[Normy]

I bought this Sears Craftsman push mower in 2003, and it was from 1996. I bought it used from a shop in Orlando for $75; It is easily the best machine I've ever owned!

I keep it in a short shed on the side of my house. Apparently, water makes its way in, and the deck has rusted out. There is a hole the size of an orange on the deck now, and the grass flies everywhere. The wheels sit at about 30 degree angles since the plastic has worn down around the axles.

-This lawnmower has a Tecumseh engine. These are the THING!!!! They use a regular float carburetor and an aluminum block, as opposed to the Briggs & Stratton which uses a suction carburetor not even fit for a Windex bottle, and a painted steel block. B&S only start when they are new; Tecumseh's ALWAYS start after you prime them! Listen I worked as a landscaper between years in college and we had ALL types of engine; the Honda's were best, but right behind them were the Tecumseh!

Alas, the Tecumseh-engined Craftsmen lawn mowers are long gone; these days Sears sells plastic lawnmowers powered by the nefarious B&S engine. No thanx-

I've been all over eBay trying to find another late '90's Craftsman with the Tecumseh motor, but they either look ragged out or too good, indicating a bit of fraud.

I found a push mower at Lowe's for $249- and it has the 160 cc SOHC Honda motor. But the front end of the deck is this large plastic part that holds the wheels; I don't drive a corvette, and I don't want to use the equivalent on my house and my 4 rental houses.

Thoughts? Ideas?

N!