Great Site. New guy looking for some input on selection.

I am a new guy to the forum. We have 20 cutover acres in Michigan to put a small cabin on and I am going to start fooling around with fencing it and clearing a small area of some small brush and trees. Nothing real serious as the local contracter will do the big real work, but I want to buy an old loader tractor with a pto to run a post hole digger and other small implements.
I am looking for some advice on a make/model of an old workin tractor to fool with. I have messed with a few old collector car restorations and can work a wrench and don't mind getting dirty but other than really admiring the old tractors at some of the shows I am without any background information and hope you can tell me what you think.
Availability of parts and ease of repair information would be important to me. I do not need a cab or fancy, just looking to get an old reliable workhouse kind of loader tractor I can fool with and not bend anything.
I am starting my reasearch here from guys that have an opinion based on real experience and not trying to sell one. I have a little Kubota tractor for the house and the local dealer fools around with old Farmalls to show, but those old mules are old....very cool to look at but some old iron there. I was thinking I would enjoy a working tractor I could restore a bit along the way. Can't be as expensive as that old Pontiac I did I hope.

Take any input you can offer about what is a good old worker to have a loader on and be able to work on and get parts. Appreciate the help. You guys got a good site here. I probbably aint the first newbie that asked so if I should of looked somewhere else here let me know. Ralph

You will need at least a ford 4000 with loader or an international 484 or 454 utility. Forget 8N fords or anything smaller than that because they don't have that much horsepower, and the pipe contraption excuse for loaders that they put on them is ridiculous.

Keep in mind that Deere will run more expensive, but parts are IMMENSELY available for those.

Go to external_link and just look around for tractors between 35 to 50 horsepower. Live PTO is nice, and DEFINITELY hydraulics.

Ralph,
With old iron parts/dealer availability is the biggest concern.

1.)What Dealers are nearby??
2.)What do you want to spend??
3.)How much are you willing to work on??
Any 1970 or newer utility tractor in the 40-60 hp range would
be suitable for what you want. Check external_link they will
let you chose by year or power then cross match.

Welcome to YT and hello from a fellow Michigander. What part of Mi are you in? I'm in the St Johns area.
I don't know what your planning on doing with your tractor but I'd look for something with a three point. MF35,65,135,165. Maybe a Farmall with at least a fasthitch. I have a MF265 I use for everything unless I'm working a field.

A Massy Ferguson 135 or 165 would be good. Also an AC D-17 or D-15 would do the job. Likewise a John Deere 520,530, 60,620,630 would also serve the purpose. But with a front loader, I would definately get one with a wide front end. rw

Our place is over west of Cadillac towards Manistee.

Hey what does "live" PTO mean. I know PTO's a bit but not that term. My old 59 Chevy Apache truck had a PTO setup the old farmer use to use for chores.

The local dealer here in Illinois is an old Case dealer that now sells Kubotas mostly. There is a big Deere dealer not far away also. I guess I do not know if there is even a Massey place around. Do they still make em? Heck I dont even know if Case is still made. The local implement dealer had them until several years ago so I would guess he has to be able to get parts. They fix up those old Farmalls with parts from somewhere.

Where do you find parts for some of the makes you guys listed. Do the modern dealers still keep inventories for those older makes. I am really digging in to get up to speed do I can make a decent decision. I am going to keep away from too small as I know from experience that a correct size one will do the work of dgging holes, movin dirt and maybe drilling in a small managed food plot, but too small will be useless except for minor chores. Good reference sites you guys listed.

Do certain makes (or colors) command extra money for nothing or is reputation well deserved on some? Are some makes scooped right up cause everybody wants those? I know in the old cars, you sometimes pay for myth rather than reality and I sure aint lookin to impress anybody but myself with a good old solid tractor.

How about an older small backhoe loader, The loader is built heavier. Case 430, JD 310, IHC 2424-2300-2400. Or even a little crawler with blade, Case 310-350, JD 350, Oliver or AC, Fun little rascals....James

Ford 2000 / 3000 / 4000 3 cyl

ford 860 / 861 / 4000 4 cyl


soundguy

Live PTO. Has separate clutch for starting and stopping. Means you can start and stop pto without pushing in clutch pedal. Non live pto, step on the clutch and the momentum of mower or whatever will keep pushing tractor ahead till it slows down on it's own. Chris

for the money spent it's hard to beat a late model D C case get late model as it has 3 point (a little different but fits cat 1 implements) live pto and live hyd. 264 cubic inches same horsepower as ih M but live features and 3 point Get foot clutch on last ones built.

Well you should have most any brand dealer over there within 30-100 miles I would look at like any of the 60,06,56,66 series IHC tractors or some deere models. The resale is better and the weight is higher if using a loader weight is important. As was said that pipe contraption of a loader for some of the older little tractors are just that a contraption. Fergie and ford is a good little tractor still light for a loader tractor. Remember that you will never have a tractor to big and will always like to have one just a little bit bigger or heavier.

Ford 860, 861, 4000 4 cyl
Ford 3000, 4000 3 cyl
Massey Ferguson 135, 165

YES

Where are you at there Ralph? I'm in Montcalm County. We have several family cabins near Grayling. I'd say it depends on what your nearest dealer is. For example Ford or New Holland if you're near Ellens Equipment in McBain. Case IH if you're nearer to Ina Store in Tustin. You get my drift. You want to be able to get parts and service advice.

Like everything else decisions are easy to make if you have all the I wants in the equation. Most everything you have mentioned can be handled by a skidsteer loader machine i.e. Bobcat, Cat, JD or New Holland some time you can rent them or the tools. Then after all the diggin and rippin are done you'll need an upkeep tractor with a rear mower. One time cost of clearing equipment then it's time to play with the real reason you're on here like the rest of us. LOL I see this on the photo ADS all the time because now you're done with the PHD or tiller etc. now it sets in the corner of the lot and you mention to you're better half I needa and then you're sleeping in the garage. My advice is rent what you need to clear and build then buy what you want to mow and haul grandkids around and just have fun. I'm just telling you as a friend and if you like being on this site then we're friends, I've seen this many times backhoes, dozers and loaders setting in the weeds for 20,30 and 50 years rusting down because owners thought they might need them again. IMHO

Use the MF 165 for almost everything. Pulls like a big tractor but I can haul pull it on a trailer with my SUV. Rarely am I called to go to the IH 806 for more power. Had the 806 stuck and the 165 pulled out that big 806 - no problem.

Thanks guys. Good info. We are west of Cadillac over in the Manistee National Forest area . The building and clearing will be done by the big boys with the real deal equipt. This is a tinkerin around tractor and will be used for upkeep and mowing and getting the place cleaned up and kept after. The way I see it after I been foolong around with old cars for 15 years now, they cost a lot, and I garage them for more than half the year and get nothng but happiness (but no work!) out of em. Heck an old tractor would be more fun, and I can get something done too.

That tractor data site was a great tip too. I am lookin em up and sortn em out. I start out in the right frame of mind since I am not favoring one over another. Probably take me a bit but it is good reading.