A collection of classic garden tractors wouldn’t be complete without an Amigo. Browse one Michigan collector’s array of DEMCO Amigo tractors and components.
When garden tractor manufacturer DEMCO was forced by competitors Yard-Man and Lawn-Boy to rename its Yard Boy tractor, the company came up with the perfect name. DEMCO salesman Jerry Slocum suggested amigo, Spanish for friend. “Everyone needs a friend when mowing the lawn,” he said, and so the Yard Boy became the Amigo.
Amigo garden tractors were built in Dowagiac, Michigan, from late 1959 to 1966 by DEMCO (Design, Engineering & Mfg. Co.). The six models of the tractor – numbered 77, 99, 990, 1170, 1200 and 1400 – were powered by Lauson, Kohler and Wisconsin engines with a range of 5hp to 10hp.

Tractor collector Colt Gollnick, Montgomery, Michigan, lives about 65 miles from where the Amigo was built. He is carrying on a family tradition: His father, Gerald, collected farm tractors and hit-and-miss engines for years. Colt once owned 78 tractors but has down-sized to 54.
About 13 years ago, he inherited his parents’ Model 1170 Amigo (photo below) that had been sitting in the barn for 20 years. He restored this family tractor and began seeking more Amigos. Collecting these 60-year-old tractors has not been easy as they have become more difficult to find. But Colt doesn’t have to worry about serial numbers: None of these tractors have one. There are no company records showing production numbers, but the total is thought to be fewer than 2,000.
Classic garden tractor collection includes components
Dealing in garden tractors, Colt had bought and sold three Amigos. After deciding to focus on these tractors, he was able to repurchase all of them. He now owns 16, including one of every Amigo model built.
Not all are in running condition. Colt needs to have three driveshafts made. Once he has those installed, along with two of his spare engines, he will have a few more completed tractors. Currently, only two have been restored. Colt restored one himself; he bought the other, already professionally restored, from a body shop owner. One of his tractors is equipped with a fully functional mower deck.

Colt’s collection includes five front plow blades and mounts, and one unique rounded rear-mount designed for the Model 1170. That one also has a quick-mount for the blade, an improvement over the bolt-on method used on the others. He has eight mower decks. Four models of those have 36- or 42-inch cuts with either chain- or belt-drive. He also has an after-market single-blade, moldboard plow and a custom carry-all rack once used to carry fire wood.

Colt once made a trip to nearby Quincy, Michigan, to buy four tractors and some extra parts. When he went into a shed to look at the parts, he spied something on his right. The seller yelled, “No, the parts are to the left.”
“There’s another tractor in here,” Colt said. “I guess I forgot about that one,” the seller said. “You can have it.” Eventually, Colt left with a pickup bed full of parts and five Amigos.

Better known for its bowling equipment, tennis rackets and other recreational items, American Machine & Foundry (AMF), bought the Amigo company in 1966. DEMCO built the tractors under contract with AMF, but was directed to change the material used to make differential gears. That idea had been explored earlier, but rejected by engineers because of quality concerns. AMF stood fast and the cost-saving measure was implemented. That led to gear failures and, within six months, the end of AMF tractor production.
“I would like to find one of the AMF tractors, with the different nameplate,” Colt says. So far, all he has is a cast iron AMF grille, identified by the four widely-spaced emblem mounting-holes.
Versatile Amigo marked by unique design
Colt has never traveled more than four hours from his home to add to his collection of Amigo tractors and related items, including a table-top full of loose and bound documents.
One special item in his collection is a Chief Industries electric starter attachment used to replace the pull-starter on garden tractors or anything else powered by a small engine. This product has a direct connection to the Amigo tractor. Max Hungerford is the engineer who designed this starter and established the company.

An ad for the product says it can be used “in the air … on the land … on the sea … on the farm … in the city.” The starter attachment could have been used on Amigos produced before the electric starter/generator became a standard item.
Hungerford also designed the tractor that became the Amigo. His name is on the patent application, dated January 19, 1961, for a garden tractor that needs no belts, chains or pedals to get power to the rear wheels. A driveshaft inside the main frame “tube” connects the engine to the Amigo-Matic transmission.

The tractor has a forward and reverse lever with two forward and one reverse positions. Under the seat is a high-low lever. Using that, a total of four forward and two reverse gears are available to move the tractor from 1 to 8mph.
“About the first 30 Amigos had an engage/disengage lever for the PTO,” Colt says. “While disengaged, oil was not able to splash up to properly lubricate the transmission gears.” The lever was eliminated and the tractors then had all-time PTO. Interestingly, the company never sold any equipment that could use the rear power source.
Family of classic garden tractor collectors sold on Amigo

A very old Roust-A-Bout decal survives on the dashboard of a Model 77 Colt bought in Howe, Indiana. The origin and significance of this has been the subject of speculation, but remains a mystery. While mowing, perhaps someone just wanted a more robust partner than just a friend.
Among the six tractor models, there are three different styles. The older, smaller ones, the 77 and 99, have a rounded hood. These tractors appear the same, but are powered by different engines: a Lauson 5 or a Kohler K161, respectively. Hoods on the newer, larger 990, 1200 and 1400 models conform to the redesigned grille. The 1170 has a rounded hood that is raised for fuel tank clearance and a side panel added on each side.

Colt’s wife, Christi, is not only a supporter of her husband’s hobby but is also a vintage garden tractor owner, having won an unrestored 1978 John Deere Model 208 in a 2022 tractor show raffle. One of the couple’s sons also has an interest in the family tractor collection. Plus, grandson Jordan Campbell, 12, is grandpa’s helper on trips to pick up new purchases, around tractor shows and, when needed, where the tractors are stored.
This collection of Amigos, “The King of Compact Tractors,” according to company signage, should continue to grow in the Gollnick family for years to come. FC
For more information: Colt Gollnick, 1060 Hayes Dr., Montgomery, MI 49225; phone: (260) 243-9187; email: coltgollnick@yahoo.com.
Freelance writer Jerry Mattson writes articles on topics ranging from hot rods to hay balers with many tractor tales in the mix. Email him at themattsons@hotmail.com.