When I was a kid, in the 80's, my Dad had a BROWN push mower with a WHITE engine. It did not have a pull starter. It had a handle on top that you would "unfold" wind up, fold back in and push a button and the engine would start. Does ANYONE have any idea what kind of mower this is????
#2
scott47429
i dont remember what the name was but i remember my dad having one to i would be interested in knowing also kinda like this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsxwHnc7GFs
#3
Carscw
The engine is a Briggs.
Is one wheel offset? Sit behind the shoot
(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))
i dont remember what the name was but i remember my dad having one to i would be interested in knowing also kinda like this one 63 Briggs Wind up Starter - YouTube
My Dad had one like in the video. This would have been the mid to late 60's.
My memory tells me that one wheel was offset, and that it also used the button for starting. It was also blue with a white engine.
Tecumseh had a wind up starter also. There were a lot of Sears and Roebuck mowers with that set up. If I remember right, a lot of those mowers were brown color also. After you wound up the Tecumseh, there was a button that you pushed to start the engine. Under the right conditions, those wind ups were pretty dangerous and we were warned to never put your fingers under one unless you knew for sure that the starter wasn't wound up. Thanks!!!
White was never a stock color for Briggs, but was for a Tecumseh. That's not to say there was never a white Briggs engine, but a deal had to be a large one(ie;Sears) to make a production run of a white motor. And they might shy away from white because of Tecumseh. I really liked the copper colored Briggs.
My Dad had one, i THINK it was a Sears or possibly Montgomery Ward, less likely Western Auto. Except I kinda recall a brown or gold color - not sure.
I'm leaning towards a Wards but, it wasn't that much more convenient than a rope start, and the spring starter eventually broke. pretty sure it was a briggs engine though. I will NEVER forget that clicking sound of the spring starter! thanx for linking the video!
I also have vague memories of a gadget my dad got to chuck into the drill that had some 'nubs' designed to push into the perforated vent/screen on top of a mower to use the drill to start. Anyone recall that? maybe advertised in TV guide -- possibly on TV as well?
I also remember my Dad having a similar type mower. From what I remember though, is that you turned the crank, and it would turn the mower over as soon as you folded it over.
I also remember my Dad having a similar type mower. From what I remember though, is that you turned the crank, and it would turn the mower over as soon as you folded it over.
This discussion is jogging my memory! I seem to remember Tecumseh having two different styles of wind ups. One had a non folding wind up handle with a release lever under the starter spring and the other had a folding handle with a button in the center of the starter that released the spring tension when the handle was folded back. All the Briggs I remember had the knob on the side of the blower housing. Some mowers had a cable attached to the release lever that ran up the handle with a release control mounted near the throttle control. Those wind up starter springs were kinda pricey way back then and in some cases it was cheaper to convert to recoil start than replace the wind up spring.
This is really getting nostalgic. Up until this thread was started, I had completely forgotten about my Dad's similar mower. Now, I swear I can hear the ratcheting sound that it made, in my head..:smile: thanks everyone for the memories.
Bruce
Uncle had a Tecumseh in the 60s with a wind up starter. I thought it was very cool. Just ratchet it up with a folding handle, tightening a spring, I assume, then flick the little release handle and it served the same purpose as a pull rope. The problem was that if it didn't start, it took a lot more time than pulling a rope. Which is when I picked up a lot of new cuss words from my uncle. Interesting concept, but I guess it didn't work too well.
