Lawn Mower Powered By Big Jet Engine

Lawn Mower Powered By Big Jet Engine FARM HOME Lawn Mowers (31h,38) 22-6-21 This jet-powered riding mower was inspired by a jet-powered mower we featured seven years ago (Vol. 17, No. 3), after that unusual rig appeared on TV's "Home Improvement" show. "I like things that are unusual and this is a one-of-a-kind sort of thing," says Norm Wood of Norman, Okla. "It's literally a show stopper because you can't hear a thing other than the engine when you fire it up." The mower's powered by a 1969 Airesearch GTCP-85 jet engine, which is commonly used as a multi-purpose ground power unit. He used a golf cart front end and suspension system and a hydrostatic rear end out of an old Deere 455 lawn tractor. He built a frame out of angle iron and 2 in. sq. tubing to couple the golf cart front end and garden tractor rear end. The machine is about 8 ft. long and 4 ft. wide. A 3 to 1 gear reduction from the alternator drive shaft back to the hydrostat consists of a 1 in. belt drive. Although Wood has driven the machine in parades, it's still mostly a conversation piece, he says. "I built it for show and the noise attraction," he says. He isn't saying how much it cost to build, but he would be willing to sell it for $18,000. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Norm Wood, 10300 East Imhoff Rd., Norman, Okla. 73026 (ph 405 321-7626).

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