MF 180 - talk me into it please

[ripple]

I am about to pick up a 1974ish MF180 diesel that runs great and is immaculate. But, the draft control/lift arm control has been removed and it looks like
nothing ever got hooked up to the lift arms ever. Guy I'm buying it from never needed it and does not know why it was ever removed (he has only had it a year).
Everything else works great and it comes with a mf35 loader, good tires, low hours, never been taken apart.
I will be doing the repair which from my research so far shows that it's not a one hour fix and the fine tuning looks a bit tedious. But it also sounds like it's awesome
when it's working. How scared should I be on this issue? Parts are looking like ~500 if I have to replace almost everything. Maybe it's simple and just needs the controls without popping the top?
Kind of preparing for the worst though.

I do have aux hydraulic plan to hook up a couple cylinders and bypass the lift arms/draft system for now so I can put a blade on it.

I need to move some rocks/small boulders. Move gravel, Grade some roads on 60 acres. Maybe try to plant an acre of lettuce. This tractor is a lot more tractor than the
8n's I've been looking at and "cheaper". It feels like a tractor that I won't grow out of in a year or destroy, compared to a smaller utility. Not enough cash for a 4wd anything and the pickin's are kinda slim here.

I am brand new to the forum and this is my first tractor. It will be difficult to stop this train, but I will listen to all advice. Hopefully I will have some to give soon too.
thanks in advance

 

[RNeumann]

Sounds like something you would have for a year and sell yourself. I’d avoid a machine without a 3pt.

 

[fried1765]

I am about to pick up a 1974ish MF180 diesel that runs great and is immaculate. But, the draft control/lift arm control has been removed and it looks like
nothing ever got hooked up to the lift arms ever. Guy I'm buying it from never needed it and does not know why it was ever removed (he has only had it a year).
Everything else works great and it comes with a mf35 loader, good tires, low hours, never been taken apart.
I will be doing the repair which from my research so far shows that it's not a one hour fix and the fine tuning looks a bit tedious. But it also sounds like it's awesome
when it's working. How scared should I be on this issue? Parts are looking like ~500 if I have to replace almost everything. Maybe it's simple and just needs the controls without popping the top?
Kind of preparing for the worst though.

I do have aux hydraulic plan to hook up a couple cylinders and bypass the lift arms/draft system for now so I can put a blade on it.

I need to move some rocks/small boulders. Move gravel, Grade some roads on 60 acres. Maybe try to plant an acre of lettuce. This tractor is a lot more tractor than the
8n's I've been looking at and "cheaper". It feels like a tractor that I won't grow out of in a year or destroy, compared to a smaller utility. Not enough cash for a 4wd anything and the pickin's are kinda slim here.

I am brand new to the forum and this is my first tractor. It will be difficult to stop this train, but I will listen to all advice. Hopefully I will have some to give soon too.
thanks in advance

"pickin's are kinda slim here"

Where is "here"?
Please put some idea of where you live in your profile, so that we can help you better.

 

[ripple]

Thanks yall,
I'm just south of Leadville, CO . I'll be moving snow in the winter and rocks/gravel in the summer. Road grading/maintenance.

It's supposed to be delivered on Friday, weather permitting. I've been shopping the parts and studying the mechanics.

And yes I can see only having it a year now that I saw a picture of a 4wd mf 188.

 

[ripple]

Rnewman, your advice was spot on and I perhaps should have passed on this machine. Too late as I am now learning about pump and aux pump replacement and multi power etc. seems like it’s worth wrenching on a bit. I will have some q’s coming as I learn more.