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On Friday I had a quick trip to see Alan, John and Chris (The Showman), stopping off on the way to drop off a Bolens to the other Chris (Bolens Chris as my lad calls him). It was fantastic to meet up with them all again.
 
I picked up a Bolens 1054 which I am sure a number of you have seen before. A couple of pictures of the tractor after it arrived safe in Norfolk, the home of Bolens tractors in the UK
 
It is a 1054-03 which I believe means that it was made in 1972.
 
Iain
 



 
 
 

On Friday I had a quick trip to see Alan, John and Chris (The Showman), stopping off on the way to drop off a Bolens to the other Chris (Bolens Chris as my lad calls him). It was fantastic to meet up with them all again.
 
I picked up a Bolens 1054 which I am sure a number of you have seen before. A couple of pictures of the tractor after it arrived safe in Norfolk, the home of Bolens tractors in the UK
 
It is a 1054-03 which I believe means that it was made in 1972.
 
Iain
 



 
 
 

I was thinking the same. I have a under used Westwood diesel, just need to find the time
Iain

Bother! To make it worse I now remember what I was going to use them for
 
Iain

You'll have to come back Iain, you forgot the sliding door rails

Maybe one more :-) Yes, space is an issue, but we all have that problem
Iain

Maybe :-) nothing stopping the boss planting a few hundred hedge plants in the field now :-))
What made me smile is how they came untied on the way home and ended up all over the van. Had to take them out one at a time, took s while
Iain

Maybe :-) nothing stopping the boss planting a few hundred hedge plants in the field now :-))
What made me smile is how they came untied on the way home and ended up all over the van. Had to take them out one at a time, took s while
Iain

Great to see Alan, Chris and John yesterday. Thanks for the fantastic company and for helping with the loading, it was a
good day.
 
Looking at Alan's pictures I still had some more space in the van
 
The Bolens was clearly excited to be coming to Norfolk and joining my other Bolens, as it was rattling against the van
bulkhead all the way home.
 
Iain

I had the chance to have a very quick look at Andrew's 850 yesterday when I was dropping a tractor off for Chris.
Very nice machine.
Iain

Great to see Alan, Chris and John yesterday. Thanks for the fantastic company and for helping with the loading, it was a
good day.
 
Looking at Alan's pictures I still had some more space in the van
 
The Bolens was clearly excited to be coming to Norfolk and joining my other Bolens, as it was rattling against the van
bulkhead all the way home.
 
Iain

When I popped into seeing Chris this afternoon. I set eyes on my latest Bolens, the 850, for the first time. I can't wait to get it back to my place some time to give it a damn good clean with a pressure washer and to carry out a light recommissioning of the old girl. Hopefully Chris will get the old engine fired up. Again, I am struck by how well made these Tube Frames are .

Nice to meet up with Iain again, was a back breaking job with those heavy bits but I think we all enjoyed the rummage

After weeks of sorting and clearing lots of small stuff, mainly junk for the tip, we had a visitor from Norfolk yesterday.  Iain arrived for what he thinks will be his last visit to collect his reserved items.
 
Luckily it was mainly dry, not like today which is wet and windy.  Didn't get many photo's this time, just a few near the end of the loading.
 

 
The main items were John's last remaining Bolens tractor which had fun dragging a very heavy 8ft steel bench, a heavy engine hoist and bench drill up to the van.  Iain also twisted our arms    to let him take numerous other smaller items plus a pair of trailers and peace offerings for his boss at home.
 
He couldn't though, be persuaded to take a 6ft 3 furrow Ransom plough which had recently been discovered in the undergrowth. John knew it was there but  forgot  to tell anyone.
 
Thanks again Iain for making the trip and to the Showman for all his help on the day.  It was hard work for the three of us, most likely impossible for two due to the weight involved.

It may sound odd but, yes standard engine oil.
Iain

Very interesting Bolens, I may be able to add some further information.
 
It look like some parts have been added from another model which makes the identification harder.
 
It looks to have two drive pulleys which would make it a 650,750 or 850. It should also have two pulleys on the drive shaft. Normally it would have a belt fitted to each of the drive pulleys and a lever through the bottom of the dash tower to move the tensioner onto one or other belt, giving high or low range. The shaft appears to be present near the pulleys but no hole in the dash tower or lever. I would have expected a 3 speed rear end so I suspect a 6 speed is a later addition.
 
A 850 has a Wisconsin engine so my guess is that it is either a 650 or 750 with a rear end and maybe a dash tower from something like a 1050.
 
650 is a 184-01 (B&S 6hp 146402-014801) or 185-01 (B&S 6hp 146401-014701) made in 1966
750 is a 171-01 (B&S 7hp 170402-013001) or 172-01 (B&S 7hp 170401-013101) made in 1967
 
650 is manual start and so is a 750 171-01. As such if the engine is original I think it is a 750 model 172-01, just as Nigel suggested.
 
If you are unable to identify the model number as Alain suggested hopefully the engine numbers are readable.
 
I hope this helps
Iain

Very interesting Bolens, I may be able to add some further information.
 
It look like some parts have been added from another model which makes the identification harder.
 
It looks to have two drive pulleys which would make it a 650,750 or 850. It should also have two pulleys on the drive shaft. Normally it would have a belt fitted to each of the drive pulleys and a lever through the bottom of the dash tower to move the tensioner onto one or other belt, giving high or low range. The shaft appears to be present near the pulleys but no hole in the dash tower or lever. I would have expected a 3 speed rear end so I suspect a 6 speed is a later addition.
 
A 850 has a Wisconsin engine so my guess is that it is either a 650 or 750 with a rear end and maybe a dash tower from something like a 1050.
 
650 is a 184-01 (B&S 6hp 146402-014801) or 185-01 (B&S 6hp 146401-014701) made in 1966
750 is a 171-01 (B&S 7hp 170402-013001) or 172-01 (B&S 7hp 170401-013101) made in 1967
 
650 is manual start and so is a 750 171-01. As such if the engine is original I think it is a 750 model 172-01, just as Nigel suggested.
 
If you are unable to identify the model number as Alain suggested hopefully the engine numbers are readable.
 
I hope this helps
Iain

Nigel,
 
I believe Andrew's Ride-a-matic is a 1961, either a 233-01 or a 234-01. This is the owners and parts manual. If that is not the case I have the manuals for most RAM's.
 
Hope this helps
Iain
 
233-01 & 234-01 Ride-A-Matic (1961).pdf
 
 
 

Nigel,
 
I believe Andrew's Ride-a-matic is a 1961, either a 233-01 or a 234-01. This is the owners and parts manual. If that is not the case I have the manuals for most RAM's.
 
Hope this helps
Iain
 
233-01 & 234-01 Ride-A-Matic (1961).pdf
 
 
 

I feel the need to wade in on this one
 
I see Chris appears to have a problem with his left hand on both pictures. It is either lovely attached to the Bolens or maybe he is trying to hide something.
 
I have the twin to John's tractor and I think they may have been separated at birth and are longing to be reunited. They have both been painted to look like Wheelhorses and both have been robbed of some of the manly Bolens features such as the PTO.
 
Here is a couple of pictures of it's twin which clearly shows it a Bolens
 

 
Looking at the front in detail it clearly shows the Bolens features. Er. hang on a minute
 

 
 
 
 

Nigel,
 
I believe Andrew's Ride-a-matic is a 1961, either a 233-01 or a 234-01. This is the owners and parts manual. If that is not the case I have the manuals for most RAM's.
 
Hope this helps
Iain
 
233-01 & 234-01 Ride-A-Matic (1961).pdf
 
 
 

I feel the need to wade in on this one
 
I see Chris appears to have a problem with his left hand on both pictures. It is either lovely attached to the Bolens or maybe he is trying to hide something.
 
I have the twin to John's tractor and I think they may have been separated at birth and are longing to be reunited. They have both been painted to look like Wheelhorses and both have been robbed of some of the manly Bolens features such as the PTO.
 
Here is a couple of pictures of it's twin which clearly shows it a Bolens
 

 
Looking at the front in detail it clearly shows the Bolens features. Er. hang on a minute
 

 
 
 
 

Nice little Red tractor, I'm sure Iain will have something to say about it 😀😀😀

For the last few months, since starting to clear the Bolens Stash, there has been confusion as to whether a certain RED tractor was a Bolens or Wheel Horse.
 
Two MoM members, Iain who thought Bolens, and the Showman who said Wheel Horse, insisted that each was correct.
 
The main part of the argument was of the colour.  The Showman said the Horses were red, while Iain claimed the Bolens were painted in various colours including red.
 
To confuse things even further, the Showman always visits in a red Sprinter, which matches the Wheel Horse colour, while Iain has turned up in either a white or grey van.
 
However, at long last, the argument was finally resolved today. After carefully rubbing down layers of old paint, the Showman uncovered the clearly visible name of Wheel Horse and with a "I knew I was right" grin, claimed the horse as a new addition to his collection. A couple of photo's as proof which should lay any further arguments to rest.
 

I feel the need to wade in on this one
 
I see Chris appears to have a problem with his left hand on both pictures. It is either lovely attached to the Bolens or maybe he is trying to hide something.
 
I have the twin to John's tractor and I think they may have been separated at birth and are longing to be reunited. They have both been painted to look like Wheelhorses and both have been robbed of some of the manly Bolens features such as the PTO.
 
Here is a couple of pictures of it's twin which clearly shows it a Bolens
 

 
Looking at the front in detail it clearly shows the Bolens features. Er. hang on a minute