Snapper Comet

[yardboyltd]

Last Sunday I was talking to a guy about mowing and telling him I was looking for rider. He said he's go one he'll sale. I tell I'm not really interested in any residential mowers. He tells come by anyways. I go to his house and we drive up to local mower shop where it was getting repaired (sitting there for 3 months!!). Anyways I saw this thing and about fell over. It's old, old, old snapper 8hp 32" Comet. I asked what he wanted for it, nothing. Got home on the internet and searched for info. Not much except they stopped making the Comet in 66. 35 years old!! Get this, it didn't run but took it to a better shop that doesn't take 3 months to make repairs and they checked everything out and put a used pull starter and heat shield(missing), new oil filter, new fuel filter, and did some adjustments and she works!! Cost me $19, not bad I think. This thing is actually fun to drive.

Yesterday I was mowing my yard, doesn't do to bad. I took a break in the middle and when I went to start it, it fell in first and took off down the yard with me running behind it. :blob3:

Guys I don't know what to do with this thing!! Should I use it to mow? It just goes to show you how reliable the briggs engines are(or use to be) I can rebuild it; have the tools.

[Alanky]

Those little riders are great mowers. I had two 8hp 32 inch comets (one got stolen). Both of them still run and cut fair after many years, only thing is that they will scalp like crazy! I have also tried to find info on the comets on the internet but have had hardly no good results. The stolen one was older than the one i still have, mine i believe is a 64 but im not for sure. The other one was my grandpa's (man i hate thiefs!!) I want to find a snow plow for mine, but they must be rare because i have only seen one and it was not for sale.

Alan

[LAWNGODFATHER]

hey I have one a 1965 and still make money with it

I started my biz with this mower
I had no time to mow my parents so my dad got another one to cut his grass 1985

later that year we bought a Toro Groundsmaster 117 52"

goes to show we all start some where

in the spring I use the snapper to pull a lawn sweep to pick up gum balls

well good luck with your $19 snapper LGF

[yardboyltd]

I'm amazed this many of these mowers have been around for this time

A snowplow? The thought never crossed my mind before, might actually make me some money around here. I can only imagine what the "pros" in the winter would think of my little red snapper getting high centered

I'll take a picture in the morning so all you ZTR guys and see how good you've got it.

How do I found out what year it is? Engine Casting #'s? Where?

The only bad thing is that it smokes and shoot small sparks out the exhaust :). Didn't find that out until neighbor walked by and started yelling all of the sudden!! I know what causes the smoke(oil leak-rings or valve guides) but what causes the sparking? Think I might do a rebuild...

[awm]

Well i cut my teeth on this mower also. they still sell a mower that is very similar. snapper lived on that disk drive for yrs.
one thing ,run your tires low and turn wide. they are a rough riding machine.

[vipermanz]

There's one for sale on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.compuserve.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1255466908

[Redmowers]

Is anybody out there framiliar with the plate drive on the older comet I have 5hp 26" given to me a while back that needed a new engine.What I'm wondering between the drive wheel and the brake drum is a fiber disk.Is the drive wheel supposed to turn freely between the brake drum or is it supposed to be tighter like a clutch.I have never worked on one of these before ,and where could I find a manual for these ?

[yardboyltd]

Pictures of my Comet (http://community.webshots.com/album/17519011sBDBneeEeO)

Okay you can stop laughing now :)

I had trouble getting pictures up on my domain server so put them on webshots. Sometimes those things are a little to user friendly, making me confused... :)

I took it out to mow two days ago. Did the backyard (fescue/kentucky) first to make sure it wasn't going to eat dirt. Lefts some nice stripes. Really, stop laughing.

So I took it out front to the Bermuda. It didn't go so good and one section of the lawn appears brown... It's like a bad haircut, all you can do is wait. In the first picture in the bottom left you can kind of see where it scalped.

What do you think I should do with this? Rebuild this winter and make it look better than 35 years ago? Sell it?(Repair shop says they have hard time selling them for over $200, but at auction they've seen them go for triple that) Maybe rebuild and sell it. Or use it for small stuff like lawn sweeper...

Okay seriously you ZTR guys can stop laughing.

[vipermanz]

Looks like it won't take much to get it lookin' good,
Whatever you do DON'T sell it, it willl last longer than alotof stuff built today!

[rdh]

yardboyltd
i bet that things faster than that fire chicken in the back ground.
:p

[yardboyltd]

RDH: I hope it's not faster than my bird. I'd be embarrased if any mower beat my "other job", well except for them jet turbine powered dixie choppers...

I think I will keep it. Talk to snapper dealer(actually a large John Deere dealer), they said they have an older same style mower in the back and it has a bagger. I'm going to see if I can't get that and one of those snowblades... :)

Does anyone know where I can buy add-on anti-scalp wheels? I need a few...

[Alanky]

that thing is in great shape for its age. I'd keep it to if i was you. Good luck on finding a snowblade, i have had several failing attempts in finding one for mine! ever seen one? they are a crazy lookin deal.

[yardboyltd]

I haven't seen one. Do you have a picture, or can you describe it? How many inches? If I find 2 I'll let you know. I could really use some anti-scalp rollers

[Alanky]

sorry i dont have a picture and it's kind of hard to describe. I have never used one but it looks simple. I believe it was 38 inches, but im sure you can get bigger or smaller depending on what size mower you have. One thing I have wondered about is how good they push. They are not heavy at all so traction could be a problem. You say a dealer near you has one with a bagger that you may try to get...might as well get the whole thing if he dont want to high of a price. never hurts to have a parts machine around.

Alan

[SLS]

My gramps had a 32" Comet like that too...I remember riding it back in the early 70's...a real neat and durable little mower.

Original motor wore out in the mid-70's and gramps put a 12 hp Techumseh on it...it would flat get it! :) (providing you were strong enough to pull the cord to start it...man, it could have used a compression release).

Just wondering about it's plowing capabilities though. The "disc and doughnut" drive system on his was the weak link...I was mowing on it one day and the disc literally broke apart. I picked up what fragments I could find and there was a bunch of what appeared to be stress cracks all over them. I was suprised as the disc was kinda thick, like a brake rotor on a motorcycle. It was 10-15 years old when it happened though so maybe it was time for it to go anyway. I wonder about slippage and traction abilities in frozen conditions...it is so lightweight.

The man who lives next door has a late 70's version and replacese the rubber coated disc every couple of years.

He told me these parts were interchangable with a comparable
Ariens but that the Ariens parts were more durable...thicker metal and rubber...according to him.

I really like how it had those bars in the back so you could stand it up on it's heinie and clean the deck and sharpen the dblades..no need for a 'Jungle Jack" with one 'o these!

[suavematt]

Cool. :usflag: I just pick up an antique Snapper "Comet 26" myself this past weekend off of craigslist for $75.00 haha... I got them from a lady who said it belonged to her Grandpa; I also bought a "Golden Boy" walk-behind 3-wheel Edger of the same vintage for $20 haha both work great still, I used them on my home yard. I love the old mowers... they look cool to me. I'll most likely restore both units & either paint them both, or sand-blast & take them to the local powder-coating shop & keep on using them. I have a few clients with kids who LOVE to see the older vintage mowers, especially the riders. I picked up a 1960-SOMETHING JC Penny's "Grass Handler" riding mower, & took out the old "stock" 12hp briggs & put a new 12HP Briggs in it's place with all new key/ignition, solenoid, wires etc... & it runs great now too... though I've got to get two new pulleys for it, & finish cleaning up the deck so I can have it powder-coated as well.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs532.snc3/30203_10150180757275517_540115516_12392571_5658320_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs532.snc3/30203_10150180757215517_540115516_12392565_4972214_n.jpg

I love that lil' snapper though haha.. & put the clutch down while in 4th, to pick up a paper cup before running over it & forgot to go back down to first before disengaging & the front wheels came about a foot off the ground haha... now I know why Forest Gump loved em' so much :laugh: ; )

Later!

~ :cool: Suave'

[lawnboy dan]

use it to cut your own yard

[MOHUSTLER]

This has to be a record for oldest post drug up. Almost 9 years!! But to look at that mower and look at a brand new rear engine rider on my floor. They have not changed much at all. Probably why we still sell over 50 of them a year. I cant think of any company that has kept a modle of anything around for 40+ years and not changed much.

[Heintooga]

A friend that I work with and lives in my neighborhood was given one. He cleaned it up and got it to running and cutting well himself (he's handy). Now he's added a motorcycle throttle to the handle bars. I told him I would get a 2-cycle boat motor and all need parts if he'd make it work but he ain't bitin!