# My New 41 Year Old Ariens



## Mabe (Nov 30, 2013)

I want to intoduce myself and thank all of you for your posts in the past reading this forum helped me a lot in finding my "new" 1972 Ariens 10,000 7/24 blower. 

Despite being young and just starting a family the wife and I downgraded from a big country home to a modest home in suburbia this summer I no longer needed a plow on the front of my truck, I sold that and started looking for a snow blower. I gave myself a $500 budget for a basic snow clearing device. The driveway is fairly small, 2 wide x 6-7 long and we both have 4wd cars so it is not critical to clear it with every storm. 

I looked at a $499 Craftsman on black friday and was horrified at the quality. Thin little wire cables, brackets that flexed and plastic all over. I grew up with a house on a hill and a 300' snaking driveway that plow contractors refused to quote. My father and I always got it done with an old Ariens that was fairly new back then and later a tracked Honda blower from the mid 80s. They were animals, built like there was a fire sale on 1/8" and 1/4" plate steel. I expected similar quality from newer machines. 

Totally turned off by newer machines I did some homework. Mainly on this site and settled on the 60s and 70s Ariens Sno-Thro machines. Old, sturdy and proven. All things I like to hear about a machine. Plus it is kinda cool these days to own an old quirky machine. I like that in the future I will be able to use it as a teaching tool for my now 3 month old. That in our throw away society it can be worth it to buy quality and since it is so simple, I hope to make a good restoration project when he is in his teens. I figure 50 years old will be the perfect time to repower and paint the machine for another 50 years. 

After a bit of hunting on craigslist I found a 1972 Ariens 10,000 series. 24" bucket, 7hp Tecumseh, all original just dirty. It was at a local small engine shop and it had been gone through by the guy. When I called to ask about it I said I was looking for an Ariens, he said "everyone wants an Ariens, do you know what type?. When I specifically asked about a 60s or 70s model he perked right up and told me about this nice early 70s he had and went on and on about it. He said it was owned by an old engineer that bought it new and the machine out lived him. 
I paid $275 for it, I figure I could have paid half that from someone else or pulled one out of a ditch. But $150 for his time and the tune up he did was more than fair. If I was buying a machine in July, I would be happy to tinker with it for months. She pulls strong and idles low with no issue. It even has an electric start and the original drift cutters (which I found to be at the perfect height to neuter a man my size) which I feel like are fairly unique for its age. At the least, it tells me the original owner spared no expense on his machines. 










The Tecumseh engines have a rep for throwing rods, but they do last for a very long time. But something has to break....and throwing a rod sounds more like an owner that never changed the oil. At 40 years old I will would hardly call it problematic or a weak spot. Even if the engine let's go tomorrow I could swap the engine in an afternoon and have a better rig than the $499 Chinese boat anchors and still have less money into it. 




























I do have one question: Does anyone know a decent battery powered light kit that could clamp onto the bars? My driveway is not well illuminated. I'm thinking I may hit up the local bike shop.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

wow, nice find! she's a beauty! 

Minor issue, but it's most likely a 1973, not a 1972..
I believe '73 was the first year where the auger release lever was moved to the handlebars..
can you post the model and serial numbers from the engine tag? that should tell the tale..
thanks,
Scot


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## Ray 1962 10ML60 (Oct 14, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, I can't speak of a good light kit, but wanted to tell you that's an awesome looking Ariens you picked up there. Looks to be in great shape. With your attitude sounds like she will go another 41 years without a hiccup. She's a beauty, enjoy the snow!


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## Mabe (Nov 30, 2013)

sscotsman said:


> wow, nice find! she's a beauty!
> 
> Minor issue, but it's most likely a 1973, not a 1972..
> I believe '73 was the first year where the auger release lever was moved to the handlebars..
> ...


First off thanks for the great page you run. 

I sent you an email on that with all the serial numbers and model numbers. The engine is an August of 72 build. 

Tractor:
Model 910008
Serial: 012237

Bucket:
Model: 910995 
Serial: 100846

Engine: 
H70 130158a
Serial: 2221R

Going by the info on your page, it points me to a 1972 build. The 1972 manual you have also shows the relocated auger release.


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## TimY (Oct 27, 2013)

WOW, nice, welcome come on in your home now. Looks like you'll fit right in with the attitude you have. This is the place if you, out of love or necessity have an older unit you want to keep going or a new one you want to keep that way. These guys know their stuff. If they all got in the same room a fight would break out over who's nicer. Tim


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## Mabe (Nov 30, 2013)

Also, the leaver on mine is flat, and mounted ahead of the Ariens plate. The 1973 broschure shows a different leaver with a ball type knob on the end mounted behind the plate.


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## TimY (Oct 27, 2013)

Boy I'm feeling my age. That's the year our neighbor bought one brand new. Now I was the oldest of seven sons so my father never saw a need for those machines. But as my brothers and I spent time shoveling 125 ft driveway our neighbor was done with his and back inside drinking cocoa. All pleas and comments about slavery and child abuse fell on deaf ears


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

very interesting..thanks for the numbers! 

There has been some ambiguity around the features for '72 and '73..
this Ariens list, from 1974:

http://scotlawrence.smugmug.com/Snow-Blowers/Ariens/10000-models2/796111524_zMvae-O.gif

Says both of your Ariens numbers date from 1973.
But that has proven to be an unreliable list! I have found quite a few things wrong with it..

you are correct that the 1972 manual shows your style of auger release..plus the 1972 manual shows your model 910008..and im far more likely to believe the individual manuals, then I am that 1974 list..plus your engine is clearly saying 1972..
so..im convinced! it is a 1972, not a '73.
good detective work!  I will have to update the page to say that '72 was the first year for the new style auger release lever, not '73..
and I see I haven't yet had any photos of a 1972 on the page..(may I use your photos for the page?)
thanks,
Scot


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Nice Ariens. I'd say a Good Decision Buying it instead of the POS Craftsman.
That Craftsman will One Day come back as a Toyota Fender, and Your Vintage Ariens will still be Throwing Snow. My Suggestion on Yours is, After the First Time You use it, Make Sure to Check the Oil. You can use that as a Barometer as to how much oil consumption the Old Engine is or is not using. I see Many Blown Engines due to a Low Oil Condition. Best of Luck with it!


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

hello mabe, welcome to SBF!! thats a very nice ariens you have


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Welcome to SBF. Good score on the old Ariens.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Welcome to SBF mabe! A beautiful, classic machine and a great attitude.


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Thats a nice 72. I also have a 72 but with a five hp that I refurbed . good luke and have fun.


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## Runner50 (Jan 21, 2013)

Nice one mabe. Where in upstate NY are you?


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## Mabe (Nov 30, 2013)

Outside of Albany.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

You might want to look into a LED bicycle headlight. It's a bit small but there isn't any wiring and if you need you could use one on each side.
.
.


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## FearlessFront (Aug 18, 2016)

The engine was built in late 1972 and put on a 1973 model year machine, however looking closely there are a few things we can detect here. It would have been sold in the winter of 1972-1973 so late 1972 for the 1973 model year. The Auger lever was only up on the handle bars 2 model years, 1973 and 1974, the final two years of production of the 10000 series. The one thing that still remains a throw off, is the Ariens Decal on the top right hand corner of the bucket. From all the information I have received, only the final year of production of the 10000 Series had the plastic Ariens logo decal vs. the Sno-Thro sticker, on the bucket and that was 1974. So the question is did they use that plastic logo the last two years or just the final year 1974? If it was only put on 1974 buckets, it is still very possible the engine was stored at the Ariens factory for a year with a bunch of other left over engine's and used the following year, that is very possible, it has happened before. 1973 and 1974 were the only two years that had the Auger release by the handle bars, the only two years holding the left handle down moved the machine vs. squeezing it to stop it. It was the only two years that offered a more powerful 8 horsepower engine, it was the only two years where the tractors frame had extra steel down on the bottom for the new safety feature's. The only two years universal joints were used on the chute rod to divert it out of the way for the larger 8 horsepower engine when it had the 8 horsepower medium frame HM80 engine on the tractor (yours has a 7, so they weren't used) and from what I know only 1974 had the plastic Ariens logo badge vs. the Ariens Sno-Thro sticker on the top right hand corner of the bucket. The snowblowers follow the same manufacturing schedule as cars being made. My 2001 Chevrolet S10 is a 2001 but it was built in 2000 and sold as a 2001 Chevrolet. Your machine manufactured in 1972 was a 1973 model year machine and sold as one. We know that for sure because if it was a 1972 the engagement lever would have been down by the belt cover it's not, it cant be a 1972 model year. So we know it was one of the 10000 series from the last two years of production, but how did a 1973 machine get a 1974 name plate on the bucket? That is the one question still in the air?
Looking closely at a couple of the photo's I can see the original throttle cable and lever is missing and was replaced. That tells me parts were replaced over time. It is possible that 1973 Tractor has a 1974 bucket. The engine could have been replaced at one point. Since the engine is the only part of the machine that is dated and engines are replaced all the time the engine's date doesn't guarantee when the machine was made. It is also possible the engine was a left over from late 1972 and put on a machine built in late 1973 for the 1974 season, the final year of production. I think the most likely possible outcome here is you have a 1974 model year machine with a Tecumseh engine built late in 1972, did not make it on a 73 model year machine and was used on the 1974, final year of production. After-all, they started using 8 horsepower engine's in 1973 so the possibility of 7 horsepower engines built that year exceeded the demand with the more desirable 8 horsepower (HM80) now out and being used, so your 7 hp (H70) engine had to wait to go on the final year, the 1974 Sno-Thro. Again some is speculation, but we know for a fact the engagement lever was not put up by the handle until 1973 (1973 model year- weather it was actually built in 1973 or a little earlier or later).
Either way, another nice 10000 series Ariens Sno-Thro.


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