What's your favorite small, vintage, practial tractor? (What to avoid too)

[Bfitzgerald3]

If this were for me, I'd do the research and wouldn't ask everyone to help.

Friends are trying to develop a scalable model for small scale sustainable/organic farming...small plots of grain, veggies, etc. this year, they've been busting their humps (no mechanization aside frm a rototiller) trying to prep land (til, remove quack grass, plant) and start planting. Last week, they put in a few acres of rye, i believe by hand.

They now believe in the goodness of tractors!

So... I'm hoping for some guidance of some sort on what tractor would be appropriate for them. Advice to either find or run away from models is sought.

1) suitable for maybe 5-10 acres max
2) can be old, but parts must be reasonably available for fixes
3) buyers are reasonably handy and can repair if necessary
4) easly trailerable
5) budget, $1-5000, but less is deepy desirable for them to make the model more accessable to others.

This is something the ae passionate about...really passionate. Please help!

Thanks!

p.s. They are in northern lower michigan...if you have an angle on something, please feel free to pm me.

 

[GManBart]

Do they want/need an FEL?

 

[TomSeller]

I am partial to the Massey 35, or 135, or 245 tractors. Something with a Perkins AD3.152 or A3.152 engine with decent hours. These are 2wd but are built out of granite and are quite trouble free. Besides that, Kubota never has made a bad small tractor. Of course Deere when you go above ~80 to 100 HP, but I don't think that is what they need.

 

[XSKIER]

Maybe a FARMALL A with culti-vision?

 

[Bfitzgerald3]

Do they want/need an FEL?

They haven't said...my guess is that if I suggested it, they'd say no to save a buck... My opinion...if they'll be hauling anything around...dirt, crates of produce, fertilizer, you name it...they need a fel.

 

[Ross71]

Can't advise, I'm afraid. I tend towards new kit that has a warranty. I am interested in this project that your freinds are on. Anyway to find out more information, is there a blog or website?

Ross

 

[wolftree]

As XSKIER suggested a Farmall "A", "B", "C" or even a "H" if they forget a FEL. But, they must find the moldboard plow that goes with it and hopefully a small pull type(drag) disk. They can either get a small trailer or build a removeable platform that mounts to the drawbar.

I would look for one with PTO. It is not live pto, but better than nothing.

 

[aczlan]

I would say a Kubota B7500, but that will run $5-8k depending on what attatchments...
How much room to they have to maneuver around the fields? For bigger areas, something like a Ford 600 or 800 series might be worthwhile and should be within their budget.

I would recommend looking for something with a live PTO and hydraulics as they will appreciate it down the road.

Aaron Z

 

[flusher]

My 1964 MF135 diesel cost me $3600 in 2006 (45 hp engine, 37 hp pto, 2-stage (live) clutch, 3pt hitch). The 1951 Farmall Super A cost $1300 in 2009 (19 hp gas engine, 16 hp pto, single stage clutch, 3pt hitch) and it came with a mid-mount 6-ft wide sicklebar mower. Neither tractor has a front end loader (FEL) which can cost upwards of $5K depending on size.

The 2-stage clutch is a more modern design that makes using a pto-driven mower a lot easier. With the single stage clutch, you need to use an overrunning clutch (ORC, $80 or so) in the pto drive line to prevent damage to the transmission.

These old gas engine tractors are easy to work on--diesels are a bit more difficult especially if there's a problem with the high pressure fuel injection pump (which would have to be rebuilt by a specialty shop).

Either of these old tractors would handle your jobs and not break your budget. Parts are readily available and not excessively expensive (unless you need major engine or transmission work).

Other options: Ford 8N, Ford 1000 series, Farmall 140.

Good luck.

 

[Bfitzgerald3]

Oiveh!! Turns out there's a mew requirement...they need to be able to tow this to and from the farm...1500lb limit, they say. I think the options just got REALLY limited!

On a separate but related note...I found this today...
Ed Hanenburg Collector Tractor & Toy Auction - MiedemaAuctioneering.com
Small tractor auction in coopersville mich, 9/20/13

For the record, i'm not associated with any part of the auction.