Vintage *play* tractor advice

[aaronrkelly]

I love old things.....on a nice day taking my 1971 Chevy to town makes my day. Ive driven it on 5K mile trips and had a blast.

I love tractors

Maybe Id love an old tractor.

Currently I have all new stuff, tractors, excavator, skid loaders etc.

I *THINK* I want an older tractor to play around with, tractor rides, hay rides etc.

My list of importance (and I admit I know NOTHING about older tractors so I may be way off on some of these)

small (I have a 40x60 building but its full of work equipment, I dont want anything to set outside so it need to be a small older tractor)
common (dont want to be scrounging parts till the ends of the earth)
electric start (dont want anything old enough that doesnt have electric start)

I *THINK* I want a diesel motor.....as all my other stuff is diesel but its not a big deal either way. Tell me more.

Kinda been looking at a Farmall Cub Lo Boy but maybe Im off base.

HELP?

 

[Roadworthy]

The Farmall Cub is indeed a cute little tractor. If you go a bit larger you can look at the Ferguson TE-20 or TO-20. The Ford 8N is highly regarded and parts are plentiful. You just need to shop to see what's available in your area and at what price.

 

[KennyG]

It is unlikely you will find a diesel in a small older tractor. They just didn't build many of those. The Cub is nice as is the Allis Chalmers B or C. They are similar and often available at low cost.

They aren't very powerful or heavy, so you have to be careful what you try to do with them. The Fergusons and Fords are more capable and have 3 point hitches. I grew up in a row crop farming area, so those tractors were considered kind of toys because they wouldn't do the field work most people expected and we thought "real" tractors had 30 to 40 HP. How times have changed.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Friends don't want to spend much on "tractors". So they get the cheapest old thing out there. I look at it and see everything is sloppy, worn out, clapped out and years beyond it's prime.

Funny, because I'm not in favour of your 0% consumer tractor offerings either, but it's certainly the better choice. Sure, the 1972 CASE was a higher quality tractor "THEN". Now now.

 

[LouNY]

I would recommend a 460 or 560 IH/Farmall.
They aren't real big frame wise but do have decent power and can be built up as stong as you desire and have the pocket book for.
Very available and lots of parts available.
They can be found in a diesel model.

 

[aaronrkelly]

It is unlikely you will find a diesel in a small older tractor. They just didn't build many of those. The Cub is nice as is the Allis Chalmers B or C. They are similar and often available at low cost.

They aren't very powerful or heavy, so you have to be careful what you try to do with them. The Fergusons and Fords are more capable and have 3 point hitches. I grew up in a row crop farming area, so those tractors were considered kind of toys because they wouldn't do the field work most people expected and we thought "real" tractors had 30 to 40 HP. How times have changed.

That B is also calling to me.....thanks for the direction, gives me one more tractor to look for.

 

[ProjectKing]

Look at a twin cylinder John Deere like a A, D, BR, AR, or newer like a 530 or 630.

 

[RickB]

When you have found what you are looking for you will know it. Have fun.

 

[Tinhack]

Look at a twin cylinder John Deere like a A, D, BR, AR, or newer like a 530 or 630.

I have a 1956 JD 420-C. The "C" is for Crawler. It's a tracked version of the 420 series. Often called the Johnny Popper, the two cylinder gas engine produces HUGE torque but sadly only about 24-25hp. But, it will push a full blade of dirt! And mine has street cleats--Smooth track pads so as not to tear up roads (or lawns). I keep a big grin on my face every time I climb on that machine. It's set up as a pipe layer but the boom and cables are easily removed if needed. I use it to tend my dirt driveway and clear cactus. Try that with rubber tires.

 

[LouNY]

One of the OP ideas was hay rides,
there is a post in the good morning section about someone giving a hay ride with too small of a tractor.
What ever you get make sure it has enough weight and brakes for what ever you may attempt.
Several of the mentioned examples are too light.