[AT] Bready tractor = Father's Day

[Dave Merchant]

This is about 1000 times more info than I had about it before.

I suspected that the design might have been a lemon, usually the case
with a "rare' tractor. However, the Fire Department apparently used
it successfully for plowing snow at the fire station for at least a few years.

It has the Briggs, data plate on the engine is in bad shape, but
can make out the "14". Will try to read more info off it.
Engine is "unstyled", squared off shroud instead of the later compound
curved stamping. Rope starter, not a recoil. No hood.

It is green + yellow, in the JD pattern, nice to know I can leave it original.

I'm not planning to do anything with it immediately, have other projects
(work on the house, and need to split an NAA) in process.
I eventually would like to get it going as a butt buggy.

Did they use off the shelf internals in the tranny, or make all their own?

Any idea what the "Schneider System" is? Says that on the gas tank sticker.

I'd be interested in copies of the literature, or at least the exploded 
tranny view
if it wouldn't be to difficult, I'd reimburse, but not worth a big effort.

Do you go to the Wellington show?

Thanks
Dave Merchant


At 08:36 AM 6/8/2008, you wrote:
>Dave, what you bought is a Bready Pow-R-Flo. They made them with 3
>different engines. The Briggs engine should have been a model 14 which
>was only 5 HP. If you can get the engine numbers I could date it. They
>also used a Kohler that was rated at 6 1/2 HP and a Clinton that was
>rated at 3.5 or 4. I've got some factory literature on the models and an
>exploded view of  the trans. The model TC does stand for torque
>converter. Does yours have the hood? Although they show a hood in some
>ads, they also advertised them without the hood. We've never seen one
>with the hood. The good news is this is a fairly rare tractor. The bad
>news is they were junk from the get go! A buddy has been researching the
>Bready company and has located and talked to the son of the man that
>designed it. They had so many problems they were coming back faster than
>they could fix them. The son claims his father had a mental breakdown
>over it and spent several months in a mental hospital and never fully
>recovered. I've got one with the Briggs that only pulls itself part time
>and one with a Kohler that I've never had running. The original color
>was green and yellow. Doug Tallman
>
>
>
>Dave Merchant wrote:
> > I just bought a Bready walk-behind unlike any other Bready I've found on
> > the web.
> > Designated as my Father's Day gift, $100 even.
> >
> > Came with a 1 seat sulky from some other tractor, but looks like it 
> belongs.
> > Real beefy beast, looks like a nice butt buggy.
> > Nice big chevron tires in pretty good shape, on cast spoke wheels like
> > Gravely, but bigger.
> >
> > For some reason, it's painted John Deere colors (well, OK, we all know the
> > reason!).
> > ...but P.O. thinks the colors might be original???
> >
> > Built 1960, 14 hp B+S, rope start, built in Solon Ohio.
> >
> > Good compression, guy says it runs with persuasion, but only at idle.
> > Carb is buggered (main jet screw stripped), may need to get a new carb (I
> > assume they're pretty available).
> >
> > Has a big 4' push blade with angle, seller said it was used as a snow plow
> > at the local fire station.
> >
> > Has a huge hydrostatic transmission/transaxle of some kind, with a
> > horizontal control lever on top.
> > Tranny has a Bready data plate with patent numbers.
> > Engine is bolted directly to the front of the tranny via a ~6" torque tube
> > neck.
> >
> > Tranny case shape looks like there might be a torque converter in there.
> > Seller says it really torques up if you put it against a tree, so it might
> > have one.
> >
> > Has the ratchet wheel hubs that are apparently standard with all Bready
> > tractors.
> >
> > As far as I can figure, this must have been about the end of the Bready 
> line,
> > we all know that many tractor builders came up with really good innovative
> > designs just before they went under.
> >
> > Anybody know anything about it, especially the transmission?
> >
> > Who is good for old B+S carbs + ignition parts?
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
>
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Dave Merchant
kosh at nesys.com
nesys_com at ameritech.net
dmerchant at layerzero.com

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