Large Frame Bolens history!!!

In this first Tractor Tuesday episode we discuss the Bolens large frame line!

[@dalemulder3549]

My father worked for Bolens starting around 1965. He covered SD, ND, MN, IA and WI. We always had demo models of all the different tractors, snow mobiles, mowers and snow blowers. They were truly at the head of the pack. In the early - mid 70's, things began to change. Bolens had developed an early version of an ATV they dubbed the "Penguin." It turned out to be a disaster. Shortly after that, they experienced other setbacks but the tractor line remained fairly strong. I was pretty young so a lot of this is from memories of conversations I had with with dad when he was still around. He loved the company and was thoroughly in love with the product line. He eventually moved on to Chaparral and worked for them for several years before starting his own business. The 70's were miserable for businesses, fueld shortaes, recovering from Vietnam, economy took a dump. One thing you won't see on new lawn tractors is the rugged construction tractors of the era had. Try to find something with cast iron front axles or heavy gage stamped steel floor pans today. All you'll find is plastic and thin sheet metal. The DiabloRouge, Sprint, Huski snowmobiles were built to last. When he moved to Chaparral, a new line of more sporty equipment was available to us boys to test and work with. It was a great time! This video was very informative and I appreciate the fact that these two do this as a father and son project, thanks for sharing that. Some parting advice from a jingle the sale guys used to sing about Bolens snowmobiles; 'Out there where the Huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow!'

[@BuildALotAcres]

Wow! Great comment Dale. Sounds like you have some great memories. Your fathers generation were something special. I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for sharing the story with us. I’ll be sure to steer clear of the yellow snow 😁🍻👍

[@77batrider73]

I live in mid coast Maine and have used my 1455 for a very long time. very reliable machine and easy to use around the property. Thank you very much for the history lesson

[@BuildALotAcres]

Sounds like a great machine. The old Bolens large frames have always been a fascinating line to me. Appreciate you watching 🙏

[@GardenTractorBoy]

Great video with lots of good detail, thanks. We have four Bolens large frames in our collection, a 1477, a HT 20 and two of the monster HT23's. They are fantastic machines and we love them.We have far more Bolens tube frames from the 600 through to the H16 and they are also very capable machines. It is great that these Bolens tractors were shipped over here in the UK although they are much harder to find

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thanks Joseph, I figured you might enjoy this one. They sure are impressive looking machines. Thanks for watching :)

[@stephaniegoggin7952]

Cool video! Love the fireside chat

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thanks Steph. Glad you enjoyed it 🙏

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

Good evening to both of you 👍👌 Great informative video 👌👍🧐 Cheers 🍻👌

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you! I need to catch up on your last 2 videos good sir!

[@TODinWY]

Really Good Stuff! Thanks!

[@BuildALotAcres]

You’re welcome 👍

[@jamesgarland4990]

Awesome!

[@LewisMowersandBoats]

Great show guys 😀

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you 🙏

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great video!

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you sir

[@joshosborn4832]

Great work

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you sir! Glad you enjoyed.

[@jamesgarland4990]

Good video!

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you 🙏

[@AustenARW]

Nice video capturing some large frame history! The length of them increased by 2” over the single cyl models starting with the 1886 when they started putting in the flat Kohler twins; the same dimensions otherwise carried out through the HT23. Bolens also built an HT22 diesel which was very similar to the HT20D. Finally, there was also and HDT1000 which was an export only model (a few are known to exist in the States) that had a 3 cyl Mitsubishi inline diesel. In fact, the operating instructions and warning labels are all printed in multiple languages. The hood on the HDT was even longer than the standard 2 cyl version among some other differences to accommodate the liquid cooled 3 cyl diesel but is otherwise an HT23.

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thanks for the great comment. Definitely a unique and fascinating line of tractors. Appreciate you watching.

[@coopersmith5946]

Nice video. I have never got to experience any old bolens tractors, kinda want one. As of right now I've got a Springfield 25, two gilson pacer tractors, a 61 original cub cadet, and a 1200 series cub cadet. Would love to see a video on the early original cub cadets and their earlier narrow frames.

[@BuildALotAcres]

Great collection so far! With cold weather on its way, I hope to do some more Tractor Tuesday episodes soon. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙏

[@slade7354]

Great video! Just subbed!

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you sir. We appreciate it

[@noelstractors-firewood57]

Well I have a few different tractors you could do videos on. I have a 1970 John Deere 140H3. Maybe a video on those. And of course all the 300 series that came from the 140 line.

[@BuildALotAcres]

We definitely want to do one of the Deere lines. Cheers!

[@johnoler357]

I bought a Bolens 16Hp (Briggs engine) small garden tractor back in 1982. It had a Peerless manual transmission with a belt clutch. It was a cream-colored tractor with bright green and dark green wide stripe decals with the Bolens logo on the hood sides. The frame was painted a dark forest green. The Tractor's transmission wore out in 2020. It still sits in my back yard. I remember the 20 Hp something big frame tractor sitting next to the tractor I bought. I paid about $2500.00 for my tractor with a mower deck and an additional snowplow accessory. The Big frame tractor was awesome looking. I really wanted that one bad, but that was $4000.00 at the time without a mower deck and the blade. I think the dealership wanted another $1200.00 for the deck. I did not bother to ask how much the snowplow was. I only had $4000.00 in my checking account at the time. I was 20 years old, fresh out of college and wanted to make sure my father would not have to mow the lawn with a push mower, which was a chore I had been doing. He has since passed away and left the tractor behind. He lived to be 93 years old.

[@BuildALotAcres]

Very cool story John. I love hearing these kinds of things. Sounds like you were a good son, and I'm sure your father was grateful for that. I bet you guys made some great memories on the old Bolens.

[@nickmeschke2474]

The bolens gt and the troy bilt gtx from the 90s to 01 are amazing tractors just so you guys know

[@stoneycarter7789]

Hey guys loved the video I just picked up a Bolens yesterday and I dont know one thing about it could you please help me I dont know the year, HP, or any thing it was parked because the old man died, its a 1050 with a Wisconsin engine please help.

[@BuildALotAcres]

The 1050 is a “tube frame”. Was made from 66’-69”. Has a 10hp Wisconsin.

[@stoneycarter7789]

@@BuildALotAcres thank you do they make parts for them ?

[@stevengamsby5344]

Do history of the bolens small Frame bolens tractor like the huskies the 600 the G-9 G-12 H10 your video today first time watching Retired US Army Sargent Major Gamsby

[@BuildALotAcres]

Sounds like a good idea. I’ll likely be getting back into the Fireside chats once I light the woodstove. Stay tuned, and thank you for your service sir! 🫡

[@sbctdizzle1]

Just bought a 1455 today. Don’t know much about other than a few other youtube videos. If you are familiar enough with them to make a video about that model specifically I’d be way appreciative. If you had one to demo, and go over it like a walk through and instructional type video that would be amazing. I haven’t really found a video like that yet and I’m looking for videos to save to a playlist so I can refer back to it when I’m working with it.

[@BuildALotAcres]

I’m sorry I do not have a Bolens. I would try Gardentractorboy on YT. He is more familiar with the large frame Bolens, and has quite a Bolens collection.

[@oxford821]

Would love to hear about Bolens “G” series! I have a G194 and don’t know anything about it.

[@BuildALotAcres]

Sounds like a good video idea. The tractors you speak of were Japanese built and branded Bolens. Pretty capable little workhorses. I’ll try to get a video out on it :)

[@jasoncalder2386]

Can you guys talk about the GTX lineup of Garden tractors by Troy Bilt? Thanks great work

[@BuildALotAcres]

For sure 👍 We’ll be starting up fireside chats again once the cold weather hits.

[@trucks_n_tractors_6335]

Any chance you guys could do the Massey Ferguson 7,8,10,12,14, and 16?

[@BuildALotAcres]

We’ll certainly look into it. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@ratrodbubba]

Can you cover the john deere patio series

[@BuildALotAcres]

Great idea. I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for watching

[@BuildALotAcres]

To see some of the biggest and baddest garden tractors ever made see here! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ml6pfqxpmbR5bpI

[@scrapsteenlifeintheforks1943]

Got a couple nice large frames up in Smithfield bub

[@BuildALotAcres]

I don’t think Mrs. BuildALot is on board. Haha

[@franktagliarini3073]

I have a QT16 can you tell me more about that model? I have a steering gear problem that I am trying to figure out it turns one way to find the other way. It just clicks and make noises

[@BuildALotAcres]

Sorry, I don’t know all that much about the QT’s. Hopefully others can comment 👍

[@timothyward3692]

I have a Bolens Husky 1556 with a 15HP Tecumseh

[@byx3493]

In 69 the steering wheel on the 1250 changed to black

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you! I tried to get the information as accurate as possible. Appreciate the knowledge my friend 🙏

[@byx3493]

The picture of the 1886 was definitely not an 1886

[@davidrousseau4532]

i got a 1402, where can i get more info on it?

[@BuildALotAcres]

Tractordata.com

[@Preciouspink]

1886 frame brackets were off 2” good luck hooking up legacy equipment. Or interchangeability equipment between your 1250 single cylinder and your new 1886 dual cylinder that never started very well

[@tomashbaugh8891]

1985 era b7100 or b6100

[@BuildALotAcres]

My brother had a B5200, and my cousin had both a B5100 and a B6100

[@montyjohnson5189]

What about a Bolens G214

[@BuildALotAcres]

I don’t know too much about the Iseki built Bolens. I can take a look into them 👍

[@johnserrano9689]

Great, you Fckn jerks, now I NEED them!! Haha Hope the wife don't mind, next to our big ole 88' Deere 1050 4wd TLB, and HER tractor (quickly becoming our little man's) Ariens HT16 4 speed with the mowing deck, snowblower (absolute animal) only mod per-say is a set of 23x8.5 Firestone 23° to grab a hold of traction wherever it may be 👍 Genius idea the video is Guys, it's shocking the lack of knowledge or good videos covering tractors of all sizes. But say a new Deere or Kubota since they want to sell them there's massive amounts of videos/info on them. So a big thumbs up to yous

[@BuildALotAcres]

Thank you John! 🙏We have quite a few tractor talk videos on vintage garden tractors. I think you and your wife would greatly enjoy the Ariens GT video 👍