My new to me Murray Ultra Wide Body

[Argee]

In my quest for a donor engine for a Craftsman GT project I've been working on...I heard about a Murray Lawn Tractor with a 20 something HP twin in it. The guy thought it might be a Kohler...so I said I had an interest. He said he was picking it up from his sister-in-laws and would stop by to give me a look at it....and he mentioned it that it wasn't a Kohler but a Tecumseh instead. I told him I probably wouldn't be interested...but since he was coming by this way that I would take a look at it. He pulls into the yard and he has this exceptionally clean tractor on his trailer. The first thing I do is look at the engine...very clean with fairly clean oil and looking well maintained. I start it up and it purrs nicely. So far so good. It has a hydro for a tranny so he backs it off the trailer and says take it for a spin. I do a quick spin around the drive and note how I like that hydro tranny. Now I'm not real familiar with the Murray tractors but I do know a good deal when I see it. I negotiated a price with him and purchased it. Now the problem is...it's to nice of a tractor to tear down. So I have a new mower for the grass and I think to myself that I'll put the Poulan up for sale. Well a few days later I trade the Poulan for a Simplicity 7112 on great condition. Now I have my Craftsman GT5000 6-speed, a Simplicity 7112 Garden tractor and a Murray....all in great shape. Turns out the engine in the Murray is a 21HP Tecumseh twin.

I think I'm going to pull the hydro out of the Craftsman GT project and scrap out the rest of it and sell the tranny on ebay.

[pylek]

Hello Argee, what is your Craftsman GT project, and would you be interested in selling any parts from it since you are bailing out? I am rehabilitating a 1986 GT18 and am always on the lookout for parts.

Thanks,


Seth K. Pyle

[Argee]

Hello Argee, what is your Craftsman GT project, and would you be interested in selling any parts from it since you are bailing out? I am rehabilitating a 1986 GT18 and am always on the lookout for parts.

Thanks,


Seth K. Pyle

It's a '98 GT. The engine was a 24 HP Kohler Pro. The PO ran it out of oil and it seized. Shattered the connecting rods and took a chunk out of the skirt up to the liner. I was going to rebuild but was concerned cylinder damage might migrate once engine is heated up.

I'm keeping the tires. It has a Peerless hydro that I intend on selling on ebay. I'm also selling the starter and engine shrouds. The rest is going to the scrap yard to be converted into cash.

[Milwaukee]

It's a '98 GT. The engine was a 24 HP Kohler Pro. The PO ran it out of oil and it seized. Shattered the connecting rods and took a chunk out of the skirt up to the liner. I was going to rebuild but was concerned cylinder damage might migrate once engine is heated up.

I'm keeping the tires. It has a Peerless hydro that I intend on selling on ebay. I'm also selling the starter and engine shrouds. The rest is going to the scrap yard to be converted into cash.

You better hold that and wait for scrap valve raise again now it is $120 per ton but 1 months ago it was $300. I bet it will raise up soon in winter or spring time.

[pylek]

Thanks anyway, Argee.

Good Luck!

Seth K. Pyle

[Argee]

I've mowed with it about 4 times now and I really like this little tractor. It's a great mower, very maneuverable and a breeze with the hydro.

Here's some pics:

[Argee]

One more:

[Maybar]

Looks like it does a nice job on a thick lawn too.

[Milwaukee]

I know that one I used to work on it.

Don't buy Murray blades because owner keep call me say it not cut good it shake so bad. Replace many times.

Then hydro on that is whine if shash on pedal plus belt keep fall off.

But honest I love those:fing32: it seem light mower but good for cut grass not haul trailer.

Plus don't cut on wet grass or ditch you get stuck so easy and hard to push out it. It seem rear tires on that are not good it spin easy.:Stop:

Let me know if you found solve to fix belt for hydro i be interested in that.

[Ken in NJ]

Looks like new .. :congrats: Very nice Randy

Whats with the bungee cord ?

[Carl]

Hey, Argee nice putt putt! Are you thinking of building an addition for all your new acquisitions?
I was just looking at your avatar. You are further north than everything that is south of you!

[Argee]

Hey, Argee nice putt putt! Are you thinking of building an addition for all your new acquisitions?
I was just looking at your avatar. You are further north than everything that is south of you!
Actually I'm thinking of adding a 48' lean to roof on the side of the shop about 12' wide. Maybe next years project. Every one I purchased recently started out as a donor for my Craftsman GT project. I finally came to my senses and scrapped the project before I ran out of room. I'd look at the donor tractor and say "I can't part this out...it's to darn nice. So I'm going to mount a blade on my new Simplicity and scrap the Craftsman GT.

[Okie-Chopper]

I just retored a 1998 murray wide body that I bought in 1998 for the auto show, I'm new here so i will try to get a pic on or I will give you a link to go to. Bob

http://www.heymow.com/index.php?topic=8653.0

[Okie-Chopper]

If you click on the pic it will get bigger click on it again and it will get bigger still. Enjoy :greendr: Okie-Chopper

[Argee]

Looks like new .. :congrats: Very nice Randy

Whats with the bungee cord ?
I missed this when you posted it back in September....:sorry1:

The bungee cord is to raise the deflector shield out of the way so I can get closer as I mow around the trees.

[Argee]

Nice pic Okie-Chopper... I don't think mine will ever look that nice.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc137/vader5253/Okie-Chopper012.jpg?t=1235739370

[Okie-Chopper]

That pic you had in your replie was the before pic, click on my link and go to the last page page 4. i put step by step pic's on there of the restore.....Bob:greendr:

[Argee]

WOW! I guess I was looking at the wrong thing. That is a work of art......NICE JOB!!!

[Okie-Chopper]

Thank you so much, If i can ever help ya just let me know.

Bob :greendr: