Bought the cutest mower at the scrap yard today

Zachary Hoyt

Well-known Member
I was making my fall scrap run this morning and they had set aside this Cunningham sickle bar mower, made in Rochester NY. I got it for $50. The engine is loose, everything looks to be free and move right in the drive linkages for the wheels and the sickle. From what I have been able to find online it looks like late 40s vintage. Missing the air cleaner and gas cap. I think it is the original Cunningham engine, I will have some questions when I go to try to get it running as I have never worked on an engine that old. I took some pictures since it seemed like the kind of thing Sweetfeet might like to see. It kind of looks to me like some kind of an insect on wheels.
Zach
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Zachary,

It is neat and the leaves on the ground add to the photo.

After you get it running, please post back how it works out. I'm thinking your arms will get tired if it has to be balanced by you.
 
We had one when I was a kid. This one is a different brand, but looks very similar. If it's anything like the one we had, you will soon find out that it is a conversation piece, not anything that you ever want to use.
 
Could be, I will have to try it and see. I bought a troy-bilt mower like this but newer at an auction in August and got it running and used it a lot cutting weeds here and there. This one does look tippier but it also does roll a lot more easily with the big wheels, so I will have to see how it works out.
Zach
 
Two weeks ago we were trying to clear out some shooting lanes for deer season. Buckbrush, sprouts, and multifloral rose were thick. My friend said he was going to bring up one of those to clear the brush.

Great find. I'll give you yer $50 + a finders fee!!!

Gene
 
I just went out and checked and it is a Cunningham model EA engine. I think that is the one that was involved in the Briggs and Stratton lawsuit, but I don't recall for sure.
Zach
 
Aw, man, some people have all the luck! But I am happy that they do. You got a genyewine anteek there! Whoever got rid of that didn't know what they had. There are several clubs ( and I'm sure you know,) that restore old equipment such as that.I see it has one of those "wrap around starters" on it. If you've ever had one of those engines fire and the rope not let go, you'll remember it!
 
Hey, Zach, I just Googeled "Cunningham gas engines" and found quite a few articles, but read only one, it was from "Gas Engine Magazine". It stated that there were two models of those engines, model EA, and EB, of the two, the EA is more scarce. It said that essentially the engines were the same except for the carburetor,but it didn't go into detail as to the difference. Just thought I would throw that out there. Lowell
 
We had a Jari mower when I was a kid. It always sheared the rivets that attach the bracket to the sickle. We junked it. Later I realized that it had to much slop in the bracket and if we had corrected it, we would have had a great little mower. Give it a good home
SDE
 

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