Paul F Mele wrote:
> Any thoughts out there on something worthwhile (used) for around $1500 -
> 2000?
That's going to be an entirely local thing. However, if you plan to
buy or borrow attachments for the three-point, you need to be aware that
the PTO drives on older equipment are *not* all the same. My Dad bought
a small International Harvester tractor in primo condition at a good
price, then found out that though standard-size attachments would fit
the three-point, the PTO
A) had a smaller than standard spline
B) turned in the opposite direction from normal
C) turned at about half the RPM of normal
We found (C) out after buying a spline adapter and reversing the blades
in his brand-new mower deck. Didn't work worth flip at half speed.
He bought a larger '50s Massey-Ferguson that would work with normal
attachments, but kept the IH for stuff that didn't require a PTO drive.
Most tractors had fairly loose steering to start with; half a turn of
slack isn't all that unusual after 40 or 50 years, but it doesn't make a
whole lot of difference in most cases. Make sure the brakes and the
three-point lift work.
Parts for half-century-old Ford, Massey, Case, IH, Deere, Oliver, etc.
are easier to find than parts for cars that old. There are a couple of
very active tractor mailing lists; I don't have the current addresses
for them. Tires are no more expensive than high-end car tires. Avoid
British Leyland if you're in the USA; they're orphans. A friend's
engine shop got one in for a rebuild, and the owner nearly had a stroke
when he found out replacement pistons were $226 each, and there were
several bits that were apparently unobtainium.
I'd avoid anything with transmission problems. Brake replacement can
be a pain in the ass with some models, but you might have to consider it
in your price range.
You can get trailer ball adaptors for the three-point and use the
tractor to move your utility or car trailer around, and you can of
course use the tractor to move your collection of non-running cars
around. A friend made a tripod boom out of pipe that attaches to the
three-point; he uses it like a cherry picker to lift and carry engines,
etc.
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