ARTICLES

Summer is here and the show season is in full swing. If you are like most collectors of old iron finding the next project is always on your mind and what better place to find that diamond in the rough than at a show. Spectators may approach with the piece in the back of their shed that the have decided has to go or an exhibitor has the answer to your dreams for sale at a price that begs you to take it home. Many times brand name doesn't matter, it's the uniqueness of the item.

Who makes what or who owns the brand can be confusing in both the large equipment and for those collecting lawn and garden type equipment. When companies only sold their one brand and did not private label it was simple to figure out who made what.

Older lawn and garden equipment had become quite collectable due to the relative low cost and ease of movement as compared to full size farm equipment. Another factor is that younger collectors look for equipment they have a connection to from their youth and many have no farm back round.

The web site MyTractorForum.com has a listing compiled by one of their members as to who owns, builds or built and brands connected with lawn and garden tractor manufacturers. The book GARDEN TRACTORS by Oscar H. Will III details the history of some of the more common brands from the 1930's till 2009.

Many brands were not all built by the same manufacturer changing from year to year and in some cases different models in the same year came from different sources.

One company profiled in Mr. Will's book is Modern Tool and Die more commonly known as MTD. The company started in 1932 and expanded to make automotive products such as fenders and radiator cores. Lawn and garden equipment was added in the 1950's. The first gasoline powered mowers were built in 1958 and sold as private label machines to Western Auto, Firestone, Montgomery Wards and others. The first riding mower was produced in 1959, a 4 horsepower single blade mower direct coupled to the engine and could not be shut off. The company continued, producing it's first snow blower in 1968. In 1975 MTD purchased the Yardman Company, but the main thrust was producing private label goods customized to the wants of the buyer. In April of 1981 MTD became the owner of Cub Cadet and also White Outdoor Power Equipment. 2001 brought Bolens and Troy-Built and in 2006 Massey-Ferguson in Europe. Since 2007 MTD has built Lawn and Garden tractors for Toro.

Some brands never had a manufacturing arm but were sold as a Brand not associated with stores. Scotts were made by MTD, Murray, and John Deere.

Massey-Ferguson made by AMF, Snapper, Ingersoll, and Simplicity.

Poulan and Poulan Pro,were made by Electrolux/American Yard Products and since 2007 Husqvarna.

Dynamark (sold at Central Tractor Parts stores) AMF and Murray.

Today the number of manufacturer keeps shrinking due to consolidation in the lawn and garden equipment industry. At one time all most all engines were sourced from outside vendors. Now Briggs and Stratton corporation owns many brands of lawn and garden equipment. Brands tied to the Briggs label are : Simplicity, Allis Chalmers, Deutz- Allis, AGCO-ALLIS, AGCO, Massey Ferguson, Homelite, Montgomery-Wards, Snapper, Ferris, Brute Murray,Victa and Power King.Briggs also has manufacturing partnerships with Craftsman, Husky, John Deere and other companies world wide.

Pennsylvania Panzer
At least 4 members of the CNY Antique Tractor Club own tractors made by the Virginia Metalcrafters of Waynesboro Va. The original Pennsylvania Panzer was built in 1954 and was the size of a small compact utility tractor of today with a tricycle front end. The original name was COPAR PANZER and the horsepower was furnished by a B&S 9 hp motor. A smaller lawn tractor was introduced in 1958 with a 4 hp Clinton or 5 3/4 B&S motor. The original tractors were painted red/yellow.

COPAR was sold to Virginia Metalcrafters in1960. The smaller tractors were redesigned and the larger ones dropped. The new paint was Turquoise. From ‘61 to’63 the grills read Panzer. In 1963 The Pennsylvania Lawnmower Co. was purchased and the name was again changed in 1964 to Pennsylvania Panzer. The design remained the same until 1966 when a major redesign changed the rounded hoods to square and the belt tightener drive was changed to the first hydrostatic transmission used on a small garden tractor. The name was also changed to Pennsylvania Meteor. The Meteor was dropped in 1958 as to expensive and the tractor production ceased in 1970.