Author Topic: My Old VS. New Ford 861 (Read 49005 times)

iddee · « **Reply #20 on:** December 24, 2013, 09:44:22 pm »

I made money for 55 years. It's time to spend it now.

Just pleasure, Perry. With 9 tractors last spring, I raised 4 tomato plants.

Finally Home · « **Reply #21 on:** December 24, 2013, 09:46:06 pm »

MinnieMoe
Friend of mine in Nebraska is a Moline collector. Most of his are still in work clothes. He's re-done a few for parade duty. The rest get used on the farm. Almost bought an M5 from him but other things got in the way.

Perry · « **Reply #22 on:** December 24, 2013, 09:46:25 pm »

Quote from: iddee on December 24, 2013, 09:44:22 pm

I made money for 55 years. It's time to spend it now.

Just pleasure, Perry. With 9 tractors last spring, I raised 4 tomato plants.

I bet they tasted good though.

Finally Home · « **Reply #23 on:** December 24, 2013, 09:53:31 pm »

They're not only good for tomato plants, but hunting too

Perry · « **Reply #24 on:** December 25, 2013, 04:25:40 pm »

OK, so I gotta ask the obvious question.
What constitutes a good deal on one of these? Do you have to get them for next to nothing to not lose money? Is it simply a matter of a lot of sweat and tears, or do you have to dump in a lot of money?
There are plenty of oldies around here, in fact there are a few old Cockshutts available. They apparently were bought out by the same folks that bought out Moline (White).
Is it a matter of being complete with decent sheet metal? (I imagine parts would be hard to find). What's the secret. I could see doing it, especially if I had space on the 2acres we picked up, as long as it wasn't a financial drain type of thing.
Is there something to avoid? Accessories? Drawbacks?
http://novascotia.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-heavy-equipment-farming-equipment-8N-Ford-Tractor-W0QQAdIdZ549860282
http://novascotia.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-other-1951-Ford-8-N-tractor-W0QQAdIdZ508361667
How about this?
http://novascotia.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-heavy-equipment-farming-equipment-REDUCED-John-Deere-420-Antique-Tractor-1952-W0QQAdIdZ539334518

iddee · « **Reply #25 on:** December 25, 2013, 04:41:48 pm »

Perry, the front loader 8n is a reasonable retail price if everything works. It is not over priced, nor is it s steal. Any part on it is readily available, and help is readily available.

http://www.ntractorclub.com/forums/ads/index.html

The John Deere is actually a better tractor, but you would think you were buying a new tractor every time you priced a part. It is also much harder to work on than an 8n.

Perry · « **Reply #26 on:** December 25, 2013, 04:55:18 pm »

So then my next question would be, is old and rare better than new(er) and available parts? Is PTO a must?

iddee · « **Reply #27 on:** December 25, 2013, 05:10:57 pm »

PTO is a must. Live PTO is desirable. 3 point hitch is a must. Old for fun and work. New for work only. Old Fords have all parts available aftermarket, meaning cheap. All work only machines mean expensive.

Finally Home · « **Reply #28 on:** December 25, 2013, 08:23:31 pm »

Only drawback on the 8N with the loader is NO power steering. They are a beast to steer. Actually any tractor with a loader and no P/S is not much fun. Using brakes to help steer is a plus but still a pain. Haven't found anything I've needed that hasn't been available one place or another. Most pretty local. We have a Ford tractor dealer less than an hour away. Though most parts I get at Tractor Supply. If I needed just a tractor to use on the property I wouldn't have a problem buying one all done. (That Jubilee you posted would go for around $3500 here)
I just like working on them. Stress reliever for me. Most I've gotten for well under a grand. Most all have been running, just ugly. My 861 I got for $300 running and have a total of $1700 invested. Could sell to the right buyer for close to $5000 but I like this one too much to sell.
Honestly I would look for something after the 8N series for working. The 8N needs the PTO on to use the hydraulics. The jubilee (1953) and newer have live hyd's. If you want to bush hog you would need an over running clutch ($75) unless you find something with a live PTO.
Like Iddee says, JD tractors will eat you up in parts cost. I won't buy them.
3 Pt. I couldn't do with out. Way too many toys available for them. I even build some of my own.

Perry · « **Reply #29 on:** December 25, 2013, 09:04:41 pm »

Some great tips. I think I may just start keeping my eye open for a decent deal. There are some pieces on the property we just bought that should be hogged, plus a blade to keep the drive opened up in winter would be alright. There are a lot of fords around here with back blades.
I'll be sure to run any thing potential by you guys so I don't make any costly mistakes.

Perry · « **Reply #30 on:** December 25, 2013, 09:23:11 pm »

This is what happens when I get something in my head. :

http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-heavy-equipment-farming-equipment-1953-jubilee-loader-tractor-W0QQAdIdZ551377319

iddee · « **Reply #31 on:** December 25, 2013, 09:42:52 pm »

With no 3 point, it would be a loader only. No plows, blades, or anything else could be used behind it.

Riverrat · « **Reply #32 on:** December 25, 2013, 10:19:14 pm »

one of the first tractors I ever sat on as a kid was an old ford/Ferguson. That belonged to my great granddad. He passed away in 74. Been trying to track it down. The original farmstead is still in the family but ground has been sold off. I did some checking around last week trying to get in contact with a great uncle who lives on the farm only to find he had passed away last April. I would like to have it but now that he is gone I have doubts to weather I could locate the tractor if he sold it. as his wife probably wouldn't
have a clue.

Finally Home · « **Reply #33 on:** December 26, 2013, 08:42:45 am »

As far as snow removal goes, here's what I've done. A friend had a plow on a dead blazer. Plow was free. Paint left over from painting the tractor. Scrap metal out of my pile. About $30 in hardware from Tractor supply. Hose's run about $60. Less than $100 and a lil work got me this set up. Custom fit to this tractor.
Cables go back to brackets hooked to the 3 pt. When the 3 pt. is lifted it pulls the cables and raises the plow. My tractor has a set of hydraulic remotes so I have hoses run down under to the front for left/right angle. Works pretty nice.

G3farms · « **Reply #34 on:** December 26, 2013, 10:28:35 am »

Pretty clever idea running that off of the sway bar brackets...........I like it!!

Finally Home · « **Reply #35 on:** December 26, 2013, 11:35:25 am »

Saw pictures of many different set ups and pretty much picked a little out of each, then seen what scrap I had and went from there.

Perry · « **Reply #36 on:** December 26, 2013, 05:19:16 pm »

Is this your place Iddee? LOLOL

http://saskatchewan.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-heavy-equipment-farming-equipment-8N-Ford-tractors-Fully-restored-between-4500-6500-W0QQAdIdZ381713651

iddee · « **Reply #37 on:** December 26, 2013, 06:00:15 pm »

That's in the tundra, so no, not mine.

Besides, I'm a redneck, and my tractors show it. They don't look nothin' like that.

Riverrat · « **Reply #38 on:** December 27, 2013, 09:47:53 pm »

Talking about restoring old ford tractors we have a local guy that restores old tractors to sell that is less than reputable. No one local will buy his tractors. I got word the other day he had sold an old ford he had slapped a coat of paint on and supposedly went through. The tractor was sold out of state. When the guy got it the tractor had a bad miss and vibration to it. He started digging into the tractor and found the engine had been stuck. The guy had removed the rod cap and had sawed the piston rod off put it back together and sold it. There is a pending lawsuit not sure how that will turn out. It takes all kinds

G3farms · « **Reply #39 on:** December 28, 2013, 04:26:47 am »

He was just making it more fuel efficient!!

Never ceases to amaze me to what lengths some folks will go to screw somebody over.