Free Ford 1210

[Hexa Fox]

Hey guys for years my neighbor has been interested in getting rid of his Ford tractor. So I do not think it has ran in the better part of a decade. He recently told me that it was free to me if I wanted to have it. I have posted elsewhere and got a lot of mixed feedback. I have never owned a tractor before but have been in the market for one for a long time. I do not think he really has any attachments left for it. Anyway I would love to get some feedback. The neighbor used it when it was running and I believe he told me that it leaking fuel on one of the cylinders or something.

Anyway I think it would be really cool to have if I could find FEL for it. So far I have learned that it may be tough to locate one. I heard that the company that made this Ford was also making New Holland at the time so an equivalent New Holland FEL would work. I have already checked with a couple companies that make after market FEL's but unfortunately they do not make one compatible with this tractor. Anyway I do not even know where to begin looking for an attachment like this because I need a specific one. I have worked on plenty of engines over my life but never had to work on a diesel engine before. Anyway I would love to hear feedback on what you guys think I should do. Even though I heard these engines are reliable I do not know how much money I want to invest into attachments or work though. I will also attack a picture of the tractor as well.

 

[K5lwq]

Not a great candidate for loader work but they were good little tractors that could do a lot of work. It could be a fun project to get it running again but depends on what you want to do with it.

 

[hornett22]

You'll most likely find a unicorn before you find a loader. I'd tinker with it and get it running since it's free but honestly, if you need a loader, I'd buy something newer that already has a loader.

 

[WM75Guy]

Look at it as a fun hobby project or a learning opportunity to work on a diesel, not one you are going to make money on. They are good little tractors, 16 HP Engine/13.5 HP PTO. That model was made from 01/83 to 12/86 according to the Messick's online parts lookup. There are some OEM parts still available but an OEM 768A or 768B FEL would be unlikely except from a tractor salvage yard. Westendorf makes one for that model. If it were me, I would not put an FEL on it.

TA-55 Westendorf Loader | Tractor Attachments | Westendorf

Browse the TA-55 Westendorf Loader and other Front-End Loaders in the Compact Series (10-90 HP) at Westendorf.

www.loaders.com

​

 

[Hexa Fox]

Thanks for the responses guys! So if I get it running and tinker with it a little would it be fair to sell it to someone else to put it towards something newer?

Also could you guys tell me where I could look for tractors parts like a FEL for it? I read what you guys seem to agree on it so probably will not look to hard or spend a lot of money. Just out of curiosity. Do you just Google tractor junkyards and hope to have one local?

 

[WM75Guy]

If it was running, you could sell it and get your down payment on a new one. Otherwise it would just be for a parts tractor and it wouldn't go for much. If selling it is your plan I would forget about an FEL. For what you would have to spend to put an FEL on it, you would not recoup the money. Here are some examples of ASKING prices, not selling prices.

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings?keywords=ford%201210

 

[K5lwq]

You likely will put more into it than what you can sell it for even without a loader. Just looking at it I can not be certain but, it looks like a 2WD. They had a belly mower for them and I would see if he has one.

If your plan is to sell it, I would make sure your neighbor understands that is your plan before you take it. It definitely is not worth creating a issue with your neighbor.

 

[sandman2234]

You likely will put more into it than what you can sell it for even without a loader. Just looking at it I can not be certain but, it looks like a 2WD. They had a belly mower for them and I would see if he has one.

If your plan is to sell it, I would make sure your neighbor understands that is your plan before you take it. It definitely is not worth creating a issue with your neighbor.

I was thinking it was 4wd due to the six lug nuts on the front wheels, as I thought the front wheels on the two wheel drives had 5 lugs, and usually only ran the 3 rib tires, but I can see really big holes in most of my reasoning for this thought process.
Hexa Fox,
As far as the value, I would probably be interested in it AS IT IS, because it is a great parts tractor for the 1100 4wd that I have. It was my first tractor and I would bush hog lots with it, filled a pond and whatever else I wanted to do, because it beat the heck out of using a shovel or a weedeater!
I don't know what you are considering as far as parts for it, but ANY parts I have ever purchased for it, when they were available, have been in my eyes extremely EXPENSIVE! ($500 for a replacement muffler sound expensive to you, and that was in 2004 when they were available!) That is why I would consider driving 1600 miles (round trip) to pick it up and pay you for it, if we could get together on a price.
I knew they had FEL available for them, but the capacity of that loader would not be very much, due to short wheelbase and extremely limited weight capacity. Plus they hydraulics don't put out enough volume to run a loader fast enough to make it feasible.
I know enough about that little tractor to get it running again and use it on mowing the two houses I currently have to mow, which is about 5 acres total.
If you decide that you do want to keep it, instead of selling it (hopefully to me!) then feel free to send me a private message with your phone number and we can discuss any issues you have with it. I may have a manual for the 1100, which is very similar to the 1210 in a lot of ways.
I had a lot of various implements for the little tractor, but when I bought my JD2555, I mistakenly tried to use the same implements on it that I used on the little Ford. The JD2555 destroyed them due to the huge difference in horsepower. I still have a 4 foot bush hog, two 5 foot finish mowers, and a rear blade that didn't get destroyed that can be used with the little Fords.
David from jax

 

[Gem99ultra]

This little 1210 is similar to my old Mitsubishi tractor. Great to own if you have none, but don't expect to get much productivity out of it. Any load, either lifting or pulling, and you'll immediately exceed it's capability.
I bought mine cheap and sold it even cheaper. My suggestion is to save your effort and money for something a little bigger and useful.

 

[Yander]

I had a Ford 1210 years ago and it had a belly mower and a snow blower. I also had a dirt scoop I used with it. They are nice running little tractors. Shibaura engines and new holland still puts the Shibaura in some of their tractors. I have a Shibaura in my little Case DX24e and also in my MILs MF 1750m.

I was told that parts can be difficult to find for the older Fords. I didn't have it long enough to find out. It mowed fine. The resale on it will not be very good but if you buy a few rear implements for it it could be a useful piece of equipment. Dirt scoop is a poor mans loader.