# Bam, just picked up a free Snowblower



## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Found this old girl on Craigslist today.....Free. Looks to be a 1972 Montgomery Wards with a 5hp Briggs engine, Guy told me it was running 3 years ago but was hard to start so he took the carburetor apart to clean it and he could not get it back together again...So he decided to give it away instead of scrapping it....I was very grateful he did this, I just so happen to have an extra carb for this briggs engine. Can't wait to dig into this tomorrow, I am sure there will be further things that I'll need fixing but how cool is this for free.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Congrats on it GAR. Perhaps you can do the detailed step by step with detailed pictures on the restoration of this one?


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Nice! 
It's a Gilson:
The Gilson SNOW BLOWER Shop, where the Gilson Snowblower Legacy Lives

Scot


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Nice find.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

nice find, GAR!

someone on MA CL has been trying to sell an earlier Gilson unit for $40 for 2 months or more. the ad is still up if anyone local is interested:

Snowblower


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

I have come across a few older Gilsons and have never been disapointed in the quality of the build of there machine, I don't understand why the industry stopped building machines of this durability and quality.

Do you think a consumer buying a new mid-range priced two stage unit new this year of any brand/make gets his moneys worth. Do you think the modern machines picked up these days will still be around 43 years from now like this old Gilson..

Just a question, I do think a lot of the modern snow machines made these days are amazing....Just not built as durable as they use to make em...


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

And the stop watch begins. Im guessing 2 weeks. That's if he doesn't come down with a sinus infection. Hey Gar how about a pic by pic on this resto? Many of us will enjoy and learn from your skilled restorations.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Nice score !! Looking forward to seeing your progress with it.


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

I am starting to get the sense from a few of your post that you think I am hiding something or lying about the restoration work I have posted about.....Are before and after pictures not good enough, I have posted progress pictures on other projects...I posted a long, long story about how I restored the 3 stage Craftsman.....Why am I getting this from you guys.....Do you think I am lying about this.....Geeeezzzzzz


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Um...no, just like to see pictures of projects, and read how they're done.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

GAR said:


> I am starting to get the sense from a few of your post that you think I am hiding something or lying about the restoration work I have posted about.....Are before and after pictures not good enough, I have posted progress pictures on other projects...I posted a long, long story about how I restored the 3 stage Craftsman.....Why am I getting this from you guys.....Do you think I am lying about this.....Geeeezzzzzz


Don't take it wrong GAR.
Nobody thinks that you are lying at all. You are (IMHO) the only member in the forum that can do such a beautiful snowblower restoration in a couple of weeks.
We all like to see pictures of snowblowers, but a step by step restoration tutorial along with step by step pictures of the process would be fantastic to have on this forum, it could encourage more members to follow your path of love for snowblower restorations.
We would be grateful if you can do that for this forum (you do the restorations already and they are phenomenal, all we are asking is that you document the process)


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

In case someone has not read it yet this is the restoration process of the Craftsman 3 stage Driftbreaker posted by GAR.

_*"How I do things so fast......Well, first off I am retired and only 46 years old...Lots of time on my hands to do projects. Second is I am obsessive about projects, I tend to not be settled until a project is done...I started working on this thing on November 5th so I don't think that's all that fast being it was the only project I had going. 

How I did this restoration, I will try to make this short. Well it did not run so I started with fuel system....I checked the gas tank it was half full of tarnished gas, gas lines were dry rotted, pull the carburetor and it was nasty with tar like old gas in it, the carb float was full of holes and the clip holding the float pin was rusted away.....I pulled the gas tank and cleaned it using seafoam, soaking it over night, soaked the carb in seafoam over night....Wile that stuff was soaking I took the engine off, drained the old oil, pulled the muffler, recoil shroud and top of cylinder head off to inspect values....I dug threw my old parts I saved over the years and found a new (old useable parts) recoil spring, carb float, carb bowel, muffler, (O-rings and a couple gaskets are new) for muffler, carburetor and engine head.....So with all this done I cleaned the hole engine with a degreaser and a acetone and then Lightly sand all the metal parts, wipe it back down with acetone and primer the parts....I then reassembled the engine replacing the spark plug, gas line and spark coil if needed and put it back on the body of the blower......Gas it up.....start it, then tweak the carb to make the engine run right. 

I then ran the machine and found the friction disk was fried and unusable, all the chains were in good shape but full of old dryed up grease.....The auger blades and impeller had rust and a few coats of old paint on them, the body on the machine had never been repainted but had a lot of surface rust on it...

I then removed the engine, wheels, shoot, bottom plate, all chains and handle bars......then hung the body of the machine in the center of my garage from the rafters and sprayed the hole machine body down with a degreaser inside and out. I took the chains and soaked them in degreaser and then in a 5 gallon bucket of oil......

I used a gel-like paint remover and gel the hole body down.....let it sit on the machine for a couple hours, suit up in full body covers, hat and air mask and go at that machine with an air driven wire brush....(this process takes hours and hours) ....This is a messy job but removes all the paint...after that I clean it up with acetone, sand it down....By Hand.....and acetone it again and the spray it with an automotive primer........Do note this, I did not remove the auger blades or impeller off the body of the blower during this process....I have on other restores but I was trying to speed this one up...Short Cut..Sorry

Now, I paint the removed parts, the top auger blade, wheel rims, handle bar plate, shoot and skid plates (school bus yellow) of Corse I striped, sanded and primered them first. Then I installed the new friction plate, all the rehabbed chains besides the front auger chain. I put the bottom plate back on and then lightly sand the machine again with a wet sandpaper over the primer, once that is done I painted it using an automotive metallic grey...I let it all dry for 48 hours before I even touch it and then reassemble the entire blower.....After I was done I decided to paint the main auger blades with a heavy duty tractor red paint......

I left the machine alone for the paint to harden another couple of days then re-installed the auger chain, checked the oil level added gas....Crossed my fingers and pulled the recoil rope!!......Bam, she started right up....You asked how I did it and this is it....I am sure I left out a few things out.......I enjoy doing this stuff, and I think the end result speaks for itself. 

I will end with this, I work my ass off on my projects. Doing stuff like this is not for everyone, and some people don't understand why I do it....I don't do this because I want to make money off selling the stuff I restore, I honesty do this as a hobby, I am not an expert and have never claimed to be one.....Just a dude who for some reason likes to restore old machines. I have learned from every project I have done to do this better or easier in the next project....If there was one thing I wish I could have in my garage........Tool wise, would be a sandblasting booth...man I would love one of those.....anyways, thanks to all of you who like this old stuff I have restored and who have helped me learn to work on it....This is a great site full of a bunch of great people...."*_


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

Gar my post was one of them. Sorry you took it that way. I actually envy your work, and the thought about you lying about your times never crossed my mind. I know I like to see pics it's snowblower porn man. Also helps us dummies that spend one week on a rust frozen wheel axel or something. Thats why I requested a documented restoration. For tips, tricks, and snowblower porn. Keep up the great work.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Nice score !! Looking forward to seeing your progress with it.



It is what it is. I compliment you on picking up a nice machine for free and I'm looking forward to seeing the results of your restoration.
I think you do great work, no slight was intended or inferred.


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## Elt31987 (Sep 6, 2015)

GAR said:


> I am starting to get the sense from a few of your post that you think I am hiding something or lying about the restoration work I have posted about.....Are before and after pictures not good enough, I have posted progress pictures on other projects...I posted a long, long story about how I restored the 3 stage Craftsman.....Why am I getting this from you guys.....Do you think I am lying about this.....Geeeezzzzzz


Not at all, what i gather is that everyone is so impressed with your work that in order to see MORE of it they want pictures along the way to keep them satisfied. Which i tend to agree with, your work is very good.


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Thanks guys for all the responses, I guess I read into all that completely wrong....

My backstory......I am a recovering alcoholic, I have been sober for 5 years. I had to turn my life completely around to achieve this change in my life...I was in the bar business most my life and sold out of my bar business as one of those life changes. So sense I had money from the sale of my business I did not go back to work for anyone, I put in some time with a few snow removal company's plowing snow with my 4 wheeler and also working with a crew of 3 guys with the company's 2 stage snowblowers.....Those machines were constantly breaking or parts would wear out in a matter of two or three runs out doing large jobs.....and that's when I learned to work on them...That is also when I was first introduced to a 70s model Gilson two stage....it was a old Montgomery wards 5hp just like the one I just picked up....This Gilson NEVER broke, always started and you did not have to handle it gently...Not to knock modern blowers but this old machine kelp up performance wise with new Ariens and Craftsman and never broke down, not one time in the two years I saw it used unlike the newer Craftsman or Ariens that constantly needed adjusting or replacement parts to keep running...Bam, brainstorm in my head...Why don't you make the old Montgomery wards blower new again....That's how I got started on snowblowers 5 years ago.

I no longer plow snow but started going to actions, estate sales and doing searches on Craigslist for old machine...tillers, snowblowers, tractors, log splitters, generators....ect, anything with a small engine i would buy...I fixed up a bunch of old stuff because of the lesson I learned wile plowing snow for that company...older stuff is built to last....I put the stuff up for sale that I fixed and it would be hard to sell, they still looked old....Bam, restore the stuff I said...So I started like that and have progressed to what you guys see me posting these days on the snowblowerforums. I have said this before and I'll say it again, not into all this for the money, I would go broke if that was the case....LOL, this is a hobby of mine and I love that I found other people into the same stuff I am into....I think my wife is a saint for all the story's she has had to listen to me tell her over the years....

Me recording restorations, I have only documented one restore completely and that was a 1972 Sears Suburban SS15 with Plow and Deck. Took me 3 months to do this restore and found taking the pictures and writing down the day to day work done on it was as much of a challenge as the work done on the tractor....So I guess this is why I don't do picture by picture story's of restored snowblowers.

I honestly find working on old two stage snowblower very enjoyable, after all the years I have done this I have a lot of old parts laying around making working on a old 70s blower (engines) easier because I have parts to replace worn or broken ones. 

In the end, I will do my best to record the steps of the process I do wile working on and restoring these old blowers. I honestly don't have a formula I just go at it...

This Montgomery Wards I just picked up yesterday I worked on for 3 hours today....Got it free, no -running.....ok, checked for spark....it had spark, checked oil.....oil looked dark but not creamy so no water in it, looked at belts.....belts were there but dryrotted, flipped machine took bottom plate off and looked at friction wheel.....friction wheel looked great but plate and friction wheel rod were very dirty, I cleaned the plate and rod and regressed the rod so friction wheel would move freely again....Then I removed the carberator and gas tank, gas was brown but not thick yet. I cleaned the gas tank out sloshing seafoam around in it. I then Worked on the carb, it was not all that dirty but once I opened it up saw that it was missing the spring under the diafram gasket, I had a replacement spring in my old parts so I cleaned the rest of the carb and reinstalled the carb and gas tank.....Once I did that I added new gas and started it.....Bam, free snowblower runs again, the thing runs nice.......So that's all I did to the Montgomery Wards today...


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Now that we all agree "U da Man", get busy and post some pictures !! 

(If you want to, when you get time and if you think we're worthy. :facepalm_zpsdj194qh)


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

hsblowersfan said:


> In case someone has not read it yet this is the restoration process of the Craftsman 3 stage Driftbreaker posted by GAR.
> 
> _*" I work my ass off on my projects. "*_


Pure respect. I didn't mean to imply you were cheating or anything, I just wondered if you had some tips and tricks you would be willing to share.

Please continue to share your projects with us here. We love it.


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

Great find GAR!

...and I can assure you...not one of these guys questioned the authenticity of your rebuilds... Most of us share your passion for seeing old iron returned to former Glory...from soup to nuts! :icon-cheers:


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

One more thing.
This place is a community. Don't think for one moment it is not. When I made my first post here a couple years ago I had no idea I'd continue to hang out with this good group of people. Some people see it as just a machine. A seasonal one no less. I don't know what's wrong with us, but we are happy to talk about them. Once in awhile the stars line up and I feel like that is what happened here. I hope they believe in what I recognize as a friendship. My name is Del. Don't feel like you need to give us more than GAR, but we like your type and want you to continue to provide contributions similar to what you already have.

best
Del


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## Flexin (Oct 24, 2015)

GAR said:


> I am starting to get the sense from a few of your post that you think I am hiding something or lying about the restoration work I have posted about.....Are before and after pictures not good enough, I have posted progress pictures on other projects...I posted a long, long story about how I restored the 3 stage Craftsman.....Why am I getting this from you guys.....Do you think I am lying about this.....Geeeezzzzzz



I'm new here but I don't get that feel. I know for myself, I love build threads. Cars, home audio, instruments and so on. 

Before and after is great but some like to see how it gets there. 

James


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

Welcome to the family GAR. Congratulations on the new machine.

Pete


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Congrats on the machine. Carbs are easy to find and I'm sure most parts you might need.


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Changed both belts this morning and had to make a belt guide, the one near the top shaft was snapped off so I used Steele round bar, heated it up and bent it into shape.....Bam worked perfect. the large spring holding the impeller tension bar was also broken, lucky I have a drawer full of springs and replaced it. I put and new spark plug in it and changed the oil...So Between yeasterdays work and today This old girl is ready to move snow...Next week I will begine tearing down and restoring.

I am leaving today to Mainistee for thanksgiving, plus this weekend there are a couple of large auction out in Mid-Michigan I will be going to......I hope to find some old machine treasures to bring home.....

"Happy Thanksgiving All" and thank you for all your replies!


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## yarcraftman (Jan 30, 2014)

GAR,

I wish I had read some of your thread back in 2013. I joined this forum having a lot of issues witha 70's Arien's that was my Grandfather's and burning oil like crazy. There was no need to change the oil because it burned it during those tough winters. I live probably 5 miles from you so too bad I did not know about you because I probably would have seen if you could have restored it for me as it was looking pretty rough as well.

I ended up giving that unit away because quite honestly I am not a handy or mechanically inclined at all. I am an accountant who did not have the opportunity to learn much about mechanics. Having said that however, desk guys like me appreciate your skills set and the many others on this site. I think it is really sweet what you are doing restoring these old machines. Plus more importantly you obviously enjoy it which is even better.

I have this addiction to this site probably almost two years after my first post. I bought a new 2 stage Honda back after giving the Ariens away. So knock on wood no issues but I keep coming back to read the stories and stay up on what's going on. 

Have a great Thanksgiving up in Manistee; I wonder if any salmon are hanging out in that river this time of year


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

GAR said:


> "Happy Thanksgiving All" and thank you for all your replies!


Same to you GAR, enjoy it.....!


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Well I failed on my assignment of documenting my work on the Montgomery Ward restore, I worked on this machine for 11 hours just today and I am wiped out tired. I believe I have at least 5 days into this Blower. She starts first pull almost every time and runs great, now it looks like it runs......Another Gilson giving a new life!! 

I am taking a break from projects until after the new year, I will call it a Holiday break. I hope Michigan starts getting snow soon, can't wait to try out my blowers....I know this Montgomery wards will perform great, I have had a few in the past and they never failed to impress me. That old Craftsman 3 stage I restored last month I have never used one like that so I hope it dose well....Anyways I will report back on that one, I know of a couple mew members has similar 3 stage blowers so maybe we could all repost back on how those old girls do once the snow starts flying.....

thanks guys, GAR❄❄❄❄❄❄


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

GAR said:


> Well I failed on my assignment of documenting my work on the Montgomery Ward restore, I worked on this machine for 11 hours just today and I am wiped out tired. I believe I have at least 5 days into this Blower. She starts first pull almost every time and runs great, now it looks like it runs......Another Gilson giving a new life!!
> 
> I am taking a break from projects until after the new year, I will call it a Holiday break. I hope Michigan starts getting snow soon, can't wait to try out my blowers....I know this Montgomery wards will perform great, I have had a few in the past and they never failed to impress me. That old Craftsman 3 stage I restored last month I have never used one like that so I hope it dose well....Anyways I will report back on that one, I know of a couple mew members has similar 3 stage blowers so maybe we could all repost back on how those old girls do once the snow starts flying.....
> 
> thanks guys, GAR❄❄❄❄❄❄


 Great job on the restoration. I restored a Montgomery Ward 8/26 (Gilson) and I was hoping to use the original engine but it was unfortunately puffing blue smoke and fouling the spark plug. I ended up repowering mine with a Harbor Freight Predator 212cc. Here a link to my restoration.
Snowblower Forum : Snow Blower Forums - GustoGuy's Album: 1973 Montgomery Ward (Gilson) 8/26


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

GustoGuy said:


> Great job on the restoration. I restored a Montgomery Ward 8/26 (Gilson) and I was hoping to use the original engine but it was unfortunately puffing blue smoke and fouling the spark plug. I ended up repowering mine with a Harbor Freight Predator 212cc. Here a link to my restoration.
> Snowblower Forum : Snow Blower Forums - GustoGuy's Album: 1973 Montgomery Ward (Gilson) 8/26


That is some top-notch work on your restoration. I have yet to do an engine swap, I have replace a Briggs 5hp on an old Gilson with another Briggs 5hp of similar year but never a new upgrade, how did the engine upgrade work out for you in the end.....


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