Lucky owner of 2 old Gravelys!

oakiemac · Jun 23, 2002

This spring I bought an old 1967 Gravely with the 30" brush deck at auction. I later found out that my uncle has my grandfathers old gravely with rotary plow, tiller, buzz saw, 30" brush deck, 50" finish deck and steering sulky. I called him up and guess what? That's right, I'm now the proud owner of not one gravely, but two. My wife has yet to share in my enthusiasm, but she will come around.
By the way if anyone lives around south west Michigan and is interested, I might sell the 1967 model L with 30" deck.

Steve

ronjhall · Jun 23, 2002

Steve
Sounds like you came across one of those great buys. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
The <font color=orange>Kubota</font color=orange> Dealer that I deal with was a Gravely dealer. They don’t sell them any more. But do sell parts. If you ever need any parts give them a call. Foote Tractor, 248-348-3444.

smthng2do · Jun 24, 2002

Funny, we are "Still" a Kubota dealer and a Gravely Dealer. Fallbrook CA. Fallbrook Tractor & Equipment Co. 760-728-2258 for all your parts needs. Tons of used Gravely stuff, but will be emptying the shelves soon. We are under a new landlord, and he wants us to "Shrink" our head cover. So, lots of this stuff is goin' to the local scrap yard. Get it while the getting is good!

Solo · Jun 29, 2002

Steve
For some reason my wife is the same way. I still don't think you can beat these machines, no matter what the job.

Solo

cstocks · Jun 29, 2002

Your post brings back memories to me. My dad owned a Gravely for many of the years I was growing up in the late 60's, early 70's. My dad used the rotary plow to make his garden plot... caused me to spend many hours of my childhood in the garden pickin' peas and hoein' between the rows. We had about an acre sized front yard and my brother and I kept it mowed with the Gravely. I guess we had the 30" brush deck. Whatever it was, it did a great of keeping the yard trimmed. We would slap it in high range, high gear and take off amowin' full throttle. It would move so fast that we had to practically jog to keep up with it. It was one tough mower. When my dad wasn't looking I liked to ease it up next to the telephone pole in the front yard, put it in low range, low gear and watch the tractor tires dig into the dirt all the way to the axle as it "pushed" against the pole. I don't know if it was offered with an electric start but ours had the strap that you wrapped around a pulley and "yank" started it. When we were smaller my brother and I did not have the strength to pull the strap. As we got older we finally got enough muscle to yank and crank it. We thought we were really something when we got big enough to start it.

Yes, the ol' Gravely sure was a big part of my childhood.

Chris

rmorgan · Jun 30, 2002

Chris--I would have thought you grew up in our house, and wondered how I'd missed seeing you all those years, except that we had the 42" (rectangular) deck instead of the 30" (round). Strap starter, rotary plow (I still have it), peas, running behind in high range/high gear--the works. Well, ok--no telephone pole. Thanks for the reminiscence!!

oakiemac · Jul 3, 2002

My memories of Gravelys are from childhood when I would play in the cemortaries while grandpa mowed around the tombstones. He always said nothing beats a Gravely. I also remember when he bought the steering sulky, I was too young to actually use it but I would seat on the seat and turn the wheel for hours. As I mentioned earlier, I'm now getting grandpa's old setup. I'm pretty happy about this just for sentimental reasons, but I'm sure the machinery will still work.

Steve

jwstewar · Sep 30, 2002

I can't seem to find it now, but wasn't a picture posted of a couple of these sitting side by side? I want to compare them to the one my Dad just bought (to use on my property) for $100. I know nothing about it yet, but I've seen it. It does run, but needs some TLC. Right now it is a bit low the muffler rusted off in the engine and will need replace and it also needs throttle and choke cables. Might also replace the starter chain as it seems real sloppy. Other than it just needs some new tires and some paint. Dad already has the tires for it. He will probably go back and get the dozer blade, snow blower, and tiller all for $100. He already got the little seat so that you can right behind it like a horse jockey/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif. Should be interesting to use. Will hopefully elminate the need for me to buy a bushhog when I hopefully get to buy my tractor.

ronjhall · Sep 30, 2002

Jwstewar
The only picture I found of a Gravely was
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/16-159142-BrushBlade.jpg> this one
</A>.
I remember another one but couldn’t find it. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

jwstewar · Oct 1, 2002

That wasn't the one I was thinking of but I appreciate it none the less. I hadn't seen that one. Man that is a wicked looking beast. Wouldn't want to meet that thing in a dark alley - err, overgrown field.