You ever wonder what the First Gas Powered Riding Lawn Mower Looked Like???

[Platefire]

It was called the "Ransomes'" in 1902 in England. Pictures attached is an advertisement, a old picture of it in operation and also a picture of restored one. It weighed 1.25 Tons and
was 8'-0" long.

[acheld]

The lawns over there are SO much different than mine!

[Platefire]

I think the first riding gas mowers were used on the estates of the rich. The first mower my family had was a manual walk behind as shown in the picture below. I think that was the case for a lot of people in late 40's and early 50's. They are not too bad if the grass is light but if it's kinda heavy it's push, back up and hit it again>>>>over and over

[sluckey]

We also had one of those push reel mowers. I guess it was fine for city folks' carpet grass, but it would just choke on country boy Bahia grass and sandspurs!   

[acheld]

My dad tasked me with mowing the lawn with one of those reel mowers, from Sears.  It was hard work, but we lived in SE Michigan (suburbia, baby!) at the time and it worked fine with the local grass.   My grandfather had an older model that cut like surgical scissors, and it was a machine that was a joy to use, though still hard work for an 8 year old.   

[shooter]

still hard work for an 8 year old.   

my Uncle let us live in his house, 2 acres.  one in front of house, 1 behind.  Like Steve, mowing swamp grass sucked!  Dad gave me the mower, a file and explained how working for food starts early 


I did get a Winchester BB gun in the fall, lost it by winter, apparently shooting the snooty neighbor kid wasn't acceptable behavior.


next year Dad dragged a reel mower with a MOTOR!!  It didn't work, he gave me a tune-up kit an carb rebuild kit, got it running and I learn't capitalism 

[Platefire]

I found this mower on the net. It looks closest to the mower dad brought home(used) when I was about 6 around 1953. I  don't ever recall it running,  Dad was never a mechanic and I was too young. I sure enjoyed looking at it though! Later on we got a brand new Montgomery Wards power mower and I was old enough then to take the muffler off and rive it up real loud and make it backfire---I did mow with it too:>)

[Platefire]

I found this really cool video of a 1921 ATCO mower in action so here it is: