Mower Collection Includes Toro's Best

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #6, Page #22

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Until 2006, Rob Leiser was a Toro dealer, like his father. He has a collection of 25 mowers that include the oldest and some of the best mowers Toro ever made. All are cleaned up and ready to go with the addition of a little gas.
  “I have found stuff the people at Toro Corporate don’t even know exist, like a Toro golf cart,” says Leiser. “I’m always looking for something new. A few years ago, I found two 1965 Toros on eBay. They had been in the basement of a hardware store that closed. Both were brand new. One was a FlyMo hover motor and the other a standard crank, 21-in. push mower.”
  Leiser used to pick up mowers at auctions and estate sales, including one he bought for $1. In recent years, he has found most of his mowers on eBay.
  “Auctions take too much time out of the day,” he says. “The only problem with eBay is the shipping. I got a mower for next to nothing, but shipping it to Pennsylvania from Phoenix cost $160.”
  The cost of the mowers was another reason Leiser decided to collect Toro mowers. Most of them cost him less than $50. They are still fairly inexpensive compared to older Wheel Horse, Cub Cadet and other more popular brands.
  Leiser’s favorite is a Powerlawn, the first powered Toro. His father started selling them in 1948. Leiser likes it for its Continental engine, one that was popular for use in go-carts. He also has a Silver Flash, Toro’s first push-reel mower, introduced in 1925.
  “I collect some that aren’t that old, like a Toro rear bagger with a Suzuki two-cycle engine,” he says. “It was an engine and mower that we sold a ton of in the 1980’s. I found one that was in new condition.”
  As most collectors report, shrouds and covers are the most difficult parts to find. Leiser found a deck and wheels from a 1950’s mower in his own parts inventory. The best buys he makes are the ones that don’t require many parts.
  “I find some real freaks,” he says. “One was a rear engine riding mower that was a forerunner to zero turns. New, it was very expensive, and not many were sold. I found one for $150, and all I had to do was put in spark plugs, and it started right up.”
  Leiser is setting up a showcase for his mower collection in a garage behind a one-room schoolhouse museum. Like the schoolhouse, it will be open once a month. In the meantime, he keeps some of them in the showroom of his business, Rental Barn.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Leiser’s Rental Barn, 2212 Sullivan Trail, Forks Township, Penn. 18040 (ph 610 258-2963; rob@rentalbarn.com).

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Mower Collection Includes Toro s Best FARM HOME Lawn Mowers 31h 38 Until 2006 Rob Leiser was a Toro dealer like his father He has a collection of 25 mowers that include the oldest and some of the best mowers Toro ever made All are cleaned up and ready to go with the addition of a little gas “I have found stuff the people at Toro Corporate don’t even know exist like a Toro golf cart ” says Leiser “I’m always looking for something new A few years ago I found two 1965 Toros on eBay They had been in the basement of a hardware store that closed Both were brand new One was a FlyMo hover motor and the other a standard crank 21-in push mower ” Leiser used to pick up mowers at auctions and estate sales including one he bought for $1 In recent years he has found most of his mowers on eBay “Auctions take too much time out of the day ” he says “The only problem with eBay is the shipping I got a mower for next to nothing but shipping it to Pennsylvania from Phoenix cost $160 ” The cost of the mowers was another reason Leiser decided to collect Toro mowers Most of them cost him less than $50 They are still fairly inexpensive compared to older Wheel Horse Cub Cadet and other more popular brands Leiser’s favorite is a Powerlawn the first powered Toro His father started selling them in 1948 Leiser likes it for its Continental engine one that was popular for use in go-carts He also has a Silver Flash Toro’s first push-reel mower introduced in 1925 “I collect some that aren’t that old like a Toro rear bagger with a Suzuki two-cycle engine ” he says “It was an engine and mower that we sold a ton of in the 1980’s I found one that was in new condition ” As most collectors report shrouds and covers are the most difficult parts to find Leiser found a deck and wheels from a 1950’s mower in his own parts inventory The best buys he makes are the ones that don’t require many parts “I find some real freaks ” he says “One was a rear engine riding mower that was a forerunner to zero turns New it was very expensive and not many were sold I found one for $150 and all I had to do was put in spark plugs and it started right up ” Leiser is setting up a showcase for his mower collection in a garage behind a one-room schoolhouse museum Like the schoolhouse it will be open once a month In the meantime he keeps some of them in the showroom of his business Rental Barn Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Leiser’s Rental Barn 2212 Sullivan Trail Forks Township Penn 18040 ph 610 258-2963; rob@rentalbarn com

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