Bolens 1556

[HeadExam 1,783]

I pick up the old girl Saturday morning 4 hour drive but at 1000.00 US for the tractor, deck, tiller snow blower, and blade I think I got away cheap. They only made the 1556 one year and it fits into my collection. I sold one of my Simplicity's to fund this acquisition, but I wanted an older Simplicity anyway

[slf-uk 914]

Very nice, I have never seen or heard of a 1556 in this country.

 

Iain

[HeadExam 1,783]

The 1556 was built in 1972 only and included three variations, the 1556-01, -02, and -03 which were small changes made during the model year. The tractor was powered by a 15 hp Tecumseh OH150 overhead valve engine and used a foot-pedal operated Eaton 10 hydro. It was replaced by the H16 in 1973, ironically they halted production of the the H16 in 1974 and 1975, then resumed production again in 1976 and 1977. The H14 was in production 1974, 1975, and 1976

[slf-uk 914]

The 1556 was built in 1972 only and included three variations, the 1556-01, -02, and -03 which were small changes made during the model year. The tractor was powered by a 15 hp Tecumseh OH150 overhead valve engine and used a foot-pedal operated Eaton 10 hydro. It was replaced by the H16 in 1973, ironically they halted production of the the H16 in 1974 and 1975, then resumed production again in 1976 and 1977. The H14 was in production 1974, 1975, and 1976

 

I have three H16's and I keep meaning to check the age of them. I have a strong feeling (not backed up by any logic) that one is 1973 and the other two 1976/7.

 

It's great to have hydraulic lift for those heavy attachments.

[HeadExam 1,783]

I have three H16's and I keep meaning to check the age of them. I have a strong feeling (not backed up by any logic) that one is 1973 and the other two 1976/7.

 

It's great to have hydraulic lift for those heavy attachments.

The steering wheel is the quickest way to tell. The 1973 and older Bolens wheel is a 3 spoke flat all the way to the center, the 1976 and up have a removable tall center cone. Without hydraulic or electric how do you lift any implements? lol, I don't have a "armstrong" lift.

Edited April 1, 2015 by HeadExam

[Triumph66 1,256]

That's one lovely looking Bolens. A bargain with all the attachments in my opinion.

[Ian 2,417]

More than worth the long drive I say.. A very nice find

[slf-uk 914]

The steering wheel is the quickest way to tell. The 1973 and older Bolens wheel is a 3 spoke flat all the way to the center, the 1976 and up have a removable tall center cone. Without hydraulic or electric how do you lift any implements? lol, I don't have a "armstrong" lift.

 

That is a really useful bit of information, many thanks. I can only get to one of my H16's at the moment which is the one I thought was older. It has the later steering wheel so it is likely they are all newer ones.

 

I love that exhaust (muffler?) you have on that 1254 I bet that sounds cool.

 

Iain

[Triumph66 1,256]

I have just seen your 1254, be great to see some more photos of this model as I have one myself. Is that the original engine? As Iain remarked in his post that exhaust look good.

[Anglo Traction 1,016]

Excellent variety and examples in your collection, would like to see pics of some of your others too. Homelite T16H I believe has a good style and colour scheme if I recall correctly.

[HeadExam 1,783]

Excellent variety and examples in your collection, would like to see pics of some of your others too. Homelite T16H I believe has a good style and colour scheme if I recall correctly.

Thanks to all. I'm sorry but the Bolens 1254 is not mine, I used the picture for reference, all my tractors are 14-16hp. If you look closely you will see the hood on the Homelite is an upside down version of the Allis/Simplicity hood. This particular Homelite was built in South Carolina by Allis Chalmers for one year only (1973), and it is different thn the Homelite models built by Simplicity. It has been estimated that fewer than 500 Homelite T16H's were built before the factory closed and production returned to Port Washington, Wisconsin to the Simplicity plant. Allis Chalmers was sued for being a Monopoly business on 1966, one of the results of that suit was the diversification of many of its businesses such as Simplicity. In 1967 they opened the plant in South Carolina and continued to make virtually the same tractors as Simplicity until 1968 with the introduction of the HB series. In 1971 they introduced the the Homesteader series and 300 series Garden Tractors and in 1973 they introduced the 400 series. The 300 series was dropped in 1972 and the 400 series like the Homelite was only built in 1973 as the federal monopoly lawsuit was reversed in 1974 and Allis closed the plant, Interestingly there are very few 14hp 414 Allis tractors as 1973 was the year the 16hp kohler k341 was introduced and Allis had committed to a certain number of those new Kohler 16hp K341 engines, but since the 14hp k321 was an older production engine they had no such commitment. Upon finding out production was ending due to the lawsuit being overturned, Allis put the 16hp Kohler k341 in many tractors that were originally slated to be 414 tractors. In the end Allis produced around 1500 of the 416 hydros and shuttles, hard to say how many 414 tractors were produced, but suffice it to say, very few, maybe only a few hundred.

Edited April 1, 2015 by HeadExam

[slf-uk 914]

I got offered a Homelite a few years ago but walked away from it because I had recently bought a few others. I have never seen another one in the UK and I for that reason alone I should have bought it.

 

Iain

[Anglo Traction 1,016]

Thanks for the pics, All very good. The inverted Hoods on the Homelites do not look at all out of place and a wise economic manufacturing decision.

 

I got offered a Homelite a few years ago but walked away from it because I had recently bought a few others. I have never seen another one in the UK and I for that reason alone I should have bought it.  Iain

Yes, they certainly made it over here to UK, as I picked up a Steering wheel several years ago from Auction Site , probably came off a scrapped T8 Model........

ended up on one of my Wheel Horses-

 

[HeadExam 1,783]

Its amazing how you guys across the pond recycle and re purpose old machinery and the parts with your fabrication skill. Did you fellows know that the plating process was fully developed over in Britain, they used it as a reverse process in taking rust, scale and fire off of machinery the Germans bombed and that which was damaged my the rust set in by the fire hose.