Do You Remember This Beetle Mower?

Do You Remember This Beetle Mower? FARM HOME Cars 25-4-10 A reader recently asked us to dig out an old story on one of the most unusual "riding" mowers we've ever featured in FARM SHOW. After pulling the story out of the archives we were curious to find out if the one-of-a-kind VW Beetle mower was still being used (the original story was in Vol. 6, No. 1). Howard Blakely, of Lecanto, Fla., used the back end of a 1973 VW Beetle and the rear axle off a 1973 Chevrolet Vega to build the comfy mower. The rider sat in the VW's back seat. The mower was carried by a chassis that supported the front end. It featured hydraulic drive, infinite speed range, and instant forward-reverse controls. A separate motor powers the 3-bladed mower. The frame is made of 3-in. channel iron and the wheels and tires are from a golf cart. Howard is 90 years old now. He had a stroke eight years ago and has been in a nursing home ever since. His son-in-law used the car-powered mower up until 1 1/2 years ago, when he died. Since then the "car mower" has sat idle. "It's still in good shape and could be used," says Howard's daughter Lois.

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.