]

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

 

[DmansPadge]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Paystar]

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.