[AT] Now heres an unusual tractor - Bolens Husky(?)

[Dave Merchant]

I believe Bolens called it the "Husky". Big machine for its time.
I'm guessing about 8 Hp. Note the mag ignition like a Gravely.

The chain driven steering wheel gave it a "big tractor" feel, you thought 
you were driving a LeTourneau..

Our neighbor had one of them when I was a kid.
He cut something like 8-10 acres of grass with it every week with a gang mower,
took him all weekend.

They are rather tippy, and pretty heavy to get back upright on a slope or 
in mud (see below).
The heavy engine out front would pull them right over, even though there was
an attempt at a counterweight behind the front wheels.

Neighbor had a wet spot he'd get it stuck in almost every time, not good since
he had quite a temper and a spectacular vocabulary.

Mud would pack between the front wheels, which didn't help much.
He also had a short steep slope that he'd roll it on at least once a year,
we all had to go over to help him recover it.

Many people put a lot of wheel weight on them, on front to get some power down,
and more on the rear wheels to try to keep it upright.

A flawed but impressive little tractor, wish I had one!

Quite a few turn up at shows in Ohio, especially Wellington.

Dave Merchant


At 02:49 PM 2/27/2004, you wrote:
>At least to me it is a pretty uncommon sighting. I have seen ads for these
>in the old farm magazines but this is the first real Bolens tractor of this
>vintage that I have seen.
>http://www.balogauction.com/farmsales/2004/images/ltrfarms/bolens-lg.jpg
>
>Ralph in Sask.
>http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/lgoff/latestpage.html



Dave Merchant
kosh at nesys.com
nesys_com at ameritech.net

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