So ive got 2 mower now... now what? Opinions and facts please!

[02burkhardt]

I own my own mowing biz, and I've had a craftsman hydrostatic 42inch 19.5hp opposed twin turbo cooled mower from the late 90s for awhile now and all of a sudden, it dies on the job. I believe its the coil, but a bought a newer early 2000s from a friend at school for $30. Its a 16hp single cyl ohv briggs i/c engine. All it needed was a belt and a chute. I had both of those so i put em on and started working again. The new is a manual, and i find it a bit jerky. Now what i want is to make the best mower out of both, and sell the other one(most parts interchangeable on the 2). I thought about making a off road mower, but id rather have something else. I want to use the hydro, but i want to speed it up to get to my jobs across town faster.(im 15 and cant drive) ive already got stock huge rear wheels on the hydro, so i would do a pulley and/or engine swap(depends on which engine revs higher). I dont really see power as an issue as the 2 engines are both adequate. I would like to put the 3.5 gallon tank on the new mower, under the seat vs the little 1.5 gallon tank in the front, but i would need to figure out a fuel pump . I love the upgraded steering system on the new mower better. The deck height on the old mower is more adjustable than on the new. Deck engagement is a little different on each, but seems wimper on the new. What are all of your thoughts on this? I appreciate all answers.

 

[deckeda]

If you care about the business, fix the first one and don't hot rod it. You'll be driving next year. Keep the $30 mower as a spare, for exactly the reason you bought it.

If you don't care "that much" about the business, modify both mowers and enjoy the hobby.

But given the gear you have, you can't both "care" and "not care" simultaneously about either the business or the hobby.