# Early Simplicity, Tecumseh vs. Briggs.



## bbaugh66 (Jul 28, 2014)

Hi all,

Hey i bought a 61 Simplicity past summer that you can see on a thread below that im restoring and it came with what I thought was the original motor, a Lauson Tecumseh H35P 2404P. I saw a guy on ebay selling a 63 with a Briggs and I started up a conversation. He told me ALL the early Simplicity Snow Blowers had Briggs and there would be no way mine would have the original motor on it. He backed it up with saying he worked for Simplicty for 18 yrs. I dont believe this. Especially since I saw someone else on this site that also has the 61 with the same motor as mine. I'm not going to bother restoring it if its not original. I bought the snow blower just for the motor frankly. So can someone let me know? Frankly I think his 63 with a black Briggs is not original. The whole blower is red including engine heater box yet his engine is black. Search ebay for simplicity snow blower you'll see it.
Thanks all.


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## bbaugh66 (Jul 28, 2014)

Anyone? Haha Cmon guys, you know this! Lol


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## bbaugh66 (Jul 28, 2014)

Holy mackeral, no one knows? Thought that would be an easy one for this page. Well either way, I like the engine so I'll find a use for that.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

bbaugh's Simplicity:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/simplicity-snowblowers/21898-restoring-simplicity-sno-away.html







































bbaugh66 said:


> Frankly I think his 63 with a black Briggs is not original. The whole blower is red including engine heater box yet his engine is black. Search ebay for simplicity snow blower you'll see it.
> Thanks all.


I cant find the specific ebay machine you are referring to..
can you post the link?

but based on the photos of your machine, I agree its VERY likely that is the original engine! paint is an exact match, and the Tecumseh engine tag says its also an early 60's model.. Thats the same Lauson/Tecumseh H35 tag we have seen on 1961 and '62 Ariens models recently in this forum..so that matches 1961 perfectly.

We are now 50 YEARS! removed from when these machines were built! 
when the guy said he worked at Simplicity for 18 years, maybe that was 1980 to 1998! That doesnt mean he has the slightest clue what they were doing in 1961. 

One of my other hobbies is railroad history..Actual railroad employees know the LEAST about locomotive models and railroad history! because they dont care..im sure this is very often true in other industries, like snowblower manufacturing..just because you were once an employee, doesn't make you an expert.

So im with you bb, it seems very plausable you have the original engine.
please post the ebay link, I want to see what this so-called "original" briggs looks like! 

and, just FYI, the reason you got so little response, is simply because no one knows the answer!  early Simplicitys are a very unknown topic.. no one, that I know of, has ever researched it..the history, and various models, of many brands simply has not been explored yet..Only Gilson, Ariens and Snowbird has any "hobby" research being done so far..all the other brands are very unknown.

Scot


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## AL- (Oct 27, 2014)

bbaugh66 said:


> Holy mackeral, no one knows? Thought that would be an easy one for this page. Well either way, I like the engine so I'll find a use for that.


You seem to have quite a unique neat looking combination. It seems that it could be a good collectors item if its for real. Good Luck finding out.


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## GSM (Jan 30, 2015)

BB,
I have the exact same Simplicity model with identical motor/tag. It is the original motor. I know this because the machine was purchased by my dad in '62/'63. I'll post pics later today.
GSM


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## bbaugh66 (Jul 28, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> bbaugh's Simplicity:
> 
> http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/simplicity-snowblowers/21898-restoring-simplicity-sno-away.html
> 
> ...


 
Ah now we're getting somewhere! LOL Finally.

Here is the original ad. 





 

I saw it and mailed him stating surely that's not the original engine? He replied below:











There is little chance that black engine came with this model. Looks like no one bought so at least he didn't get over on anyone.


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## bbaugh66 (Jul 28, 2014)

AL- said:


> You seem to have quite a unique neat looking combination. It seems that it could be a good collectors item if its for real. Good Luck finding out.


Yes, I saw it on ebay and I have that exact engine with that funky tillotson E7A carb. I could not find parts or a kit for that carb anywhere at the time (I've since found lots of parts for it at Stoller Lawn and Garden, THE BEST!) so I bid for it and won at like $25. I was going to dump the blower itself after taking the engine off until I came here and found that it could be the first Simplicity Snow Blower. Then I became obssessed with restoring it. It runs and everything. However I never got around to doing anything with it and currently it is under a tarp under about 2 feet of snow. HAHA But I will drag it into the garage at some point and start on it.


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## GSM (Jan 30, 2015)

*Simplicity*

BB,
Here's the motor tag on my '62 Simplicity. Judging from the close serial numbers these two blowers may have seen each other before. Please excuse the grime. I'm not sure how to send an image, so I hope the attachment goes through.
GSM


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## cobra2411 (Jul 31, 2016)

My 61 had a Briggs engine originally


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

cobra2411 said:


> My 61 had a Briggs engine originally


But are you sure it was the original engine?
you said you got it 20 years ago, and it was 35 years old then! 
im not saying you are wrong..im only asking, can you be certain you are right? 

Scot


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## cobra2411 (Jul 31, 2016)

sscotsman said:


> But are you sure it was the original engine?
> you said you got it 20 years ago, and it was 35 years old then!
> im not saying you are wrong..im only asking, can you be certain you are right?
> 
> Scot


No, not 100% sure, but it looked original based on the age of paint, etc. I could have been repowered I'm not sure. I believe the guy I got it from was the original owner and he was not mechanically inclined so if it was someone else did it. He didn't say anything about it, but he also commented on how the tires still held air all these years... Their rubber tires...


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## [email protected] (Mar 4, 2019)

Hi I have an original 63 snow-away my old man got it at city grinding in New Britain ct new it has a 4 hp briggs model 990588


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Give me the model number on the machine, it might start with a 990, 169, 269, 469 or something else followed by the other digits, usually 4 other ones and I will look it up and see if I can tell you the exact motors that were equipped on the machine and probably the even be able to give to the engine model numbers. 
The model number was usually down on the frame below the engine towards the back near your feet, if the tag is still on it.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

I have three Simplicitys from the late 60's and all came with Briggs motors.


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