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springfield lawn tractor???

30K views 66 replies 28 participants last post by  Bruce Dorsi 
#1 ·
Hey guys I have an opportunity to buy an old Springfield lawn tractor, but I don't know anything about it. The man selling it wants 100$ for it. Can anyone tell me about it and or if I should make the 2 hour trip to go get it.
 

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#2 ·
I don't know a thing about it, but it looks cool.
 
#3 ·
That appears to be a Springfield Suburban tractor. ....They were manufactured from 1961-1966, by Quick Mfg. Co. in Springfield, Ohio. ......Toro bought the Springfield company in 1966.

That model would have the 6hp B&S vertical shaft engine. ....It was available with or without electric start.

If you can get the model number from the guy, that will tell you more. ....EXAMPLE: Model 65TME The first two numbers (65) indicate the model year of the tractor. .....the letter "T" designates Tractor only ......the letter "M" designates that the tractor was shipped from the factory with a rotary mower attachment .....the letter "E" designates the tractor is equipped with electric start (12v) ...... the "--" after the letters indicates the horsepower of the engine.

Your pic shows up very small, so I can't see much detail. ...However, from the style of seat & fenders, it appears to be a 1965 or 1966 model. ......So, it could be a model 65T-6, 65TE-6, 66TM-6, or 66TME-6. ...The mower should be a 36" cut.

I have manuals for all the Springfield Suburban tractors, and I intend to scan & post them in the manuals section. .....If you need specific info until then, just ask.

I'm not qualified to advise if you should buy it, or how much to pay for it.
 
#6 ·
If he says he wants $100 you can probably get it for more like $50-$75. Just about any old tractor is worth that. Picture is small and didn't say if it ran or not so...hard to say any more than that. I can tell you tires on it are worth about $40 and scrap has to be around $100 (maybe?).
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ok folks, not to discredit anything Bruce said, because they are true, just not for this tractor. So with that said you have found a Springfield worth picking up because it has the 10 Hp Kohler K series engine. It is a 1965 or 1966 model (I can tell by the fiberglass) and then the engine is a horizontal shaft. It has 4 speeds forward and one reverse. I have a Toro version of that exact Springfield, and I paid triple the asking price on it than the one you found (but the one I bought ran and drove). If you buy it and don't want it let me know, and I will buy it off of you no questions asked.
 
#8 ·
Bruce Dorsi said:
That appears to be a Springfield Suburban tractor. ....They were manufactured from 1961-1966, by Quick Mfg. Co. in Springfield, Ohio. ......Toro bought the Springfield company in 1966.

That model would have the 6hp B&S vertical shaft engine. ....It was available with or without electric start.

If you can get the model number from the guy, that will tell you more. ....EXAMPLE: Model 65TME The first two numbers (65) indicate the model year of the tractor. .....the letter "T" designates Tractor only ......the letter "M" designates that the tractor was shipped from the factory with a rotary mower attachment .....the letter "E" designates the tractor is equipped with electric start (12v) ...... the "--" after the letters indicates the horsepower of the engine.

Your pic shows up very small, so I can't see much detail. ...However, from the style of seat & fenders, it appears to be a 1965 or 1966 model. ......So, it could be a model 65T-6, 65TE-6, 66TM-6, or 66TME-6. ...The mower should be a 36" cut.

I have manuals for all the Springfield Suburban tractors, and I intend to scan & post them in the manuals section. .....If you need specific info until then, just ask.

I'm not qualified to advise if you should buy it, or how much to pay for it.
I too have a ton of Springfield manuals but not the time or energy to upload them into the manuals section, besides, I been working on the history of Quick Mfg, Inc. I also own just about every version of tractor Springfield made (10 or 11 tractors with 8 in great original condition). Do you own any Springfields Bruce?
 
#66 ·
Can you

I too have a ton of Springfield manuals but not the time or energy to upload them into the manuals section, besides, I been working on the history of Quick Mfg, Inc. I also own just about every version of tractor Springfield made (10 or 11 tractors with 8 in great original condition). Do you own any Springfields Bruce?
can you send a parts diagram of a 66TE-8? More specifically the belt diagram in the engine, and mower deck! With specs and dimensions of the belts? Got a guy looking for replacements and nothing he’s bought are working! Thanks in advance, Jeff.
 
#11 ·
wvbuzzmaster said:
Ok folks, not to discredit anything Bruce said, because they are true, just not for this tractor. So with that said you have found a Springfield worth picking up because it has the 10 Hp Kohler K series engine. It is a 1965 or 1966 model (I can tell by the fiberglass) and then the engine is a horizontal shaft. It has 4 speeds forward and one reverse.
I could not enlarge the pic which was posted to see any details, but to my eyes, it looked like a vertical c/s engine, but you may be right.
 
#13 ·
#15 ·
Bruce Dorsi said:
I could not enlarge the pic which was posted to see any details, but to my eyes, it looked like a vertical c/s engine, but you may be right.
I know I am right because when you do nothing but buy them and have a shop full of them, you don't make many mistakes. I have 8-12 Springfields of all different models and still not sick of them, nor do I think I have enough lol.
 
#16 ·
Bruce Dorsi said:
I see, so where did you find all the Springfield manuals, and would you like to part with any to a serious collector like myself? I already have a pile of them, just need more lol. I think serious collector of a brand has an original Binder with only original manuals in it (Check), an original "authorized part and service" sign for said brand (Check), and a large collection of that brand (Check), and never has enough of them (Check) lol.
 
#17 ·
wvbuzzmaster said:
Bruce, that is very cool, I have never found anything like that, how did you come across it?
I composed the 3 pages myself, and posted it to help others. ......The info was compiled by comparing manuals of the various tractors, comparing part numbers, and gleaning some info from Springfield Service Bulletins.

Since I have been on the 'net (about 11-12 years) I have supplied copies of manuals and answered many questions about these tractors. ......This forum is the best place to share the info so it is available to anyone who may need it.
 
#18 ·
wvbuzzmaster said:
I know I am right because when you do nothing but buy them and have a shop full of them, you don't make many mistakes. I have 8-12 Springfields of all different models and still not sick of them, nor do I think I have enough lol.
What confuses me, Casey, is how you can say the tractor is a 10hp Kohler w/4-spd trans, by looking at that tiny pic which was posted? ......What did you see to know it is a 10hp model?

While it may indeed be a horizontal shaft engine, it is a 1965 or 1966 model (which we agree on), so it could be a 7-1/2hp B&S w/3-spd, an 8hp Kohler w/3-spd, a 10hp Kohler w/4-spd, or 12hp Kohler w/4-spd.
......I tried enlarging the tiny pic, but it was so pixelated, I couldn't ascertain any useful info.
 
#19 ·
wvbuzzmaster said:
I see, so where did you find all the Springfield manuals, and would you like to part with any to a serious collector like myself? I already have a pile of them, just need more lol. I think serious collector of a brand has an original Binder with only original manuals in it (Check), an original "authorized part and service" sign for said brand (Check), and a large collection of that brand (Check), and never has enough of them (Check) lol.
Hello again, Casey!

Yep! ....No question about it! .....You have a disease and you're very sick! .......I think it's called the Springfield Syndrome! lol

I am not a collector of Springfields (or any other brands), but I have an attraction to old mowers & tractors because they played a large part in my life. ......My Dad had a mower shop from 1949-1983, and I was literally raised there. .....I also worked there for 25+ years. ......He was a Springfield equipment dealer, along with other brands (Bolens, Toro, Snapper, Eclipse, Hahn, Locke, Wheel Horse, etc, etc, etc.).

When he sold the business in 1983 (I didn't want it), I kept many of the manuals for older equipment which the new owner had no use for. ......That is where my Springfield info came from.

I cringe now when I think of the old literature, catalogs, manuals, brocures, signs, etc., that we discarded over the years because it was obsolete information. .....Binders were often replaced because they were worn out or no longer large enough to hold all the pages.

I am at the point in my life where I should start getting rid of my "stuff," but I'm attached to it. .....I've had some stuff for 50+years!

This forum is a great place to share this old info with others who have the same interests, so after I scan & post manuals, I may consider reducing my "stash."
 
#20 ·
Bruce Dorsi said:
What confuses me, Casey, is how you can say the tractor is a 10hp Kohler w/4-spd trans, by looking at that tiny pic which was posted? ......What did you see to know it is a 10hp model?
Bruce, what I saw was the decal on the grill, it took me a couple looks to decide it wasn't the 8 and not a 12. I happen to have a 10 HP Springfield grill so that is how I found it was a 10 HP, and Kohler because I have one just like (67 Toro 10 HP) it and that is what it has, I can see the shaft is front to back, not side to side so it is not a 7-1/4. Like I said, when you have them in your shop and you have repaired them yourself, it becomes fairly easy to confidently say exactly what it is. I had typed out the if it was an 8 or 12 but undid that after taking a closer look a third time at the small picture.
 
#21 ·
Bruce Dorsi said:
Hello again, Casey!

Yep! ....No question about it! .....You have a disease and you're very sick! .......I think it's called the Springfield Syndrome! lol

I am not a collector of Springfields (or any other brands), but I have an attraction to old mowers & tractors because they played a large part in my life. ......My Dad had a mower shop from 1949-1983, and I was literally raised there. .....I also worked there for 25+ years. ......He was a Springfield equipment dealer, along with other brands (Bolens, Toro, Snapper, Eclipse, Hahn, Locke, Wheel Horse, etc, etc, etc.).

When he sold the business in 1983 (I didn't want it), I kept many of the manuals for older equipment which the new owner had no use for. ......That is where my Springfield info came from.

I cringe now when I think of the old literature, catalogs, manuals, brocures, signs, etc., that we discarded over the years because it was obsolete information. .....Binders were often replaced because they were worn out or no longer large enough to hold all the pages.

I am at the point in my life where I should start getting rid of my "stuff," but I'm attached to it. .....I've had some stuff for 50+years!

This forum is a great place to share this old info with others who have the same interests, so after I scan & post manuals, I may consider reducing my "stash."
Bruce, all I can say to that is AWESOME! I envy you for having that contact with them when they were brand new and rolling out the door to happy customers. Ya, it sucks what happens to all the "old at the time" information, because no one really thinks about needing that information 40 years down the road. I wish to accumulate just about one of everything Springfield produced, and if you ever wish to bard with anything Springfield let me know. Also, if you have any old pics of your Dad's old dealership I would love to see them.
 
#22 ·
wvbuzzmaster said:
I too have a ton of Springfield manuals but not the time or energy to upload them into the manuals section, besides, I been working on the history of Quick Mfg, Inc. I also own just about every version of tractor Springfield made (10 or 11 tractors with 8 in great original condition).
Casey:
Is there any chance you could take pics (4 sides) of your tractors, and compile a VISUAL comparison of the various models? ......The manuals don't show details such as decals, grille details, or colors.

I would be willing to work on this effort with you, if you want help. (You would have to supply the pics! lol)

~~~Bruce
 
#23 ·
Bruce Dorsi said:
Casey:
Is there any chance you could take pics (4 sides) of your tractors, and compile a VISUAL comparison of the various models? ......The manuals don't show details such as decals, grille details, or colors.

I would be willing to work on this effort with you, if you want help. (You would have to supply the pics! lol)

~~~Bruce
Bruce, that would be a great setup to work on. I have to get some of them together though (the tires) and all. As for pics at the angles you said, I have none right now because I do corner pics, but can do it however. It will probably be at least mid-May before I begin, or even June, as I have major storage issues, a side-effect of not having enough tractors is the not having any room to work on them. I have gotten good at working in confined spaces though LOL.
 
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