I purchased this B1-6 in the early spring of 1977 from a co-worker who used it for several years doing custom tilling.  At one time he and his father had two of these machines.  I bought this machine because I needed something to work my 5,000 square foot garden, it was in running condition, and the price was right at $75.  Included was another machine minus the engine, wheels, and tiller hood.  These tillers came in two tilling widths, 20" and 26".  With the pick tines, the B1-6 and B1-7 will till 9" deep.

Over the winter I refurbished the engine and transmission.  Every piece was disassembled.  All bearings, bushings, and seals were replaced.  The cylinder was bored .040" oversize because of severe scoring.  At the time Frazer Farm Equipment in Auburn, Indiana was my major source of parts and technical information.  They bored the cylinder and did the fitting of the piston.  During the winter months of 81/82 I refurbished the tiller section.  After all these repairs were made, I painted it with paint purchased from Frazer Farm Equipment.

This machine then was used in my 5,000 square foot garden until about 1990.  It was then that we gave up gardening.  The garden area was reduced and used for growing sunflowers, wildflowers, field corn, millet, etc.  Basically my son turned it into a small bird habitat area.  The Rototiller didn't get too much use after this.  I use what is left of the garden to "play in the dirt" with my tillers to help keep them in good running condition.

These tillers are commonly known as Frazer Rototillers because of Kaiser-Frazer's involvement.  Rototillers were sold at their car dealerships.  These machines were expensive with a suggested retail price of around $435, which was probably close to the price of a vehicle in 1946.  Visit Donald's Antique Rototillers website for more on these tillers.  Two excellent books are Gardening Beyond the Plow by Garden Way Inc. and Donald Jones' book entitled The Rototiller in America.

You can see a movie clip of this tiller in action here
More photos of the B1-6 and some attachments here