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2K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  BolensBug 
#1 ·
Hello! My name is Kyle, u.s. army veteran.

I recently purchased a plot of land in Texas and stumbled across this little guy. No idea about these things, so I decided to come where people are knowledgeable.
Worth Resto? where are parts found? Schematics?
It looks as if mostly everything is here with the exception of the mower deck.


Attempted to read the serial number, but it is very worn on the data place on the left side. Any other places it can be located?

Tire Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle Automotive tire


Wheel Photograph Automotive tire Plant Motor vehicle


Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Automotive tire Wood Grille


Automotive tire Motor vehicle Wood Gas Automotive wheel system
 

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#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hello Welcome to Gtt :wave:

Tractor looks pretty toasty but if your good with mechanical things and dont mind spending some $$ to get it going you should be able to make that run again and use it.

Id say that tractor is a 1969 Bolens 1050, should have the TRA10D wisconsin motor on there (10HP)

Parts are still readily available
 
#3 ·
Poor thing. It is sad how people treat defenseless iron. It is impossible to say if it is worth repair or not. Drag it out in the day light, dust it off real good and check what turns/moves that should/shouldn't and report back with more pictures and information. Don't throw any thing away or break anything. There is value there if only for parts. Scout the sight for more parts and pieces, you never know what you will find. Welcome to the forum. look around, check out the manuals section. Ask questions and enjoy the sight. Don
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Welcome and nice find!

Tractor looks pretty toasty but if your good with mechanical things and dont mind spending some $$ to get it going you should be able to make that run again and use it.
I agree, it does look a little "toasty." :D The good news is that I'll bet it's not rusted away with holes everywhere seeing the climate you're in. It looks like it would be a fun machine to revive and bring back to life. :thumbs: Without knowing more, it's only speculation at this point... but... maybe just maybe... bring a tool kit with you to clean the carb, points, flush the tank, a little fresh gas and oil, fresh battery... and maybe just maybe.... you could get it going and drive it way from that very spot. Now that would be a cool story or even a YouTube series on the documentation of the revival. :thumbs:
 
#5 ·
Welcome aboard,first and formost,THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE !!!,now to the tractor like others have said,drag it out to where you can see what you got, looking at the rear of the tractor,down on the right rear wheel you will see a pin,see if you can move it out,that will make moving it alot easier,if its stuck,remove the wheel,soak it with PB Blaster or some kind of penetrating oil,very easily tap on the pin,don't force it,just keep working it till you get it to move freely,its very easy to break the housing its in,good luck, keep us informed
 
#6 ·
:wave: Welcome to the forum. And welcome home! Looks like a fun project, hope it's not too costly!
 
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#9 ·
Welcome to the forum and to post service life, there are quite a few veterans and just plain good folks in this forum. Thanks for your service and hope you find as much joy in this hobby as some of us have. A good hobby can be a lifesaver in your transition to civilian boredom. Good luck and remember anything can be fixed with a little patience and hard work!
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Welcome to GTT. It looks like a Bolens 1050 or 850 tractor. They are great tractors and will really suprise you how strong they are when running right. Go to the Manuals Section wait one, I'll do it for you. Download these: http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/files/file/1347-bolens-1050-owners-manual/ , http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/files/file/2967-bolens-med-tube-frame-service-manual-552875-1/ ,and http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/files/file/2967-bolens-med-tube-frame-service-manual-552875-1/ . You are allowed 3 free downloads per day. Tommorrow download a couple of the brochures and the parts manual. It is a kool tractor.

I would be very hesitant to try starting that engine until I knew if any crap had gotten in through the carb because there is no air cleanner. Look carefully in the carb and pull the plug and look in the cylinder for any evidence of crap before trying to start it. While the plug is out pour 1/2 teaspoon of Marvel Mystery Oil in through the plug hole. We will help you when you ask questions. Post clear pics with your questions.

Once you get that 1050 running you will be delighted how much it can help you on your land. Good Luck, Rick
 
#12 ·
Id say that tractor is a 1969 Bolens 1050, should have the TRA10D wisconsin motor on there (10HP)

Parts are still readily available
First off, welcome to our house! We likes tractor people (or any other decent people)!

Secondly, you've come to the right place. This forum has more Bolens owners and experts per sq./ft. than anywhere else on the 'net, starting with Bolens1000 who is a prime parts source.

Third, check our manuals section for instructions.

You haven't told us the level of your mechanical skills, or your ability to follow instructions. There are plenty of folks on here who can talk you through stuff.
 
#13 ·
Welcome to GTT, Kyle, and THANK YOU for your service !!

Those are great little tractors. ...That is known as a Bolens Tube-Frame style.

The Wisconsin engine was one of the finest engines made, but parts are expensive.

Before you get into buying a lot of parts and spending money, check the tractor over and make a list of all the items that you see which need repair. .....Tires? ...Belts? ....Throttle & Choke cables? ....Battery?...Does the engine turn by hand? ....Starter/Generator? ....Idler pulleys? ...etc., etc.

There will also be things which you can not see, which may need repairs also.

The piece on the front of the tractor is not a Bolens item. ...Can anyone on the forum identify it?
 
#14 ·
Welcome to GTT, Kyle, and THANK YOU for your service !!

Those are great little tractors. ...That is known as a Bolens Tube-Frame style.

The Wisconsin engine was one of the finest engines made, but parts are expensive.

Before you get into buying a lot of parts and spending money, check the tractor over and make a list of all the items that you see which need repair. .....Tires? ...Belts? ....Throttle & Choke cables? ....Battery?...Does the engine turn by hand? ....Starter/Generator? ....Idler pulleys? ...etc., etc.

There will also be things which you can not see, which may need repairs also.

The piece on the front of the tractor is not a Bolens item. ...Can anyone on the forum identify it?
Maybe a homemade bumper?
 
#15 ·
Thank you all for the information and warm welcomes! I pulled her from her grave and gave her a better look over. I can just barely make out the 1050 on the side of the hood. Ran the engine serial # though the link here in the forum to look it up, was produced in jan of 69! I will not be able to do to much to the ol girl unfortunately due to a current project, 1947 Ford 8N. After i get that in running, working condition, then I will probably get this ol girl on the path to restoration!

Wheel Tire Tractor Vehicle Plant
 

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#16 ·
The old 8Ns are fun. I rebuilt the engine on mine, Pistons, rings, sleeves, bearings, valves, guides, springs, keepers, gasket set, $156 delivered to the door. Aftermarket Chinese of course. I see the price has more than doubled since I did mine. Most people seem to think if it won't start you need to convert it to 12v. Mine starts just fine with 6v at below 0 temp, never failed since rebuild. Don
 
#17 ·
The old 8Ns are fun. I rebuilt the engine on mine, Pistons, rings, sleeves, bearings, valves, guides, springs, keepers, gasket set, $156 delivered to the door. Aftermarket Chinese of course. I see the price has more than doubled since I did mine. Most people seem to think if it won't start you need to convert it to 12v. Mine starts just fine with 6v at below 0 temp, never failed since rebuild. Don
Yeah, the one i got my hands on was $400 and a deer stand haha.

It hasn't run in a few years, the wiring harness was all chewed up and on top of that it was wired all wrong. I bought a tune up kit, points, condenser, oil filter, new sediment bowl, spark plugs and wires for $70. It was already converted to a 12v when i got it. I regasketed the carb since it was leaking like a champ. Just need to put a new battery in it. After that she should be good to go.... Hopefully lol. I havent gotten around to checking the compression on her yet though. figured i would wait to do that. inspected the pistons though, theyre not to bad.
 
#18 ·
Welcome! I'm new to the site myself, and just beginning a complete tear-down of a G9. Similar tractors as seen through a wide-angle lens, though unlike you, I've got to switch between hi and lo range by manually switching the drive belt, you just get to pull a move a lever. Probably something you already know, but I wouldn't attempt to start it without pulling the intake, the Marvel treatment, and a turn-over by hand. Drain the transmission of the water that it is probably full of; heck, pull the transmission cover and inspect the inside of the transmission. Check that the brake operates on the drive-shaft drum when the clutch is fully depresses before attempting to shift or the gears will grind. Other than a completely rotted fender pan, my biggest items in need of repair are worn rods and the holes through which they pass, so fixing those with the welder, and cleaning up every last part for painting are my most time consuming parts. Have fun and keep us posted! The Ford looks like a great project itself, if I had the space to warrant a tractor of that size I'd love to acquire one!

Last but not least, thanks for your service!
 
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