I love the seller’s description of this 1969 Sears Super 12 garden tractor. They say it can be used to pull things around, and it would be handy for hauling brush, mulch, or almost anything in a little trailer. But they also say it can be used to teach your kids how to drive. Genius idea! It’s posted here on Facebook Marketplace in Bethel, Minnesota, and they’re asking $400. Here is the original listing.
I know this isn’t a dusty 1970s muscle car, and not everyone is interested in vintage garden tractors or anything like this at all. Hopefully enough people are interested in seeing off-shoot vintage vehicles here so the torches and pitchforks don’t come out. Unless you’re using that pitchfork to load bales of hay to haul around on a little trailer behind this tractor.
There’s no mower included, but maybe one could be found. I’m assuming this tractor will either be used as the seller suggests, or will be a fun little restoration project for someone. A friend’s dad restores old garden tractors in his retirement, and I think that would be a fun way to spend time, rather than sitting around watching TV or playing golf. Sears offered the Super 12 from 1967 through 1972, and the first year they were made by David Bradley Company. After that, they were made by Roper.
Fancy! A woodgrain dash, with a lighter socket, very cool. We saw a somewhat similar tractor three months ago here on Barn Finds, and that one had a lighter. The seller of this SS12 mentions plugging in a charger, presumably for a phone. No texting and mowing! (crickets) Everything works, even the lights. The “8 Speed” (6 forward, 2 in reverse) transmission is right down where it should be, no column-shifted automatic here (just kidding). The 2-speed hi/low shifter is just to the left.
The engine should be a Tecumseh HH120, a 453-cc single-cylinder with 12 horsepower. With electric start, it should be easy and fun for both kids and adults to drive around the yard, not to mention taking care of some chores at the same time. It’s said to start, run, and drive great, and this would be a fun restoration project. Did any of you drive a little tractor like this as a kid?
No, the pitchforks and torches come out when another FireVette is posted. I’m not alone in saying what a relief it is to see these posts. I could look at these posts all day. The Super 12, was Sears most powerful tractor in 1969, “A Shortcut to Leisure”, they called it. Like all these, they came with a plethora of attachments, like 32 I counted in one photo, and all probably a PITA to change. As much as many might not like to admit, some got their truck driving experience with these. Hi/Lo gave you the basics, you could guess the rest,,,and we did. And as much as we gasp in horror, that “socket” did one thing, light the cigarette. Text was something in a book, and charging anything was years away. Speaking of charging, the generator is also the starter, my 12 hp Briggs had that, and the gear ratios, very handy ( there’s the crickets). Armor All a nice touch, but these weren’t meant to win any appearance awards, it was work, work, work. Great find.
Ha, thanks, Howard! Good point on the generator being the starter. I wonder what the best-selling cigarette was in 1969, if there could only be some way to find that out… (last sequoia being cut down to power the XJ-2000 AI generator…)
Marlboro, has consistently been the best selling cigarette through the ages. My grandparents all smoked Kent.
Winston (filtered) edged out Pall Malls (nonfilter) in that era but later got overtaken by Marlboro according to the local tribe, as they made a killing on untaxed cigarettes on the reservation here in that era.
Well, things were going smoothly, and now I can rule out that it wasn’t my old laptop, my 2nd comment didn’t take. I just wanted to say not “pos”, I meant POSTS all day,,, and for whatever reason that mysteriously can’t be rectified, I guess that’s life, even the best things in life have their glitches. Sorry, SG,
Fun write-up SG. One reason I like Barn Finds is that it does NOT cater to muscle cars. Four door sedans, economy cars, rarely seen brands are all welcome, and are refreshing to see featured. Even non-automotive conveyances like garden tractors are welcome.
This is really neat to see. I really like the woodgrain trim and the speed-in-gear data table.
For someone who would be intimidated by a car restoration, restoring something simpler like this might be appealing.
This is great Scotty. I’m with all the above. I really like cars and trucks of course, but I really enjoy seeing stuff like this. Bob has a great point about restoring one of these. It would be less daunting for sure. And Howard is absolutely right. Driving something like this helped you get the basics down for driving either cars or larger truck later on in life. And that wood grain dash !! Wow, looka like it came straight out of an Oldsmobile !!!! Well.. Ok, maybe not. Please keep stuff like this coming!!!
I have probably a thousand hours behind the wheel of our mid-60s SS-12, which my youngest brother still has in his possession. Dad had about a half-dozen implements (including a one-bottom plow), and they weren’t that hard to change, Howard, many being attached with a Cat 0 three-point hitch.
If this were within a couple hours of me, I’d snap it up in a heartbeat, if only to use to pull the yard trailer around.
In my youth, it was a Case model # 110. Had a lawn mower deck, a hand operated 3 bottom plow for Granny to churn up her garden plot, and a hitch for moving the grain auger around the bins.
It is still parked beside the mechanic shop on the farm.