This old beast is currently in-op because its owner let carbon build up and make a mess of things. It is an 8 hp Kohler electric start and has the swift-a-matic 8 spd. trans/diff. I bought an old model L Gravely to help tame a piece of country hillside with the included 30" rotary mower. It wasn't long before the L trans was to come apart internally and end its life with a preventable defect according to the local dealer. I had been busy watching the classifieds and had added a small snow blower, a rotary plow, and a sickle bar to the 4' blade and sulky that had been part of the original purchase. The old L got traded on a new 5260 in 1991. I've upgraded the snow blower, added a 40"deck, and a cultivator. The 5260 performed as expected for most of its life to date and more thorough routine maintenance would probably not have it on the in-op list. Some new gaskets and basic tune-up parts and my not very expensive shop time should have it ready for the next 25 years.
Pros: Bulletproof. Cons: Wish I'd gotten a bigger engine.