# Vintage snowblowers?



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

I sort of got into collecting old lawn mowers a couple of summers ago, and found that I really enjoy the old time reel mowers. A couple of them date back to 1949. Best part of the fun is getting these old machines back to running again and putting up with their quirks. 

So far as my snow handling equipment, I have a late '90's 2 stage that's as reliable as the day is long, and I rarely use it, I think because of that. It almost makes me yawn when I get it out. So, I've also got a 1976 Toro Snow Master, that's a little reluctant to get going and I kind of cuss at until it warms up. But its a hoot when it does. My first choice when it snows is a 1974 Sears Suburban garden tractor with a snow thrower attachment that I use all of the time. It could probably use a valve adjustment, and the tank leaks now, but it keeps plugging away.

Anyway, I was out in the garage tinkering yesterday, I got to wondering if there's folks with vintage snow blowers and snow throwers? How far back do these contraptions go?

Let's hear about them, and share some pictures too!


----------



## butchf (Dec 15, 2010)

got to love to play with equipment! I know I do!
Hey that Toro is real close to my S-140. Once I figured out how to make her purr, it has been nothing short of amazing the stuff this thing can move. All 14" buried in the plowed snow and she keeps on going. I can't remember but I think this one was a 1977 model. Last year I had 26 Toro's, all dating pre-1980. Fixed and sold all but this one. I could not find any of the others that could compete with this one. Well except this one S-200 that I gave to one of my helpers. He decided to go bigger and newer, so he gave it back to me. Starts first pull with only one prime on old fuel. I did replace the rubber blades and WOW can it move the white stuff. Just sold her to a friend and he is a firm believer of re-cycled machines now.
I'll get some pix up later of my newest toy, 36" Jacobson lawn tractor. Free! my favorite price.
BTW, do you know where to find a 36" mower blade? I heard they were outlawed and no longer available.


----------



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

I know what you mean. I've grown to be a fan of the old stuff. There's nothing like hearing something run for the first time after you've worked on it, is there?
Here are some pictures of my snow handling equipment, minus the shovels, I left them in the garage.

I picked the little Toro up last year and it sat out behind my garage until a couple of weeks ago when I decided to try to get it going. I did the usual stuff, new diaphragm and plug with fresh gas to get it started, then new paddles, belt and scrapper bar once it was running. I got the Honda new, back before I had a true appreciation for older stuff. The Sears Suburban with the blade was free a few years ago. I did have to shuck out $25 for the blower attachment though.


----------



## BOSMECH (Dec 16, 2010)

I had a Toro S-200 and sold it and regreted selling it now I have found another and love it. I also have a Bolens 824 tank, a Toro powerlite which is also good, but when it gets real heavy I pull out the Bolens 5019 tractor with a 54" blade, welllets just say the M1 Abrams tank was designed after it.


----------



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

I have no idea what the production numbers are, but Toro must have made those little snow throwers with the paddles by the boat loads. 

How many remember the big snowfall that hit the midwest back in the mid 70's? The following year Toro had a special offer, if I remember right, to refund your purchase price if there wasn't any snow. That's when my wife got me an S-200, my first snow thrower.

Anybody out there got a snow thrower or blower older than the 70's?


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

bwdbrn1 said:


> Anybody out there got a snow thrower or blower older than the 70's?


My snowblower is a 1971, but a lot of people are still using 1960's Ariens snowblowers..I have a bunch of them documented here:

The Ariens 1960's and 1970's Sno-Thro info site - Page 5

The Ariens 1960's and 1970's Sno-Thro info site - Page 6


And Pete has a cool page about Gilson and other vintage machines here:

The Gilson SNOW BLOWER Shop, where the Gilson Snowblower Legacy Lives

Those two pages, my Ariens page and Pete's Gilson page, are the only two webpages specifically about antique snowblowers, that I know of..(if there are any others, I would love to hear about them!)

Scot


----------



## 2cycled fruitcake (Oct 5, 2010)

in a way, i guess the one in my avatar is kinda vintage


----------



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

sscotsman said:


> Those two pages, my Ariens page and Pete's Gilson page, are the only two webpages specifically about antique snowblowers, that I know of..(if there are any others, I would love to hear about them!)


Those are fantastic pages Scott. I started to look them over and I'm going to dedicate a bit of time to look them over more.

Let's here it folks. Who else has the old stuff out there still running and tossing snow?


----------



## butchf (Dec 15, 2010)

bwdbrn1 said:


> I have no idea what the production numbers are, but Toro must have made those little snow throwers with the paddles by the boat loads.
> 
> How many remember the big snowfall that hit the midwest back in the mid 70's? The following year Toro had a special offer, if I remember right, to refund your purchase price if there wasn't any snow. That's when my wife got me an S-200, my first snow thrower.
> 
> Anybody out there got a snow thrower or blower older than the 70's?


By us it was '78-'79 winter. I had just started my landscaping business and bought a brand new '79 F-150 4X4 with a plow. I already had a 1970 Jeep truck with plow and a '78 F150 2wd for the rest.
Go figure the first contract I get is with a church. The pastor told me there was nothing to get in my way in the lot. He was wrong bad. My Jeep hit a parking bumper that was anchored into the pavement. It broke really bad and I ended up buried in snow with the plow blade down.
Long story short, I got it out with my other truck and had the local guy welding for a couple hours to make the repairs.
And the church never paid me!
Here we are in one of the worst storms ever, and the pastor of a church decides not to pay me...........never again................


----------



## sixtyfive_ford (Dec 23, 2010)

Here is my Restored 1972 Simplicity S4 Sno-Away. Starts right up and runs like new. It is a single stage unit that works great. The original color scheme was used but I replaced Simplicity Orange with Red.


----------



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Beautiful restoration sixtyfive_ford. What ever happened to racing stripes? You never see them on anything anymore.


----------



## rut3556 (Feb 13, 2014)

sixtyfive_ford said:


> Here is my Restored 1972 Simplicity S4 Sno-Away. Starts right up and runs like new. It is a single stage unit that works great. The original color scheme was used but I replaced Simplicity Orange with Red.


I realize this is an old thread, but I picked up a Simplicity S4 like this one just today, and it runs like a top. I can't wait to try it out!


----------



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

bwdbrn1 said:


> Those are fantastic pages Scott. I started to look them over and I'm going to dedicate a bit of time to look them over more.
> 
> Let's here it folks. Who else has the old stuff out there still running and tossing snow?


If you go to my page and take a peek at my old *1968* Wheel Horse Commando 8 know that I bought it with a snow thrower that worked *GREAT!* Didnt need it any longer so sold the blower. Am now considering selling the tractor itself since we have such a small yard. But, again, the old girl could fling any kind and any amount of snow.


----------



## nichole111279 (Apr 3, 2015)

Would like to know what brand and its worth, if possible


----------



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Sorry, can't help you myself, maybe somebody else can.

Kinda' neat looking old thing. Do you know what all the levers do?


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Besides it saying "Snow Thrower" on top is there any other info, ID plate ??

How about engine numbers and a photo of the engine with that cover off ??


----------



## lee h (Jan 18, 2015)

My oldest snowblower at the moment is a JD 1032. Not sure exactly
when they were produced but it's a nice machine. I too love the old 
equipment. An avid vintage chainsaw collector and very new in this 
snowblowing thing i could see myself collecting vintage snowblowers.
Biggest problem is storage. Blowers take up room and i'm outta that.



Lee


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Where's the photos of that 1032 ??


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

nichole111279 said:


> Would like to know what brand and its worth, if possible


Well, that's a great question, both of them. 

It seems as though this machine is a "otherwise unknown machine." At least to what is generally considered to be the authoritative listing of known brands:

http://http://www.gilsonsnowblowers.com/snowvintage.html

The engine maybe a tecumseh or briggs. 

Value, well with most of these machines, it's in what they are capable of doing for you. There is very little value in relic snow blowers that do not operate.


----------



## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

nichole111279 said:


> Would like to know what brand and its worth, if possible


I have cataloged a lot of these vintage gems and this one is new to me. If you can find enough nameplate info to give it some story I'll feature it.

As for value I would not expect much. Probably $50 give or take $25 depending on operating condition, timing and the buyer.

Pete


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

I was hoping you might chime in. There is a lot that seems familiar with this machine, but it's configuration is just unique enough to say that it is a unique brand.


----------



## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

db9938 said:


> I was hoping you might chime in. There is a lot that seems familiar with this machine, but it's configuration is just unique enough to say that it is a unique brand.


I'd welcome more photos here on the forum or directly at [email protected].


----------



## AL- (Oct 27, 2014)

I970 Simplicity Sno-Away. Kind of vintage and unique because of the water wheel impeller rotation. I'm not decided on what to do with it yet. I tinkered it up enough to hopefully get me though the winter when I bought it late last fall and it did, so it now doesn't owe me anything... however it needs more work. I'm working on an older 1964 Bobcat but would only post a picture on that later as it's apart.


----------



## Bob Cat (Jul 15, 2014)

Wowzer! Nice work!


----------



## John Livdahl (Feb 28, 2019)

I only have owned 1 snowblower and I still use it every snow fall and live in MN.

1978 28" Allis Chalmers Heavy Duty Sno Pro (same as Simplicity 828).
Tecumseh Hmsk80 Snow King 8 HP

I purchased it in 1996 as 2nd owner.

Maintenance/repairs done since owning over 24 years:
Yearly oil change and grease all grease zerks
Only use 100% real gas

1997
Fixed recoil (friend made a machined part from aluminum to repair it)
New Auger Belt
1998
Add tubes to tires
New Drive Belt
2000
New Fuel line
Carburetor kit/cleaning
Spark Plug
2009
left auger bearing ball
2016
Main drive chain for impeller/auger
2017
Carburetor quick clean of main jet
2019
right auger bearing ball
New cheap carburetor
New Fuel line

In action a few days ago.


----------

