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Page 14, The
1969 to 1973 Ariens
Manorway tractor.
Ariens
first "riding lawn mower" was the
"Imperial" model, a small RER (Rear
Engine Rider) first introduced in
1958:
Ariens Imperial,
1958. Ariens company photo, from the Ariens
facebook page.
Link
to original photo.
The
Imperial was only made for three
years, 1958, 1959 and 1960. In
1961 the Imperial was replaced by
the new for '61 "Emperor" model.
(The Imperial name was then
re-used 40 years later! in the
late 1990's and early 2000's, for
a completely different Ariens RER
also named the Imperial.)
The
"Emperor" was then introduced in 1961,
the second Ariens RER, it was probably
originally simply the Imperial
re-named, and was made in several
models into the mid 1970's:
1963 Ariens
magazine advertisement.
1969
Ariens brochure.
The
Imperial and the Emperor were Ariens
only riding mowers for eight years,
until 1966 when the third model was
introduced, the even smaller
"Fairway". Also a RER mower, made in
several models from 1966 into the late
1970s:
1969
Ariens brochure.
Then, at the end of the decade in 1969,
the fourth and largest model yet was
introduced, the Manorway, which was Ariens
"top of the line" riding mower from 1969
to 1973. It was also the first Ariens
riding mower of the "tractor" type, (as
opposed to the smaller RER type of the Imperial,
Emperor and Fairway.)
1969 Ariens Brochure.
Scot Lawrence Collection.
Ariens
referred to the Manorway as both a "Riding
Tractor" and a "Lawn Tractor". Today we
would place it in the "lawn tractor"
category, which is a "lighter duty"
tractor when compared to the more robust
"garden tractor" class. A "lawn tractor"
is essentially designed to be a riding
mower first and foremost, and it can also
handle some light snow plowing with a
front mounted blade, or take a snowblower
attachment, but it isnt intended for heavy
"ground engaging" work like the
full-fledged "garden tractor" would be. In
fact, most lawn tractors generally had
only three available attachments: a mower
deck, a plow blade, and a snowblower
attachment.
This doesn't mean lawn tractors should be
looked down upon! ;) They are fine
machines, they had (and still have) their
place, but it should be remembered that
they do have limits and should be used
accordingly. They simply weren't designed
to be quite as tough as the heavy-duty
garden tractor, but when used for its
intended purpose (mainly a mower) the
classic lawn tractor is a fine addition to
the stable.
The Manorway first came out in 1969, and
ran for five model years: '69, '70, '71,
'72 and '73. There are some manuals and
brochures with a date of 1968 on them, but
that is probably because those documents
were actually created in 1968, but the
first Manorway model went on sale in the
spring of 1969 as a 1969 model.
The tractor itself is believed to be
essentially the same through the five year
run, but there were two different paint
schemes used on the Manorways: The first
two years, 1969 and 1970, had this style
front grill:
 1969 and 1970
Manorway paint style.
Some have white painted engines, and some
have orange painted engines.
Then the last three years, 1971, '72 and
'73, had the second and final Manorway
paint scheme style, with a different
grill, in black with an off-center
vertical orange stripe:
1971,
1972 and 1973 Manorway paint style, photo
from Ebay.
There are five known Manorway
tractor models:
13989
- 1969 and 1970
13990 - 1969 and 1970
13948 - 1970
913002 - 1971 and 1972
913003 - 1973
The gearbox is probably the same in all
models, with 6 speeds forward, two speeds
reverse.
Six speeds was achieved with a Hi-Lo
selector attached to the 3-forward and
1-reverse gearbox. This is a geared
transmission. (no hydro in the Manorway
series)
Manorway
models, attachments and
accessories by year:
(this list is
almost certainty incomplete..)
1969
:
Tractors
13989
Tractor - serial 000001 to 002000
- pull start only.
13990
Tractor - serial 000001 to 004000
- electric start, battery.
Accessories:
13976 - Weight Bucket
13977 - Tire Chains
Attachments:
13982
- 40" Snow Blade
13987
- 30" Rotary Mower
13983
- 32" Sno-Thro attachment
1969
Ariens brochure. Scot Lawrence
collection.
1969
Ariens brochure. Scot
Lawrence
collection.
1969
Ariens brochure. Scot
Lawrence
collection.
1969
Ariens magazine advertisement.
1970
:
Tractors
Tractor
Model 13989 - serial 002001 and up. - pull
start only.
Tractor
Model 13990 - serial 004001 and up. -
electric start, battery.
Tractor
Model 13948 - serial 000001 and up. -
electric start, battery, Briggs 8HP.
Attachments
13987 - 30" Rotary Mower
(probably
all
the same '69 accessories and attachments
were also available in 1970,
even
though they arent specifically mentioned in
the 1970 manual.)
1970
Ariens Manorway magazine
advertisement.
1971
:
Tractor
Model 913002 - Manorway 800 - serial
000101 to 001500
Attachments
Mower
attachment
813981
Sno-Thro
attachment
813955 - serial 000101 to 000300
Mower
attachment
813987
1971
Ariens Manorway magazine
advertisement.
1972
:
Tractor
Model 913002 - Manorway 800 - serial 001500 and up.
Attachments
Sno-Thro
attachment 813955 - serial 000300 to 000800
1972 Manorway, from the
1972 manual: MTOI-72.pdf
The image above is the only
Manorway illustration I have seen with
the optional headlights.
The identical illustration also appeared
in the 1973 manual.
1973
:
Tractor
Model 913003 - Manorway 800 - serial
000101 and up.
Attachments
Mower
attachment
813003
Snow Blade
813950
Headlight kit
713001
Sno-Thro
attachment
813955 - serial 000801 to 001193
1973
Ariens Manorway
1973
Ariens form No. 82473 -
Scot Lawrence collection.
1973
Ariens form No. 82473 - Scot
Lawrence collection.
Engines
..
Three different engines were
used on Manorways:
a Tecumseh 7hp, a Tecumseh 8hp, and a
Briggs & Stratton 8hp.
Based on manuals and brochures, it is
believed the engines looked like this:
(not 100% confirmed yet)
1969 - Probably both models were 7HP, both
engines painted white.
The lower model number, 13989, was the
pull-start model, and 13990 was the
electric start. The two models are likely
identical except for pull-start versus
electric start.
1970 - Probably 13989 was 7hp, and the
other two 8hp. 1970 brochures show both
white
and orange painted engines. 1970 probably
had all three engines.
1971, '72 and '73 - all models 8HP, all
had the Briggs 8HP engine,
all called "Manorway 800", and all
electric start.
Known Manorway manuals:
MPB-68.pdf
-
1969 Operating instructions and parts
list.
Its dated 1968, but is
believed to be the first Manorway
manual for 1969.
MPB-69.pdf
-
1970 Operating instructions and parts
list.
It's dated 1969, but is
probably the 1970 manual. The manuals
were probably created (and dated)
the
year before the models went on sale.
Manual made in '69 for tractors that
went on sale in the
spring
of 1970.
MTOI-70.pdf
-
1971 Operators Instruction Manual
MTOI-72.pdf
-
1972 Operators Instruction Manual
MTOI-73.pdf
-
1973 Operators Instruction Manual
PM-13000.pdf
- Parts manual for the whole series 1969
to 1973, including all attachments.
The Ariens
Manorway line, Ariens first lawn
tractors, ended its 5-year run with the
1973 model year. The following year,
1974, began the era of the Ariens/New
Holland tractors.
Ariens
purchased the GT and LT line from New
Holland and began producing a new line
of Ariens tractors in 1974, using the
designs developed by New Holland, but
now built by Ariens as the new Ariens
tractor line. This line also introduced
Ariens first true GT's.
Field
& Stream magazine, February 1974.
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