VB walker

[RdW]

I have a VB walking tractor that is in very good, working order. I am in the process of repainting it. I am trying to determine date of manufacture. Bob Tiarks has been very helpful, and I now believe that this tractor may have a replacement engine. I would like to determine the date of production as close as I can. Tractor is a model VB, Mfg # 990130, serial number 71017. I have e-mailed Simplicity Corp. asking for approximate date, but they have failed to respond. Any help would be greatly appreciated I would like to show it next month at a farm heritage show near me, but would like to have accurate information about it's age ..........thanks in advance, Iain McCowan

[Guest]

If you can give men engine S/N, I can narrow it down quite a bit. I had lots of cotton between my ears when I replied to you via E-mail. I thought S/n you gave was Briggs, DAH! My Neighbor has a unit simliar to yours and I will try to track it down. But from memory, everything is orange but engine, I also think wheel rims were white and wheel wheights were orange.
Allis Chalmers orange paint will get you in the ball park as I used this for my Simplicity mower deck and over the years its hardly noticeable.

[Karl_Brandt]

What h.p. is your engine.The tractor should have a 7 1/4 h.p. Briggs&Stratton on it. Might be made in later 50's.I have several Simplicity walkbind tractors. Hope this helps Karl Brandt

[Fred]

Iain, can you confirm that Briggs serial number? According to the EDGE&TA dating page ( a link from this site), the '57 Model 19 production had three and four digit S/Ns, and '58 through '65 had six digits.
I have found that site's info to be generally reliable, but who knows?
Fred[A href='http://www.ave.net/~edgeta/mdate3.htm']http://www.ave.net/~edgeta/mdate3.htm[/a]

[tej]

Engine type nimber fits into scheme of things as I have a Model 19 parts list. Briggs used 6 digit type early and then phased in 4 digit type numbers later on. Your type number appears to be in a block first issued when engine was intoduced. But serial number is still a stumper. My best guess would be early into production run as all engine would carry 4 digit type numbers when they were issued. You can also show a production such as 1957?. I have done this at a few old engine shows and then people in the know at shows would help me zero in on year.

[tej]

I think I solved the mystery !

My tractor has all the features described above and has a model 19 B&S engine Type 706017 ,Ser.# 585648 ,

BUT on the side of the engine cowling ,just behind the gas tank is a two inch round decal ,which had to be there since day one,
in red and white , with " VB " on it . I often wondered if the engine was changed but no, this decal is permanent . I always thought it was
supposed to be someone's version of V8 , by Heinz ,but at 5 am this morning it hit me like a ton of bricks , - EUREKA - or something like that .

The model of the tractor is 93213 Ser# 6635 . and in Canada was sold by the T. Eaton Company of Canada .

As Paul Harvey would say "Now you know the rest of the story ".

[Kent]

Thanks for the response. Here are al th numbers I an locate. "VB" tag on the fly-wheel cover, Mfg.990130, serial number 5312. On the engine, Model 19, type 706017, serial number 71017. Thats all the numbers I can find. The original owner painted the engine A.C. orange (I don't know why), and the wheels are white. Wheel weights are orange. I am just trying to locate a production date...or at least the year. Thanks in advancefor your help, Iain MCowan