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A friend of mine bought a Bolens 1700G with a Bolens snow plow and snow blower that had a blown KT17 in it (in boxes) for 250.00. He said I could have the tractor, if I would travel the 200 miles to get the whole lot and sell the KT17 engine parts on eBay so he is able to defer the 250.00 outlay. I jumped on that deal. The owner also had a set of chains and Bolens weights that went with it so I got to keep those as well. The KT17 engine was a lemon from the get go, and I don't know why this one had a Series one KT17, it was a 1985, tractor, way past the series one exploding engines. It should have been a Series two. I have a John Deere 314 engine, 16hp Kohler k341 single cylinder, that will fit right in without any modifications, this has a beautiful 48" shaft drive deck and will be my new mowing tractor. This model is a 4 speed, 1st gear having lockout. the wheel weights will get Bolens Regal Red paint and go on the 1476. Long drive, lots of disassembly, now to take pictures of the engine parts and list them on eBay.

Her old studio will be used to store garden furniture, bikes, BBQ and sundry other things that are now in my shed and workshop. Give me room for another tractor or two.

Bit of progress on the studio. Base finished.

Some pics from Brimfield working day

Well, I got the petrol tank off this afternoon after I put the wheel back on (tyre was still inflated). I tipped the stale fuel out into a see through container; looked like someone urinated in it! Specks of flaky rusts also came out. I then pressure washed the tank a few times. I then quickly dried it out with my air line before pouring in undiluted Sainsbury's cider vinegar almost to the top. I am going to leave it in there for at least 48 hours,, possibly longer. Every now and again, I will give it a shake to slosh it around the tank. I am using this method as it's cheaper than using chemicals and also safer to the user and cleaner for the environment; all worthy reasons. To neutralise the acids I will use be using diluted baking soda after a thorugh rinsing. It will be interesting to see how clean it will be afterwards.

Alain, when I bought this RAM in October 2014 I did well not buying any tractors for a while however since then would you believe I have bought another 20 tractors. She is less than impressed so I am trying not to buy any more. The '62 RAM is a bit of a marmite tractor, BTW Marmite is a spread available in the UK and the company's marketing slogan is "Love it or hate it". I have two '62 RAM's and they are both in very poor condition, this one has been pulled apart and badly repainted before reassembly using most of the essential parts, the others presumably discarded. Also for no good reason a number of holes have been cut into the cast grill. So may even call it a restoration, the other tractor is a lot more honest. The '62 RAM is a good size for my son to use and as it is shiny, it has caught his eye. As such I want to get this one running and then do a running refurbishment over time. We are doing the work together so progress will be slow but hopefully we will both learn something along the way. In addition to adding the original hitch we are also looking to get the clutch/brake to work. We have identified the parts that are missing and are investigating how to make replacements. This is a picture of my other '62 RAM, which some may recognise as it came from John's collection. Affectionately this is known as "the dragster" due to the modified Land Rover back wheels Iain

Beautiful machine and very, very capable.

It is a 1985 tractor, 5017 model, the QT series was 1666 models and include a 16 hp Kohler single cylinder, QS16, a 16 hp Onan twin cylinder. QT16, and the 17 and 19 hp Kohler twins QT17 and QT19. Personally, I don't care for twins except the cast iron Kohler 482, 532, and 582. The design flaw on all the KT series and the cost of parts on the Onan's are behind those preferences. This particular model was also offered with the 14hp Tecumseh OH140, called the 1400G. I think the 16 hp Kohler K341AQS will do nicely. The engine in it was the second KT17 originally it would have been a series two engine. I think the Kohler KT17 series one engine was produced from 1978 to 1980 or 1981, after that they made series two engines up until around 1985 or 1986. If the spec number is below 24299 it is a series one, 24300 and above it is a series two. Obvious difference is a plate for a remote oil filter, different oil fill tube, and electronic ignition over a coil on the earlier series one.

The tyre all pumped up and 'touch wood' it will stay inflated. I don't think the red is the original red as I am sure it's darker?

This year has been a very difficult year for reasons that are far too boring to go into, however one of the outcomes was that I agreed with the other half not to buy any more tractors this year and to focus on other priorities. It has been very painful agreement to keep to and I hope you will agree that I did well to last until October before buying two more. The most interesting one is a 1962 Ride-a-matic which has been fitted with a Honda engine and what looks like a Land Rover hitch. I do have the original Kohler engine, which has a broken flywheel and missing the coil. These are a couple of pictures the seller sent to me. This is my second Ride-a-matic, with the other being a 1961 machine. The tractor has a few challenging issues and missing parts, but I think I know what needs to be done. It works really well with the Honda engine and I may leave it like that while I work through some of the other issues. A full refurbishment and repaint is the long term aim but for now I just want to use it, enjoy it and work on continued improvements. Iain

Arrived at the farm on Friday afternoon and just managed to get the caravan set up before the rain started. saturday was bright and sunny so after unloading the van and setting up my display i took the Raider 12 over to the field to start ploughing, the ground was long stubble matted with hay although the plough went straight in the ground with good depth after ten or fifteen feet the plough was bunged up with big clump of hay. I watched the bigger tractors and they were all having problems with the conditions only worst than me as they had more ploughs to clean. Saturday evening there was a seven mile tractor road run ( some off road ), there were twenty tractors with trailers and lots of people, half way round we stopped at the village pub and then the rain started, we all got a soaking on the way back to the club bbq. The food was good and plenty of it, although we were all very wet it was very enjoyable and the atmosphere was great. sunday i got some seat time with the graderblade and harrows. the rain held off and we loaded up about four and arrived home at five thirty. A very enjoyable weekend and in good company. heres some photos I managed to take while it wasn't raining

Home now from a great weekend in rural Kent, at the Biddenden Tractorfest event where there was a great and varied line up of horticultural machines, first lot of photos below... More photos tomorrow...

Hi just bought a ST160 with 174 hrs on it never seen one so clean before has deck with grass reduction system it came from a bereavment sale PO had it in an air conditioned barn

A neighbour has just asked me to sort out a Howard Rotavator that has stood unused for twenty years and the fuel tank was in a similar state. Clean now but with more perforations in the bottom than a certain brand of tea bag! Thanks for the birthday wishes from forum members - celebrated with a visit to the dentist for a crown, £££!!! OMG!

collected it today its missing a double pulley from the GRS and the GRS belt the guy i bought it off is going back to the warehouse he got it from to have a look .He said its full of engines boats and parts PO was a bit of a hoarder bought loads of new speedboats engines etc had them in an airconditioned warehouse had 6 containers of new stuff as well my cleanest macine before i got this one

mecedes unimog 401

That's a Mercedes Unimog, Alain. More tractor than Jeep. Great machines.

As mutch as I love bolens. This one is quite ugly I remember that one at Johns

I love the jeep thingy, great pictures!

The 1962 RAM has been on my list for a long, long time, but I have never found one in good order. As most know I'm a collector of later garden tractors, but this one calls to be. Iain, I believe your wife maybe fairly proud (and surprised) of you lasting until October, even if she would not say so. Had you not came up a little short on your promise, she would have not been able to make her handbag purchase. I am fairly sure she was the one that was getting worried that you would make it and that handbag would slip by. The '62 is beautiful, nice to see the original lift back on it.

The red on the Bolens tended to fade over the years. I use gloss International Harvest Red Industrial alkyd enamel and add 2 ounces of gloss black industrial alkyd enamel to a gallon, it matches Bolens Regal Red almost perfectly and also looks darn close the the Wheel Horse Red

Great score Alain. Iain

Hi All is anyone going to the Great Dorset Steam Fair. I normally go for a few day and camp but Iam just going for a day visit on friday. Would be good to catch up with fellow tractor fans

Thats as new Nick. We should start a section on here for whos got the cleanest machine

sweet looking tractor you got there ive got a series 2 kt 17 going spare but i think its to far to ship how much later is that than a QT17 cheers nick

Chris hasn't enough hair to need a hair brush. Off to ................................................. now.

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Cheers, Doug. Chris will probably use his extras as hair brushes.

yes i think i need to start a museum i agree its to nice to use

Joseph, when your Dad is down in Devon, he can measure my RAM if that's any help? Thanks Andrew

The next job is to find a closing panel for the end of the chassis that's hard when we don't have the right size metal.

I really like your 1050, I wish mine were anywhere near this good. Good call on the fuel system, tank clean, new pipe and inline filter is the way to go. Now just get your finger out and buy that seat cover, we all want to know what they are like Iain

I think you should make a drive through wheelhorse wash with them 😀

After a very long time we did some work on the 1962 Ride-a-matic. Over the weekend we removed the non Bolens hitch from the tractor and fitted one imported from US Before: After: It looks much better. We now need to either make or buy the end panel for the chassis Joseph

this was a good day for every one to try out other peoples machines young and old had a play and i think it went down well. i would like to thank the SHOWMAN(chris sutten) who organised our section and made it one of the most relaxed and easy going shows of the year and of course Norm had his new hat on for the ring parade, and was acting very strange, if you look at photo 13 that may of been the reason why just joking norm

A few photo's I managed to take. Harryt's very nice MF. Another of Harry's with his Serf in the back ground. Not like that. Like that! Anyone know this strange chap? Just drop it at my house, lad. Be just the job for behind a road legal garden tractor. Not seen a Rickman for years. The mower from the Anchor Butter add. Now in the possession of young Harryt.

These are the same shape and design as my other one. It is a much more attractive shape. I believe the green painted ride-a-matic's are pre-1961. That is a great picture. Wow, despite one being towed they are all about to overtake the WH Iain

think we were queuing to do the arena run, GT14 had the plough then

We had 4 of them last year at Newby hall, from this pic I took, I think one must have been unreliable