Need some help with a Speedex

[Jim_M 178]

A co worker e-mailed me these pictures. His grandfather bought the tractor new and is still mowing with it. It may be for sale and I have been looking for one in decent shape.

It looks like an S-17 to me. What do you guys think?

What's a fair price to offer him for it?

Thanks,

Jim

[Duff 206]

Is that machine actually parked on w/w carpet?????

Duff :hide:

[Rollerman 290]

Looks good Jim...er I mean looks great?

Hope you can grab it...

I think last time I looked there was a turqois colored Speedex S14/17 on ebay that brought $400....PO must have though he had a Panzer?

They are neat tractors to own when you can find them in that condition...& 1 owner!

[Jim_M 178]

Is that machine actually parked on w/w carpet?????

Duff

I asked the same question, and the answer I got was, "Yes, Grandpa's garage floor is carpeted".

[MaineDad 85]

I'd offer him $400 or $500 for that nice Speedex. I've always wanted to find one around here to have a Pond Family Reunion :hide:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

I owned three Speedex tractors and would only consider owning another if it had the Peerless 4 speed transmission - not the silly "shut off the engine and move the drive belt to the other pulley grooves for a different speed" set up.

For those who are unaware of what the numbers mean on the older Speedex tractors, it's the cubic inch displacement of the engine.

They are very crude in how they're built and have no bushings or "wearable surfaces" in the steering and linkages. Dollar for dollar, I would buy a Wheel Horse and be 10 times happier.

My 1969 S-17 before:

After:

All three in a row (17 / 18 / 19):

It's entirely up to you as to what you decide, Jim, but I wouldn't go any higher than $200-250 for that tractor.

[Jim_M 178]

I talked to the owner on the phone today, the only thing he remembers about the engine is that it's an 8 horse.

He's in his eighties and can't remember what year he bought the tractor, but thought it was in the 40's. I'm pretty sure they didn't build the S series until maybe 58 or 59. Can anybody tell what years they built this model?

I doubt I'll end up with it anyway, it sounds like he's thinking he's got a goldmine in his garage.

[Nick 13]

You might have seen them or might not help but there are a couple Speedex sites.

http://www.speedex.com

http://www.speedextractorinformation.com

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

All I can tell you is that the 14 / 17 / 23 models were the first of that "series" to come out and it was sometime in the 50's.

The older S-17 should have a 7hp engine and since it's a Briggs & Stratton, you should be able to get the code number and figure out when it was built. If it has the 190000 model Briggs, it probably up in the late 60's.

A lot of guys look at these and think they're a lot older than what they really are. (kind of like the WH round hoods)

The three up there in my picture are only one year apart. (1968, 1969, & 1970) Models overlapped for a while and there was virtually no change in design or engineering - except for the use of the Peerless 4 speed on the newer "old" tractors. The "barn roof" hood models showed up in 1972 and were still a crude basic tractor - just with different sheetmetal.

I guess maybe I should add that I had a lot of literature for these at one time, but Mike Hamper from Hamper Sign Art in OH bought just about everything I had. (he was the only source of reproduction Speedex decals that I knew of at the time.)

[Travis 0]

Does anyone know anything about the old speedex tractors? I just bought a M 23 (?) and need to find out if there are parts available.

Thanks Travis

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

The parts you can't find used, you'll probably have to make or have made. I really doubt you'll find anything new for the M series.

This is the best I can do -- and I don't know how up to date anything is on this site:

http://www.speedextractorinformation.org/Parts.html