My Winter Project

When I'm not on a snowmobile due to lack of snow, my son and I have been working on a project.  We are taking parts from three lawn tractors (2 Allis [712 & 919] and 1 7116 Simplicity) to create a Snowblower tractor.  Project started out as a craigslist find as my son's Allis 919 Kohler was beginning to show it's age, and we found a 2 year old Briggs Vanguard pictured in a Craigslist ad.  Engine was for sale only, but still in the 7116 lawn tractor.  Another ad had a picture of the 7116 tractor w/engine for sale.  Called on the ad, went and looked at the "engine" which we bought and the tractor was included.  Owner had repowered the Simplicity a couple of years ago, but the rear end was leaking oil bad around the rear axle that it was taking a quart of oil in the rear end to mow his lawn.  We were simply interested in the Briggs Vanguard, but boy was the Simplicity was in way to nice of shape to cast away the frame because of the leaking rear end.  Well I had an Allis 712 that had a bad rear end of which I wondered if I could use as a parts doner for the Simplicity tractor.  Well we started on the Simplicity to investigate where the oil was coming from of which we found the hollow trans axle shaft had a nasty crack from inside the rearend, past the seal and to the outside.  With the experience of splitting the 7116 hydro rear end we started in on the Allis 712 parts doner and found a usable hollow trans axle shaft that was slightly different but we could make it work.  So replace the trans axle seals and a new gasket and we put the Simplicity rear end back together.  Well we swapped engines with the Allis 919 (which was the original intent) and then placed the old Kohler KT19 in the Simplicity frame.  Today after about 3 months of part time wrenching, we were able to tryout the rear end fix along with firing up the old Kohler.  Another Craigslist ad popped up during this project which happened to be an Allis soft side cab that we almost have installed and then I'll get my reconditioned blower mounted on the front of this old girl.  I also picked up some LED headlamps that I plan on roof mounting to look like stadium lights.  Will post another picture when we get this finished.  The Simplicity hood which was really clean sheet metal went on my son's Allis 919 which will get repainted and decaled as an Allis, thus our blower tractor got the 919's hood.  Now I hope it SNOWS soon to put this into action.


Edited by snowman(MI) - 11 Feb 2017 at 7:39pm

I second that.  Good job with your tractor combinations, and I know you will enjoy blowing snow much more now that you have the cab.  

pretty sure Belmont is North of Grand Rapids. I have great friends in Holland,on coast SW or GRapids. I'd have thought that area would get a LOT of snow....

Jay



Edited by jaybmiller - 16 Feb 2017 at 6:36am

I took my green snow blower off my 917 yesterday, chains are still on.