Farmall A - To Buy or Not to Buy?

SadFarmall · Jun 2, 2012

I have been offered a Farmall A tractor in running order for $2000. Not sure if this is a good price in the U.S., but it seems to be good for this part of the world. I have been told, that for its size, the Farmall A is quite a powerful tractor. I would like to use it to pull diamond (peg) harrows, and a roller/pulverizer when we put in oats this year. In the Summer I thought it might be good for the hay rake, and maybe even an old IHC mower. Would it have sufficient power to pull a Reaper & Binder? My brother grows raspberries and we thought it might be a good small tractor to drive between the rows of canes. Any thoughts on this? It is set up to run on kerosene.
I should add that the most I have ever had to do with a Farmall A was twenty years ago, when I saw one at a steam and tractor rally. Never even sat on the seat of one, much less driven an A.
Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.
SadFarmall

Uncle Ernie · Jun 2, 2012

What part of the world are you in?
That seems kinda high to me esp. if you want a tractor to work with. "A" Farmall was never what I would call a powerful machine. Even the Super A was not reall gutsy.

El Toro · Jun 2, 2012

I would look for a Super C or the Farmall H. Hal

Andrew Z · Jun 2, 2012

2000 seems a bit on the high side for an A. I
bought my A around a decade ago when the market
was high for 1900. The tractor had been restored 3
years prior and the paint was in very good shape,
new tires on the front and rear and new rims on
the rear, new seat, new battery etc etc, ran very
well, and still does. I used it one summer to ted
and rake hay for a friend of mine who;s tractors
were down. The rake was a rotary and the tedder
was 4 turtle. Ran both fine in the 3rd gear though
a moderate 1st cutting. The A is also very easy on
fuel, If i recall i went though about a gallon an
hour for about 6 hrs or about half a tank.

The A is a great sized machine not to big as not
being able to get into places but not too small
that you can not do alot with it.

In latter years I ended up with a Super C, which i
say is one of the better vintage machine for
tedding and raking. Gets you out of the dust and superior ride, and good mix of economy and power.

Andrew

SadFarmall · Jun 2, 2012

Thanks for the fast replies! A lower price would be nice of course. Unfortunately, where I live in Australia, Farmall A tractors are not common, so the prices are relatively high. The prices for Farmall H and M tractors also are higher here than in the U.S. The supply is low. There will be four or five of us putting in crops this year and I thought a small, fuel efficient tractor might be a good thing. A Farmall C would be good, but I have never seen one out here. I might be able to talk the price down a little…
SadFarmall

mkirsch · Jun 2, 2012

Farmall A's have limited usefulness due to the lack of hydraulics and standard means of attaching implements. A implements are nearly-impossible to find in the USA with all the required parts, so you can imagine how hard it'll be in Australia.

Really the only thing the A is good for is pulling things, and only small things at that. After all it's only about a 18HP tractor.

gene bender · Jun 2, 2012

His stated uses do not need a hy system. Theres tons of things a tractor can do well without a hy system. 18hp is plenty for the jobs stated.

old · Jun 2, 2012

Price is a tad high but yep understand the problem of the land down under and price of things. The A/B and C are all nice little tractor that will do a lot for there size. Nice tractor to pull a hay rake or run a sickle mower etc. I have what was part B and part A that I use to mow hay with and it is handy. I call it my BA because from the front end to the transmission it is a B and from the trans back an A

CNKS · Jun 2, 2012

If you don't need hydraulics you may be surprised what it will pull. My dad had the 1st B sold in our home county in 39 or 40-same engine and transmission. It will do more than most people think, as many of them may not have ever used one. Just don't compare it to an H. I don't know about your parts source though.

Heat Houser · Jun 2, 2012

I have pulled a 4 section peg harrow with my B, my father used it to pull a grain binder (bull wheel type, not PTO), and I use it to pull a 10 ft grain drill. I also use a 27V sickle bar mower and an IH side delivery rake on steel.
I also use it to run an 8 inch by 60 ft auger for corn. If really wet, it opens the governor all the way to the peg...

Growing up, we pulled a 3 section harrow which was a better match in plowed ground.

They are handy things and will run all day on 5 gallons of gas. Wouldn't give mine up for a new one....too simple to work on....

Athol Carr · Jun 2, 2012

The IH Geelong factory near Melbourne (Australia) made implements for the Farmall A and Farmall Super A, 1 and 2 furrow ploughs, potato diggers (rotating wheel type) etc. so there should be some implements around. There were quite a few Farmall A and Super A tractors sold in New Zealand, mostly for small farms and market gardens (truck farms). I purchased a Farmall Super A in New Zealand about 10 years ago that cost me $2000 (about US$1500 or about A$1500)

SadFarmall · Jun 2, 2012

Thanks everyone. These decisions are always easier with some good advice! I think I'll probably get it, because in general they seem to sell for rather more than this chap is asking. Thanks to Athol also for the New Zealand / Australia specific information; I'll see what implements can be found around here!
SadFarmall

Leroy · Jun 2, 2012

He already has an H and an M Farmall

Leroy · Jun 2, 2012

Henry, the A would be able to do the work of 4 horses and those items you mentioned were either a team of 2 horses or possibly a 3 horse hitch. Your H would be equal to a 6 horse hitch running on kerosine, if it would have the gas components in the engine it would be like an 8 horse hitch. Your M like a 12 horse hitch. Hope you find that generator pully and that Dad gets to drive them. Take care.

SadFarmall · Jun 3, 2012

Thanks Leroy. All is looking good for Dad to drive. The Farmall H can go without a generator for a while. I can always fit a Delco, but I have all the Lucas equipment here for it, so it would mean a total re-wire. We'll see how we go with the A. If it works out OK, the nephews and nieces can be initiated into Farmall driving beginning with the A and moving on to the H and M.
SadFarmall

Athol Carr · Jun 3, 2012

Geelong made the GL-191 single furrow plough (12, 14 or 16 inch bottom), the GL195 two furrow plough (8 inch, special 9 and 10 inch), the GL-193 Spring tine cultivator, and the GL-194 Potato Digger (Spinner). All of these implements were pulled from the front cultivator mounts, the touch-control raised and lowered the implement and the other arm adjusted depth. The operators and parts manual I have a photocopy of is dated 4 April 1949.

SadFarmall · Jun 4, 2012

Hello folks and thanks again. I did buy it the Farmall A. Have to go and collect it in a couple of weeks. Got it for slightly less, so happy with that. Now to find some implements for it. Thanks Athol for the GL numbers. Makes it easier to chase down implements and parts.
SadFarmall

sflem849 · Jun 4, 2012

(quoted from post at 01:53:30 06/03/12) Thanks Leroy. All is looking good for Dad to drive. The Farmall H can go without a generator for a while. I can always fit a Delco, but I have all the Lucas equipment here for it, so it would mean a total re-wire. We'll see how we go with the A. If it works out OK, the nephews and nieces can be initiated into Farmall driving beginning with the A and moving on to the H and M.
SadFarmall

I would be careful with that thought process. Just because the tractor is smaller doesn't make it any safer or easier to drive. Truthfully, I feel a lot more comfortable on my M/H tractors than on my B. That is part of the reason I sold it.

Jim Becker · Jun 4, 2012

I believe the model numbers Athol gave you are for a Super A (with Touch-Control and other changes). If your new tractor is an old A, as I believe from previous comments, the implements will be considerably different.

Athol Carr · Jun 4, 2012

I also have an earlier IH Australia sales Brochure which shows those same implements for a Farmall A with hand or pneumatic lift. The 1949 operators manual also shows the hand lift for thew Farmall A as well as thew Touvhcontrol gear for the Farmall Super A

Farmall A - To Buy or Not to Buy?

Our Phone System is Down!

We are working to resolve the issue ASAP! Thanks for your patience!

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Similar threads