Bought a red one!!
 

Yes, I know, it's the wrong make, but it will have to do until I find that 95 electric. The Cubs are awesome working the garden and pulling stuff, but way too big for mowing my lawn, getting through gates and around the obstacles that are everywhere.


Meet the newest addition to the fleet, a $50 1986 Snapper Series 6 Standard, 28" Hi Lift deck, 8 hp Briggs and Stratton. If you're not familiar, these have a really neat and super simple constant velocity style transmission that needs a $20 rubber drive wheel every 10 years and is designed to store standing on end, actually taking up less floor space in the garage than a push mower, and my home town hardware store is a reputable Snapper dealer.

Anyone else have one of these little lawnmowers? After 1 test drive mow and absolutely none of the much needed maintenance, I'm impressed by it's potential. The drive wheel is completely shot, the carb is way out of adjustment, the blades are incredibly dull, the governor doesn't govern, the PTO lock keeps popping loose, and despite all that, it left my lawn looking very nice and eas a pleasure to operate. A few hours under the wrench and I might not want that 95 as bad...

My little city is lucky enough to be the home of an old fashioned hardware store, and the owner has been working at the family business since he could walk, and a lot of history rests within those store walls.

When I asked how long he'd been a Snapper dealer, he got a big smile, and told me the story of how a salesman from New Jersey came by in a station wagon in 1952 and sold them their first Snappin' Turtle lawn mower, and how it evolved into the Snapper mowers of today. His friend was there, too, to tell me all about how great his Snapper was, and how he had bought it somewhere else.

If you still have a good hardware store in your town, don't forget to shop there and support them. I'd love to say the few extra bucks is worth it, but my genuine Snapper drive wheel was only $24.95. The same genuine parts on a reputable website are $65.40 plus s&h.


A few adjustments later and a new drive wheel later, I cut most of the grass that I usually have to push while sitting down, and it looks fantastic. Found a bagger and thatcherizer attachment on craigslist, bought them this morning for $40. I already want to find an a vintage Snapper Hi-Vac commercial push mower to match, and decided that I'm gonna paint it all IH red and white some day.

Anyone ever think of putting some light cultivators under one of these? I had memories of the countless hours I spent cultivating on an old Allis Chalmers G when I mowed, a "Snapper G" might be handy in the garden with some finger weeders or an earth-way seeder and even a fertilizer tube under it's belly. Mount a propane tank and make 2 torches for a flame weeder? This little chassis could come in awfully handy on a half acre homestead.

One of the best cutting mowers I ever had. Yours is pre 92 I think because of the white handle bars but I’m not exactly sure. Mine was the first year of the rectangular steering wheel. Single blade design with that round deck and mine had the high lift wings. The rubber drive wheel is easy to change and adjusting the drive plate up or down on the crank is easy too. You paid a great price! I always called mine the “Forest Gump” mower. Guy at flywheelers show has a snappin turtle and it is so cool I’m tempted to offer him too much to get it. Good luck with it and it seems like you like it already!

PS I had the vintage self propelled snapper push mower you speak of too and it used the same rubber drive wheel design. Awesome engineering, mine was a 1970 with 3.5 Briggs

I remember a few of those snapping turtle mowers.
They have a turtles head just bigger than a golf ball mounted in the front of the deck.:beerchug:

Alvy- good eye, she's an '86 according to the stickers.

The original Snappin Turtles are pretty neat, I was under the impression that they became Snapper in the late 50's, though, and that all Snappers were Fire Engine Red, while the original Snappin Turtles were green.

Think this new to me machine may inspire a little research. Every one of these classic tractor brands has a story to tell, I'd like to know more of this one.

I ran across this old article yesterday. Anyone who enjoys classic tractors would probably enjoy reading it.

https://www.fastcompany.com/54763/ma...id-no-wal-mart