What Fits Me?

[357cyrus]

Hello all, first time poster here. I'm having trouble figuring out what tractor would fit my small farm, don't really know whats out there for the most part. About 5 years ago, I bought my home on 30 flat acres. A pond, 2 acres to mow, about 12 wooded, and 12 tillable. I originally had no interest in farming, bought it mainly for hunting and fishing. It was my first home so I didn't have a mower, and a buddy suggested buying a farmall cub as a cheap way two get a 60" mower. Sounded good so I bought one. With it came a single bottom plow and a snowplow/grader blade. Didn't do anything with it for the first few years but mow and haul firewood, and all was well. Then I got interested in figuring out how to attach the snowplow, and the more I read about the cub the more I wanted to play with it. This summer I wanted to try putting in a food plot with the single bottom plow, and then bought and refurbished a disc harrow to go with it. I had fun working on my cub running them both. So now I'd like to buy a second larger tractor that I'd use to work the rest of my land. Till, Plant/harvest grain, bale hay, brush hog, and skid logs. As I've been reading about different tractors, I just discover more and more so my head is spinning. I think I like the looks and nostalgia of the 50's era tractors of different makes I've come across. What models would you recommend for me?

 

[jenkinsph]

If you wan't a larger tractor to go with the cub maybe look at an old Super M. If you wan't a more modern tractor with 3ph, fel and 4x4 then I would buy new in most cases. Nothing carved in stone, lots of good old tractors to be had. I can tell you this much, while I like the old tractors and have had several of them over the years the new tractors are a lot easier to work with. In open areas you can buy a new gear tractor about 40 to 65 hp without spending too much and almost all brands today are pretty good.

 

[case245]

if you go new look at the utiltiy size tractor I wouldn't go smaller been then done that a few grand wasted

 

[OldMcDonald]

I currently work about 15 acres, but have had over a couple of thousand at one time and only two on another. I presently have an NH 45hp. Not trying to influence a decison on makes - just that is what I have. It is adequate, but I certainly would not go smaller. I wanted 50hp but was restricted to 45 to claim a 50% grant. I bought it new and it is the first new tractor I have ever owned. Jenkinsph is possibly understating the convenience of modern tractors. I too liked some of my older tractors, but the ease of using the new ones means I would never go back to an old one for general cultivation work.

 

[nybirdman]

Four wheel drive ,ROPS,power steering ,live PTO and HST ,all reasons to go with a newer tractor.I spent lots of hours on 8N and 9N''s,no comparison.

 

[357cyrus]

Well, definitely wont be buying anything even remotely new. This is first and foremost a toy, but would like it to be useful for the jobs I mentioned above. What did they do those jobs with back in the 40's and 50's? That's how I want to play around on my acreage, so not really worried about being super convenient. I started looking at things like Farmall A, C, H, and M's. Then when reading about them I came across tractors like Allis Chalmers WD45, Ford 8n's and 600's and on and on. Just don't really know squat about tractors, or whats out there capable of doing the jobs I mentioned. Looking to spend about 3k tops on a tractor alone. Then pick up implements as I go. Seems like there are plenty of old Farmall's around my area on craigslist in that price range. Kinda thinking I want a Farmall Super H with a 3-point conversion to run a brush hog.

 

[murphy1244]

Get 2 Oxen.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Get one with a two stage clutch and live pto. The 800 series Fords had that and were good to bush hog with or later model 2000/3000 series might fit in your budget. We used a 861 Ford along with a WD 45 back in the 50s. The WD had to use the hand clutch to keep the bush hog from running you thru a fence or tree. If you used the foot clutch it would shove you forward till the blades stopped turning. Brakes were bad on all the older AC tractors also.

 

[murphy1244]

Try a Massey 135, comes with 2 stage clutch and live PTO most have Power Steering too.

 

[dave1949]

Since your interest is in antique tractors, here is a local group that may interest you:
About ACYYMC

There could be similar clubs in the Wooster/Mansfield/Bucyrus areas.

If you find the "right" 1950's tractor, it will probably need some restoration and repair to be fully usable, unless you buy someone's parade tractor.

I know the antique tractor club near me is always welcome to new members. They raffle off an old tractor that needs restoration every year at their show.