I had that exact mower minus self propel when i was a kid, hand me down from my grandpa. I made car money off that thing, replaced recoil, solid state, fuel shutoff. Best mower ever, for the lightness and staggered deck!
Runs great! That looks exactly like the one our neighbor’s had when I was a kid, they bought it new in ‘72. They must’ve mixed the fuel-oil ratio wrong because theirs used to smoke like crazy. I used it back then to cut their lawn when they were away on vacation and it just about smoked me unconscious!
mjg263 - thx for watching. The mix is 32:1. One time my son mixed a container of 2 cycle oil meant for a 2 gallon jug into a 1 gallon jug. The mower ran fine, but a light blue cloud strangely followed it around. Finally figured the gas was a 16:1 mix, hence the smoke...
I loved 2-stroke motorcycles in their day, because all the oil fumes were left behind you. But with a 2-stroke lawn mower, you walk into the fumes - it’s kinda like pissing into a headwind. Even if you don’t see any smoke, you can smell the burnt oil. To me, it’s not pleasant. I had one for half a mowing season. It did a great job on the grass, but I hated mowing behind that thing. I got rid of it and got a good ole Briggs 4-cycle.
Nice Lawnboy, never knew that about the muffler,I do remember using one when the old Montgomrey Ward would fail and we go to a rental store to pick one up.I have all ways been into Snappers because of the drive disc I have 4 of those 2 rear engine riders & 2 walk behind S/P the RER are 1974 & 2012 & the S/P are 1986 & 1990 I still use them all! the 86 I did by new,and I did get 30yrs. out of the engine , valve keep wore out all the rest I bought from 1 owners .I did put a new 2016 engine on the 86 & I still have the old B&S engine waiting for a rebuild.I am doing a rebuild & restoration the 74 Comet Snappper 1st.
Fantastic video, I can see now what the hype is around Lawn-Boys. Stuffing the muffler between the blade and the deck is a genius idea. I've got a very similar Simplicity, just with a 4 stroke 3.5 hp Briggs engine. I got it on the side of the road for free and got it running and cutting. I can't find anything out about when it may have been made other than that the engine was made in 1969. It also has a similar lever for a self propel feature, but uses a belt to drive the rear wheels instead of what looks to be maybe gears or something on yours? I see that Lawn-Boy made decks like that at least as early as 1965, just looking at random videos, so I imagine it was Simplicity that copied Lawn-Boy? My Simplicity also has an aluminum or magnesium deck (I don't know which) and an almost identical removable steel plate in the top front of the deck that was meant to be removable to attach a bagging chute. It has the same discharge and goofy wheel layout as well. I literally cannot even find a picture or video of one on the internet, but you can find the manual if you search Simplicity 990491, if curious.
Nice history by the way. That's impressive you still have the orig. fuel valve lever. You can't get them anymore. Mine snapped on mine 2 yrs. ago, got a later flat one. Same with your primer bulb, you have the nice white/cream color one - can only get black now. Ruins the look. I wish I still had these items. My front label is gone. Oh and you can't buy those wheels new anymore, they sell ones that don't look quite these triangular/nuclear ones.
I also think that lawnboy was at there peak throughout the 60s up the 75. There quality starting slipping in 75 and the engines that Toro made when they bought lawnboy were absolutely junk. Still have our 72 lawnboy and it runs fine
Looks a lot like my Lawn Boy. Have a `74 7224 with a D600 motor. My family has owned it since new. Sadly, I have to find a new D600 short block engine. Having a hard time.
In my aria I just check Craig's List or Facebook Market place. I can usually get a good deal on them, but I have noticed the the price has started to go up on them over the years.
