Any Original PK owners out there?

[jlinskey]

Since there is not a lot of history on this particular brand.

I am curious if there are any original owners out there that would like to share their story of how, when, and where they became owners of a PK or Jim Dandy.

Here is my 1614:
http://www.mytractorforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44253&d=1218326988

[Argee]

That's a fine looking tractor! Let's hear your story.

[jas11964]

I grew up right beside an Economy dealer. Some of my earliest memories are that of hearing the distinctive sound of one of these tractors starting up for a customer who wanted to try it out. Worked at the place for a short time and cut grass with one. Got my first one about 19 years ago and have been bit ever since. Think I've owned 6 or 7 through those years, the earliest being a 1948 and the newest being a 1983. I now have two that handle most of the work around the property.

[jlinskey]

I first got interested in Power Kings about 3 years ago, and I located my current one last summer.

Prior to getting into PK, I had been looking at old cub cadets and the larger cub 154 model. I never locate a cub cadet that wasn't going for a fortune ($$$). Just by chance, I came across a Power King and that spark my interest in the brand. I liked the fact that the PK are bigger than the cud cadets (and are just about the same size as the cub 154 models).

It took me over a year to locate one for sale in my area.

[LilysDad]

[QUOTE=jas11964;687950] Some of my earliest memories are that of hearing the distinctive sound of one of these tractors starting up for a customer who wanted to try it out. QUOTE]

Did they always have a Kohler engine?

[jas11964]

No, the early models had either a briggs or Wisconsin engine. I used to have a 48 with a Wisconsin AEH. I think it was in the early 60s that the kohler first made the scene in these tractors. I would have to check my sources to be accurate on that. Kohlers were probably used in more tractors than any other engine though. 10, 12, 14 & 18hp single cylinder engines and 18 & 20 twin cylinder engines in later models.

[KansasPK]

Jim Dandy find in Kansas, in craigs list ,Kansas, wichita, lawn & garden, antique tractors, guy has 4 GT's to sell. Jim Dandy, old Bolens, a Panzer and some other old GT. Spent all my toy money till after tax time. Maybe someone can find a bargin. Mark from Kansas

[jaydeestude]

In around 1969, we bought the couple of acres we now live on. Needing a tractor to mow with, we found a dealer in western PA, Reeseman Farm Equipment, that was a big Bolens dealer. We purchased a Bolens 1050 in 1970 and used it for several years. After a couple of winters not being able to get the Bolens out of the garage in the snow, we decided we needed a bigger tractor. By this time, Reeseman had become a Power King dealer, one of the biggest in PA, so we bought a 1977 Power King with a bunch of attachments. That tractor blew an engine in the early 90s and was put away in the barn and replaced with a cheap Craftsman. A few years ago, I bought a 1968 Power King to use for mowing (I have since restored that one). I then decided that the 77 in the barn was too good to be setting there and started to restore it. I got a new short block and have cleaned and primed most of the parts but have yet to complete that project. In the meantime, I have bought a 1962 Jim Dandy which I have restored, a 1948 Chain Steer, a second 1948 Chain Steer (bought from Jeff), a 1951 Tiller Steer and 2 or 3 others for parts. I hope to complete the restoration of the Tiller Steer this summer and then finish the original 1977. Then I will have to start on the Chain Steers and the 8 or so Great Lakes Chief walkbehinds I have. Too many projects and not enough days in the week. :bannana:

[joemd11]

When I was growing up we had a simplicity Broadmore (738??) that we used for mowing grass and snow plowing. I used to earn quite a bit of cash with that little tractor by doing this for some of the neighbors on our street. By 1979 the motor and some other items needed re-built so we started looking for a new tractor. We had looked at the Power Kings but they were a little pricey for my parents. Somehow my dad came up with the cash and he purchased a brand new Power King 1614 with the 48" mower. Needless to say I was thrilled. I used to mow when the grass didn't even need mowed. Then dad went and got the snow blade and cab. I was plowing all the sidewalks and many of the neighbors drives. Then I went off to college and then into the service. I have moved back to the area and inherited the PK and have discovered the pleasure of mowing grass on a nice summer evening all over again. I just looked at the original receipts and the tractor with mower was $3334.00 and the cab/plow/chains were $592.00 . If I had a time machine I would go back and buy a few more!

[met828]

first pk i ever operated belonged to my aunt she bought it new in 79 still has it ,all atacments too. she bought it place in fl called farwell farms or something like that.(her tractor has a sticker that tells deler name address and ph number) u can still read it fine. She even has the original pk key chain that came with it, bill of sale and attacment brochure and kolher engine manual. We still use it to take care of her 6 acres now theres 3 more of mine to help as well. that machine has never let us down except for when she didnt check engine and burned it up :duh: we rebuilt it for her she was in tears she loves that machine so much.

[kneeache]

My family had three PKs, a 50's model that I mowed with when I was 7 or 8 years old, then a 68 model with all the attachments, including a sickle bar that I used to mow a couple of small fields. the 68 finally burnt up when the wiring went. We then had a 70 something that had the three point hitch, which I liked much better because I could switch from the mower to the push blade to the single bottom plow or disks very quickly. I remember on the 68 model unhooking the mule drive, and then just picking up the front of the tractor and moving it around to clear the mower so that I could then put on the blade. It took much longer on that one. On the 70 something, I mowed 4 acres weekly, pushed snow, plowed our garden, and I think every neighbors garden (at 5 bucks a pop). I plowed out their driveways for free when it snowed.
It had weighted tires, and chains, and I can remember plowing our driveway and then using the brakes to spin around to go back the other way. It was fun to do that. The 70s model they used up until at least 84, when they sold the house, and I don't know what happened to it after that. At the time, I was gone and raising my own family, and the disposition of the PK didn't interest me. Now that I am older, I really wanted to get one, and found a 1972 PK. The tractor is done, though I am still working on the attachments, and I really don't have any use for it other than carting my granddaughter around the neighborhood, but that is fun.

[lbuscher]

I bought my first one in 1971. A PK with a dozer plow and a spring tooth harrow and it cost new about $1700.00 from my dealer that was about 20 minuetes away from me. Over all these years of use I have only changed spark plugs, a throwout bearing and the oil. The second one was used but restored from the ground up about 10 years ago
Lou

[mrfixit13]

My introduction to the PK's was a couple of weeks ago when I became intersted in something I found on-line. Advertised as a powerking backhoe....I didn't have a clue. With lots of reading and input from lots of folks, I guess I am the proud owner of a Terramite2 that is a Power King at heart!

:drunkie: