Craftsman 132.82400. A rare little piece of Sears-era mowing history.
This is the Craftsman 132.82400, which is the same machine as the Hiller Yard Hand 100. Built by Hiller in Redwood City, California, it was sold through Sears under the Craftsman name and originally cost $234 back in 1953. With its compact size and simple mechanical setup, it’s a great snapshot of early postwar lawn tractor design.
Specs like the 1.7 HP Power Products 59cc single-cylinder gasoline engine, 2-speed belt-drive transmission, and 131 lb weight show just how small and straightforward these machines were compared with modern tractors. It also came with a 20-inch towed rear-mount mower deck, which makes the whole setup feel more like a workhorse attachment system than a modern riding mower.
It’s always fun finding equipment like this because it blends utility, history, and a little bit of industrial charm. Sears-branded machines like this one helped bring mechanized lawn care to ordinary homeowners in the 1950s, and this example is a neat reminder of how far the industry has come.
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This had me rolling. 🤣
1929 Stearns Knight Limo in the AACA Museum.
George Cole @gtcole was at the museum this weekend and took a lot of great photos of J11916 a 7 passenger Limo donated by Patterson and Anne Barnes. Great reference.
2026 Bentley tour, day 3.
This falls in the category of “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. I’ve seen some bizarre customs made by combining various vehicles but this one takes the cake. The Anycar II from 1973. This is your brain on drugs….
Had a great week on the Bentley Drivers Tour in Upstate NY. Watkins Glen track and town. About 45 cars…….REAL W O Bentley’s, not the post RR purchase cars known as the silent sports cars…..aka junk. Had a chance to put 400 miles on a 8 Litre, 200 miles on a Speed Six, and 100 miles on a Blower 4 1/2. Yes, I had a great week. Photos, video, and story to follow.
The Indianapolis 500. Memorial Day.....Race Day..... something from my childhood to mark the Calendar each year. If you haven't been, go see it some year. It is modern and technologically advanced, but I still see in it the early years and the history. You can't be a car lover and not appreciate all this race has meant for early automobiles. The Makes, drivers, owners, stories.
Marmon, Delage, Duesenberg, Mercedes, Peugeot, Miller, All crossed the checkered flag before 1930. I had the privilege to see the 1915 pace car owned by Allen Strong at a lecture years ago, and it is just another piece of the story that is the Indianapolis 500.
Hoping all the race fans today can tune in. If you're not a fan, do some reading about the early years. From track founder Carl Fisher leading the start of the first race in a Stoddard Dayton, up till today. I think you'll find it interesting.
https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/first-500
Guess I've been asleep for a couple years.
Holy sweet merciful crap, when did core Model T Ford carburetors become gold?
Went looking for a decent, used Holley NH to rebuild for a customer's car. How is a beaten up core, missing parts worth $200 Canuckistan pesos on eBay?
I need to hit some more swap meets.
Chandler car #2
Here's a picture of the second 'production' 1913 Chandler Model 14 car from Motor Age in 1927. A few interesting notes about the car at this time: It's been modernized a bit with the addition of a bumper, deletion of the cowl lights and exterior door handles, and a new one-man top with Chandler 'bow tie' rear window.
"Mileage over 285,000 and still going strong."
Col. King Stanley and his long history with Chandler and Cleveland cars
This image depicts a stereotypical Western character alongside a couple of men in suits. A stylishly dressed woman listens from inside an automobile adorned with illustrations and sign lettering on its side. In the background, on the corner of Clay Street and Van Ness Avenue, stands the Claus Spreckels mansion, which was restored after being destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. However, it later succumbed to the forces of progress.
Colonel King Stanley, who already possessed a distinguished name, was also known as “Old Dead Shot.” He claimed that this was an honorific nickname bestowed upon him by “Indians of the frontier.” Occasionally, his story specifically mentions that he received it after successfully escaping the Battle of Wounded Knee.
Stanley had transformed into a traveling entertainer, crisscrossing the country in various automobiles. His likeness and colorful descriptive text were prominently displayed on the sides of these vehicles:
Col. King Stanley, Old Dead Shot
Traveler
Trailblazer
Explorer
Lecturer
En Route from Here to There.
The Macon Telegraph described Stanley’s typical attire: “…heavy boots that lace to the knee, a red and black hunting jacket and other typical Western apparel, and all that topped by a huge sombrero.” A rattlesnake skin cravat also had a prominent place in the colonel’s wardrobe.
In 1924, the Chandler-Cleveland Motor Car Company decided to hire Stanley to promote its new model, which boasted a unique “One-Shot” lubrication system. The company provided him with a 1925 Cleveland Six and added their own message to his usual artwork: “Old Dead Shot and his ‘One Shot.’” What better way to showcase the reliability of an automobile than to have a droopy-mustachioed, suspender-and-boot-wearing trick-shot western scout drive it across the country?
At the age of 71, Stanley embarked on a journey from South Carolina to San Diego, visiting dealerships along the way. This was a far cry from his previous solitary life as a scout. He was accompanied by his wife of two years and a mechanic named “Nebraska Bill” Spohn, who ensured that the Cleveland ran smoothly.
In some ways, the little details we learn about Col. Stanley’s spouse are more intriguing than his exaggerated tales of Indian-fighting. Grace Raymond, formerly known as Grace Raymond, was a lawyer and “newspaper woman.” She was often referred to as Stanley’s “radio wife” because the couple had their first marriage broadcast live on radio, which was supposedly the first-ever live radio wedding. It’s possible that she played a crucial role in securing Stanley’s “one-shot” gig.
The Stanleys’ journey around the United States was celebrated as their million-mile honeymoon. At every stop, they were captivated and complimentary of the towns or cities they visited. After making a pleasant remark about the local climate or hospitality—Macon, Georgia, was called “the City of Chivalry,” and Phoenix, Arizona, the “City of Smiles”—Stanley would share a witty quote about his automobile’s innovative technology. He confidently asserted, “If I am not mistaken, the new lubrication system will significantly extend the life and serviceability of the Cleveland motor car.”
For a storyteller like Colonel Stanley, staying on script for the motor company was essential, likely aided by the guidance of newspaper automobile editors and dealership representatives. Instead of recounting tales of the Wild West, the focus shifted to Stanley’s claim that his car was so easy to drive that he had never even broken a tube in the five-tube radio set installed in it.
Sometimes, the newspapers faced challenges in determining the most compelling angle for the story. Was Stanley a renowned figure? Was the car unique? Was it the honeymoon angle? Or perhaps the durability of the tires on a long-distance trip? To further complicate the marketing strategy, some dealerships introduced a gimmick that offered $100 credit on a new car to citizens who spotted Stanley, turning it into a human scavenger hunt story.
Despite these challenges, the promotion achieved significant visibility. Stanley’s trip with the Cleveland Six was featured in newspapers across the country. During his visit to San Francisco, after being spotted by John P. D. Chadwick during one of the scavenger hunt promotions, the seasoned scout led a caravan of fourteen Cleveland cars through the city streets and was awarded a key to the city.