Help indentify 3 wheel vintage lawn mower

Hi there

Is there anyone out there that could help me identify this mower?

It is a 3 wheeler has a briggs engine, appears to be all original

motor Type no. 107089 serial # 447136

[email protected]

thanks

deb

This looks like it could be a Cizek "Little John" lawn tractor from the mid 50s. There are some differences in this tractor to the one I see in my literature. That said, they do list two different models of which this one may be the smaller of the two. They offered a 2hp and a 3 1/2hp. If that is what this tractor is, it was manufactured by the Cizek MFG. & Distrib. Co. of Clutier, Iowa.

I see what appears to be part of a decal on the side shield. Perhaps you can try to see if you can make any of that information out on that decal to verify my thoughts.

Nothing else in any literature that I have even comes close to this but that doesn't make it so.

I've never seen a Cizek like that, but of course, not seeing it doesn't prove it wasn't made.

I've been scanning old farm publications for years and have a database of 1000s of ads and product listings, spanning 1926 to 1966. Mostly Farm Journal, Red Tractor Book, I & T Product File books, Popular Mechanics, Rural New Yorker, etc. I have magazines and product listings for every year, but have no idea how comprehensive they are. I'm sure many small companies did not have the money to advertise in big magazines and journals.

Cizek, over the years, advertised the three-wheel rider mower you mentioned along with a four wheeler and a two-wheeler. Came in 1.5, 2, 3.5, and 4 horse models. Cizek also offered a gas powered, three-wheeled golf cart, and even gopher traps and mower attachements for other tractors. None of the ads match what's pictured here, but who knows?

here is an additional picture of front. thanks to everyone for input

I agree, but as I said, that's the closest thing I could come up with. I would have to see all the models offered to convince me that it's not a Cizek but the differences that I see in the pictures I have were enough to cause reasonable doubt.

I can't help you identify it, but get something, oil, paint, WD40, on that cool seat. Don't let it rust away.

Woo-eee! Get busy, clean it up, and restore it to perfect condition asap!

This is a Mow-Cycle riding lawn mower made by Musgrave Manufacturing Co., Springfield, Ohio around 1952. Reference: May 1952 Popular Science page 168. Hope this helps.

(reply to post at 10:20:20 01 /11/10)

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YES YES YES THIS IS IT ! Thank you so much! I saw the ad and this is the tractor/mower. When I cleaned out the place for these folks this mower was in the barn. Sadly the house had hundreds of Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines and this ad was probably among them! I didnt have the time to go though all of those. Now the question??????????What to do with this lovely tractor.?

I don't think the mower is especially valuable [i:087d472834]at this time[/i:087d472834] but who knows about the future? The way the world is going anything from the '50s may be highly sought after in the days to come. If you don't feel like restoring it for yourself, than you might consider just cleaning it up and storing it as a possible investment. Of course there is always Ebay. My personal involvement with this machine was that when I was twelve or so years old my Dad bought one to cut our acre of land in Houston. I got to use it and thought I was King Of the World to be able to sit down and mow the lawn! However it turned out to a curse as I had the unfortunate luck to continually break one or the other "forks" that hold the two front wheels. They would roll into one of the many crawfish holes we had in our Saint Augustine lawn and snap off. Dad would get them brazed back together but it only broke again. A bad design. Eventually the mower was stored and I really don't know what finally happened to it. At any rate, thank you for triggering a slew of found memories from my past and good luck to you no matter what you decide to do with this mower.

I cant thank you enough for the great information. I had shown it to several locals this past fall and no ideas. Everyone was thrilled to see it. It would be fun to get it up and running......but the safety risks........sitting on top of those live pullies etc. It will be in storage here until spring and then decisions.
Right now here in NE Ohio we are are shoveling 36" of lake effect snow.......so summer mowing will have to wait. I am thrilled to have found a great and informative website to refer to...............

I also have a 1950's International 300 tractor that may be on its way to a new home this summer.......the next generation of the family not too interested in it all original and "no power steering" tee hee, they dont know what they are missing ! Thanks again and Happy New year Deb