By Robert G. Duncan Denfield Ontario, Canada bjduncan@sympatico.ca Sometimes when you spot an unusual, unknown tractor for sale, you take a chance upon purchasing it that it may not be all that you hope it will be. This was the case for me while at the May Swap Meet in Portland, Indiana. I purchased a Brillion Explorer from a gentleman who had traveled from Wisconsin to attend the show. At the time, I really did not know what a rare and unique machine I had bought. Upon doing a little research I learned that Brillion Iron Works of Brillion, Wisconsin produced lawn and garden tractors from 1959 – 1963. I also learned that Brillion did not keep records or color photographs of the lawn tractors they had produced. To my surprise, my friend Joe Smith found some 32
LAGC September/October 2008
Garden-All tractor owned by Joe Smith or Wautoma, Wisconsin.
Brillion literature displaying color photos of the Explorer. There were a few discrepancies between my tractor and the one on the brochure. My Explorer appears to have a fire engine red hood and frame with cream colored back fenders, seat and wheel rims. As you can see from the literature, it is not the correct color, which has yet to be found. The literature also states that the grill frame is made of cast iron, but on my Explorer it is white metal painted light green. The screen is black and all the decals are the exact size and color. The Serial Number on the Explorer is CT6-01153 but no year is shown. I am guessing that it is a 1959. The front tires are made of hard rubber with no tubes. A 1/8” cable on a worm gear is used to steer the front axle.
Another unusual bit of information came from another friend who lives in Wisconsin. He quotes, “These pictures are some of the very few pieces I have ever seen. As near as I can figure, Brillion Iron Works acquired the GardenAll Company in the early 1960’s. The Brillion is an adaptation of the GardenAll. It only lasted a couple of years. Brillion Iron Works was started by the Ariens family and was operated by them until they went bankrupt in the early 1930s. A year later they started the Ariens Company and began building big tillers.” My friend Joe, who I mentioned earlier, owns a 1959 or 1960 Garden-All tractor. I understand that there are only two restored and operating Brillion tractors in existence. One is owned by Richard Bashore of Ohio and the other by Roy Stewardson of Forest Ontario, Canada.
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Brillion Iron Works of Brillion, Wisconsin produced lawn and garden tractors from 1959 – 1963
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Brillion Explorer owned by author Bob Duncan of Denfield, Ontario.
Richard has painted his tractor with paint as close to the original color as he could find. None of us own a mower deck for the tractors, but we think it is a square deck similar to the 1961 Cub Cadet. I would like to thank both Joe and Richard for their tremendous help. I promised Richard that I would be driving my Brillion Explorer in Portland by May 2009, so this project is a priority for me. If it weren’t for the help we give to each other when restoring our lawn and garden tractors, it would not be worthwhile to bring these old machines back to life! Editor’s Note: Bob would like to get in touch with collectors who own Brillion tractors. If you would like to talk shop with Bob, you can email him at bjduncan@sympatico.ca or write to him at 14252 Thirteen Mile Road, R.R. #4 Denfield ON. NOM1PO CANADA. LAGC
A restored Brillion owned by Richard Bashore and the Brillion Explorer owned by Bob Duncan.
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