Despite the impact of life’s complications, I return once again from the great beyond with insights, experiences, and likely reduced brain cell density.

Let’s talk about lawn mowers.

Power equipment guys and us common car guys share a sense of brand bias and vague awareness of which are the best of the best, regardless of loyalties. The Gravely equipment company is over 100 years old, and has been owned by Ariens for nearly 40. History aside, most well-versed operators will put in a good word for their expensive, though comically overbuilt products. Enter the vintage Model 20G Professional. A machine far removed from all other Gravelys I have driven, but a proper tractor that provides a unique experience among them.

The feature that first drew me to this piece of old iron was its drivetrain, and notably its backwardsness. Yes sir, this 20G is a rear engined, rear wheel drive, manual transmission machine as any proper sports car should be.

Power is sent forward from a 690ish-cc Kohler Magnum engine, an air cooled flathead boxer twin. The brand’s reputation precedes them on this front. They produce iconic engines on proven platforms that take abuse just as well as their toilets.

Except for the SV541. Do your own research on that disaster.

The Magnum flatty produces 20 horsepower at 3500ish-rpm, a mountain of torque down low, and other specs are damn near impossible to find. Does any of this matter? No, but I sure do like listing numbers even if they result in a top speed of almost 8 miles per hour.

It takes a godlike sense of restraint to not shift a gated manual when presented with one. Much to my dismay, the old Gravely’s gearbox stifles the driving experience with its limited function. Strangely, the gears are split by odd and even numbers, as opposed to shifting up in a normal H-pattern. It is to be treated as more of a range selector than a proper 4-speed wherein you can bang through the gears at will. With some effort, the shifter will click down into a gate, and then the clutch pedal is used to accelerate to whatever speed that gear can reach.

Utilizing MSIMA’s official scale, I would rate the 20G’s handling above an Ox Cart but slightly below a Ford EcoSport, due only to the vagueness of the steering. The stock configuration of this tractor limits its competition to rivals such as the Porsche 911, but with some modification I reckon it could provide a properly engaging driving experience. None of that changes the fact that this machine will do everything you ask of it, and likely more, until your bloodline has been long forgotten by history. The fact that this machine was built, and continues to exist at all, was enough to bring some new wonder into my life.