Battleangel | Personal

So I’ve been looking for a reasonably well-kept snow blower for some time now. Availability has been the main issue, but of course at the end of the day, the price tag decides what is worth getting. In the end I settled for a vintage Gilson model number 55112.

This classic model was most likely manufactured in the late 1970s. It is 26 inches across and has an 8hp Briggs & Stratton engine. It has a few cosmetic issues and a few questionable design choices, but overall is one hell of a sturdy machine. I just hope its snow blowing capability matches the noise output Certainly one of the loudest consumer machines I’ve ever encountered. They sure didn’t care about that sort of thing back in the day. Reminds me of my 1950s Black & Decker circular saw which also makes quite a racket. Might not be able to run this without ear protection of some sort. Depends on how much the snow will muffle the noise.

I believe I also got a good deal on this machine, all things considered. I’ve seen people on the net getting old Gilsons for free, but the used machines I’ve been looking at have been considerably more expensive around these parts. I paid 260 EURO / 350 USD for this one and given that snow blowers are in short supply and seem more expensive in Sweden I’m fine with that. It’s a hell of a lot better than buying an equivalent new super market toy for more than three times that. Modern machines are also nowhere near as sturdy and reliable.

There are a few parts I’ll be looking to replace or fix in time though. The pull grip could use a new mitten grip instead. Some paint and wax couldn’t hurt (especially inside the chute to decrease friction). The chute ring movements were a little rough also. I might also want to look out for the wheels and skids which seem to be on their last legs. Of course with a snow blower like this one that could mean another ten years.

I will probably not try alkylate petrol since it has never been run on that stuff. I might just use ordinary petrol and a fuel stabilizer. Or I might switch but then I wont dare to use ordinary petrol ever again. I’ve heard some bad things about mixing or switching back and forth. We’ll see.