Jacobsen built lawn tractors

I just did a search of the archives for Jakobsen built Jake, Ford, MM and White lawn tractors. Not
finding much. I have 4 jakes, 4 Fords, 1 MM and 1 White. I never see any at the tractor shows that
I attend. Anyone else playing with these?

I have a Jacobsen Chief (10 hp. don't know the model number) I bought back in the 90's. I got it running and played with it some. I always meant to fix it up, but life happened. I even bought a grille for it about two years back when I found someone selling them on Ebay. I recall it had plenty of power to pull a Brinly bottom plow, but not nearly enough traction.

The Seat, (if the uphostery is still there) is pretty comfortable. The rest seems pretty crude compared to a Cub Cadet or John Deere from the 60s.

You are right, you don't see many of them at shows. There were probably 100 Cub Cadets at the big show here in NC but only a handfull of Jacobsen/Ford/MM/etc.

Well John, you know I have a few of the early "angle iron" framed Fords made by Jacobsen from '66 to '71. As T.R.K. says, they seem a little crude compared to the Cubs. However, They are very tuff little machines and many are still running today. I have 3 versions of that model but only one is running.
The "tube" framed Jakes (Fords) built from '72 to '85, are much more sophisticated and they too are very tuff machines.
I have a Jake and several Fords of those models as well, 12, 14 and 16HP.
When Ford contracted with Gilson in '86, the quality of their tractors went down hill a lot.
Having said that, my main mowing tractor for quite a few years now is a Gilson built Ford LGT-18H. It has an 18HP series II Kohler with the same bullet proof 2 speed hydro used in the Jake tube framed tractors. The big problem with these Gilsons is they used the same weak stamped steel chassis they used with their 14 HP vertical shaft powered "mowers" and they require constant repairs. I have numerous fish plates and welds on mine already and it needs even more again.
I do occasionally see a Ford garden tractor or two at shows here in NYS but they are mostly the original angle iron framed models.

None of my Fords are show quality; far from it but they earn their keep; especially this one. 1972 12 HP GT125 for which I paid $75 back in the 80s. The deck was shot but it still sees plenty of work between the blade and the sickle bar mower. I consider it my little "dozer" and it has pushed a lot of dirt as well as snow.
BTW, neither the blade nor the mower came with the traxtor puchase.

Good to see that there are still some working units. I need to get some of mine out and get them running, again. I have mower decks, push blades and a sickle bar. I had a rototiller but it was not complete and I sent it to scrap with another lawn tractor and a Ford 9N. (minus useable parts)
I had 8 cushions and back rests made several years ago. Some blue, some black. They are in storage.