Not quite a horse, but still a classic!

[64lawnranger 0]

I got a call from a buddy this week telling me he knew an older gentleman who had a few wheelhorses for sale, long story short, I gave him a call...but instead of bringing home another horse, I spied this 1958 bolens ride-a-matic (kolher k90 3hp) hiding in the corner. It's almost all original, runs and drives great, a nice original machine. The older gentleman spent the better part of the last 10 years collecting all the parts needed to restore this machine and just never got around to it...so I have boxes of extra parts, decals, carb kit, etc. Its going to be a fun one to restore, I already have some parts cooking in the electrolysis tank!

[TJ 171]

I like it. Keep updating your progress.

[bell 11]

That is AWESOME!!! I would like to find one of those for my dad... He has a Bolens "ride master" and a couple walk behinds... :omg:

[perry 82]

sweet :omg:

[Coadster32 793]

Great Score!! :omg:

[sodbuster 1]

I found a 1963 bolens 600.finally found a mower deck!! never could get me hands on a rj or suburban,so this little tractor will have to do.stout little tractor.

[rustyoldjunk 127]

thats my favorite style of the ride a matics.i have a bucket of ride a matic parts,odds and ends,sprockets,bears etc.i would sell reasonably.pm me if you are interested.

[dkopp 1]

You know it's really neat to see how other manufactures did things. The Bolens were neat machines well built too from what I hear. One thing is the way the engine mounts just backwards of what Wheelhorse did. Does anybody else miss the old technology of the days-gone-by?

[64lawnranger 0]

Thought I should update this thread, after just short of a year of on and off tinkering, here is the finished product! Runs and drives great!

[ipperwash 74]

Nice now i,m looking for one

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

Now that was time well spent!!

Great job.

Tough tractor, you bet!

[dgoyette 12]

Wow great job. I read through your 550 thread too and you do fine work! Glad that tractor made it into your hands.

[W9JAB 156]

What a nice job on the restore!

Does anybody else miss the old technology of the days-gone-by?

Yea I do miss the nuts and bolts technology of the past,

I like being able to go to the corner hardware store to

get parts for my tractor. This is why a tractor like this

has lasted this long. :D

[dkopp 1]

Best yellow and green machine I've ever seen! Nice job!

[dclarke 4,011]

WOW, that is really nice. :omg:

[leichty 0]

Very nice tractor ! I too would like to have too. It looks like you use it to work too insread of just looking pretty.... Good job

[rickv1957 70]

Very nice tractor there,nice work! Rick

[dkopp 1]

I noticed the name on the hood in the older photo was Versa-matic but in the restored photo the name on the hood says Ride-a-matic. What was the difference and why the change? Just curious.

:omg:

[64lawnranger 0]

The hood in the original photo was a replacement off of a same year bolens 2 wheel walk behind tractor. I re-applied the correct decals when I painted it.

[854WH 0]

sweet bolens

[Kelly 1,028]

That is sharp I like it

[bell 11]

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! Nice job! :omg:

[Coadster32 793]

Nice one. I bought and sold one just like it last year. It was Bolens response to the Ponds 35 variable speed transmission. I remember you can freewheel down the hills on that, Duel brakes in the back, and you can change the front and back sprockets for speed also. Great job on it! Looks like a 58 from here.

[bitten 133]

Wow, that thing is sweet.

[rusted and busted 0]

and i thought the hood/grill assembly i pulled out of the dirt the other day was a kids toy tractor ???now i know :omg: