Demand For Old Tractors

[Nesikep]

You have done a stella job on that Ariens. I am resisting the urge to start collecting chainsaws, i have four but they were given to me. I have a 1960s mculloch that my dad bought new. He gave it to a friend for parts for his but he never used it, couple of years ago asked me if i wanted it. Glad to have it back. Now just got to get the time to fix them all. On the orchard we have a husqvarna 395xp, that thing has more power than it knows what to do with.

I'd like to get a 390 and a 395.. I have a couple 394's (one is ported, that thing is a BEAST).. 372 XPG/XT, a few 288's, a bunch of 2100/2101's, a pile of L65's, Stihl 044 (I'm not a stihl guy but that's one of my go-to saws), Big bore 064.. a biatch to start with 210PSI compression and 98cc, but I prefer the 394's generally.. The lowly Pioneer 1073 is my favorite small saw, 50cc in a very compact package, a bit of port work would make it a bit snappier though... I've done various amounts of port work to the L65's.. in stock form they're pretty boring and slow, but with enough modification they do pretty well... at the back of the pack there's what seems to be a Husky 61, it's got a big bore kit, lots of port work, a stroker crank, and a tuned pipe, it cuts like your 395!

I never liked the 2 lunger deers.. they just weren't a modern enough platform to be useful these days

 

[Atimm693]

You have done a stella job on that Ariens. I am resisting the urge to start collecting chainsaws, i have four but they were given to me. I have a 1960s mculloch that my dad bought new. He gave it to a friend for parts for his but he never used it, couple of years ago asked me if i wanted it. Glad to have it back. Now just got to get the time to fix them all. On the orchard we have a husqvarna 395xp, that thing has more power than it knows what to do with.

I'd like to get a 390 and a 395.. I have a couple 394's (one is ported, that thing is a BEAST).. 372 XPG/XT, a few 288's, a bunch of 2100/2101's, a pile of L65's, Stihl 044 (I'm not a stihl guy but that's one of my go-to saws), Big bore 064.. a biatch to start with 210PSI compression and 98cc, but I prefer the 394's generally.. The lowly Pioneer 1073 is my favorite small saw, 50cc in a very compact package, a bit of port work would make it a bit snappier though... I've done various amounts of port work to the L65's.. in stock form they're pretty boring and slow, but with enough modification they do pretty well... at the back of the pack there's what seems to be a Husky 61, it's got a big bore kit, lots of port work, a stroker crank, and a tuned pipe, it cuts like your 395!

I never liked the 2 lunger deers.. they just weren't a modern enough platform to be useful these days

Where'd you get the stroker crank for the 61? I have a 266 that I got for free. Piston was smoked so I got a 272 top end for it. Runs but still has an air leak that I haven't tracked down yet.

Agreed on the Johnny Poppers. They're a fun novelty but I wouldn't want to spend a day on one. Dad still has his 730D that he bought in the 80s. Easy to work on though, pretty much no reason to split it, most wear items are accessible from outside.

 

[Nesikep]

Where'd you get the stroker crank for the 61? I have a 266 that I got for free. Piston was smoked so I got a 272 top end for it. Runs but still has an air leak that I haven't tracked down yet.

Agreed on the Johnny Poppers. They're a fun novelty but I wouldn't want to spend a day on one. Dad still has his 730D that he bought in the 80s. Easy to work on though, pretty much no reason to split it, most wear items are accessible from outside.

I made it out of an old L65 crank (2mm more stroke).. it took a heck of a lot of machine work.. had to be ground to fit the casing, and then had to move the flywheel taper inward, that was really hard to get right!
https://youtu.be/dfKpQbq5hyo


With the air leak, I'd check the crank bearings first

 

[hurleyjd]

My operation does not demand any big horsepower tractors. I have several of the old blue Fords that serve me well. After market parts are available for these old Fords. Two 4610's one with a loader. A 4100 that is used often. A 4630 with loader it and the 4610 are used pretty regular. All have a beautiful patina from setting out all of their life. :lol:

 

[Nesikep]

Our newest tractor, Massey 255 (1983?), 3500 hrs, runs like a top, we're into it for about $5K USD and we'll never lose money on it, it gets about 150 hours a year, so it'll always be one of the lowest hour machines.. Have a 165 we bought with 1800 hours, 20 years later its also around 3500, though the hour meter went goofy and it spins the 1000's around whenever it feels like it.. one day it'll have 9500 hours, then the next it'll have 1500..

 

[jltrent]

My operation does not demand any big horsepower tractors. I have several of the old blue Fords that serve me well. After market parts are available for these old Fords. Two 4610's one with a loader. A 4100 that is used often. A 4630 with loader it and the 4610 are used pretty regular. All have a beautiful patina from setting out all of their life. :lol:

Those old Fords are nice.....

 

[Redgully]

My operation does not demand any big horsepower tractors. I have several of the old blue Fords that serve me well. After market parts are available for these old Fords. Two 4610's one with a loader. A 4100 that is used often. A 4630 with loader it and the 4610 are used pretty regular. All have a beautiful patina from setting out all of their life. :lol:

We have a 3610 with FEL. Great tractor, not perfect but very useable. We use it every day and i love the engine, pumps out the hp with very little diesel usage. Very similar to our fiat 540, i think it may be made by the same company. I love massey ferguson tractors but we had an old 65 and as you were mowing you could watch the fuel gauge drop as you went. The ford/fiat has a short stroke and the power is instant. As such we didnt think the engines would last long but 40 years later still going like new, must have 20,000 hours on the fiat all at 540pto rpm. The massey 65 took ages to build up to 540pto with the mower but then would sit there all day at low engine rpm, beautiful motor, very therapeutic.

 

[Nesikep]

the 165 and 255 are both good on fuel, but the 165 engine is poorly balanced, it shakes the tractor tinwork to bits. the 255 is very smooth in comparison

 

[greggy]

Our newest tractor, Massey 255 (1983?), 3500 hrs, runs like a top, we're into it for about $5K USD and we'll never lose money on it, it gets about 150 hours a year, so it'll always be one of the lowest hour machines.. Have a 165 we bought with 1800 hours, 20 years later its also around 3500, though the hour meter went goofy and it spins the 1000's around whenever it feels like it.. one day it'll have 9500 hours, then the next it'll have 1500..

Next time it hits 500 hrs sell it for a motza... :banana:

 

[Lucky_P]

Have a 1961 JD 2010 that I've had for 25 yrs... and have spent way more on it over the years than it was worth, keeping it running. Replaced the fuel pump this summer... think the clutch is going out now... don't know that I'll sink any more $$ into it.
Bought a 1984 Case 1294 with FEL 10 years or so ago... POS; worst machinery purchase I ever made.

4WD Kubota M9000 w/ FEL is the daily workhorse here now. Does it all - feeding, discing, laying plastic mulch/driptape, planting.