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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Just joined the club

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Hi everyone,

I've just joined the club so I'm posting an introduction.

I've had an almost lifelong interest in small engines as I basically grew up around farm and garden machinery, and I'm now getting to the age of thinking less about work and more about spending some time getting to grips with the number of small engines I've accumulated over the years. I tell my wife it's a collection, but realistically I first gathered some 'projects' to do in my spare time which never came about over the years, then they became future retirement projects, and and now that I've reduced my work hours 'tinkering time' is starting to look promising.

I've been reading articles on the website every now and again as time permitted for years, and as we're currently in the process of buying another house with a reasonable sized lawn I decided to join the club as I need to start tinkering to get one of the Suffolks going.

My 'collection' (as my wife may read this) is made up of Suffolk lawnmowers, probably late 60s onwards, Merry Tillers, ranging from the 50s - late 70s (Briggs & Stratton and Suffolk engines) and some Briggs & Stratton and Villiers engines which aren't mounted on equipment.

I intend to hopefully tap into the vast knowledge within the club's membership in the future and will share any information I can when relevant. Over the years I have accumulated some handbooks and other forms of data, mostly for the smaller Briggs & Stratton engines of the 50s - 70s, which I will share if required.

 

wristpin Thu, 22/04/2021

Merry Tillers, ranging from the 50s - late 70s (Briggs & Stratton and Suffolk engines) 

Welcome,

Did Merrytillers ever leave the factory with Suffolk engines?

 

DJD Fri, 23/04/2021

My next door neighbour brought me a Merry Tiller or similar with a Suffolk engine on it, all in black as I remember, or maybe an odd bit of dark green somewhere, the engine flywheel was cast iron and thicker than normal as I recall also, to help out with the low down grunt requirements maybe. The name 'Templar Tiller' has just popped into my head too, I'm not sure why.

hortimech Fri, 23/04/2021

The early Merry Tillers were fitted with a standard Suffolk 75cc engine, this was replaced by a B&S engine, After that and much later, Westwood produced a tiller fitted with a Suffolk Engine, this was also available as a Flymo machine (badge engineering), Later still, the Merry Tiller Cadet was badge engineered into a Qualcast tiller fitted with Suffolk engine. There may be others, but I am unaware of them.

 

wristpin Fri, 23/04/2021

Templar also marketed a hover mower and also appeared under the Crown brand name and had some connection with Allen Power Equipment. Something at the back of my mind says that they may have been produced on the industrial estate at Great Haseley now occupied by Countax / Westwood / Ariens.

Another cultivator that used the SIF engine was the Westwood Gemini which with a front mounted hopper, converted to a powered barrow in a similar manner to the Flymo DM.