[AT] Hello to "Pharmer"

[Carl Tatlock]

Hello to "pharmer", and I second Dave Merchant's excellent comments 
about off-the-front-lawn tractor sales.  Got to be sharp, tho, and tell 
the difference between "yard art" (will NEVER run again), and a good 
restoreable ("ran when parked--maybe") item.   I absolutely refuse to 
mention one brand over another to answer your other statement about what 
is a good one to start with, but Ford 8N or 9N ---oooops--- would be my 
choice.

Cheap (relatively speaking) and available parts supply; good guru's to 
answer questions on a couple of excellent 8n and 9N Ford  sites on the 
Internet.   Ford N's are small enough to be easy to work with, you won't 
get a hernia removing the whole front end to work on, and the tech 
manuals and stuff are excellent.  Hydraulics, 3 point hitch, grade and 
plow driveways,mow grass, run a gentleman pharm, whatever you want to 
do. Excellent resale potential.  Not gas hogs, either-- 25 HP, but can 
work hard.  Prices? Depends on where you are and the wind direction, but 
I use the "Rule of 9's".  $900 is "Needs work",  $1800 is "needs 
cosmetics and re-wiring", and $2700 is "Somebody else restored it--and 
comes with some equipment", and $9000 is a "trailer Queen"-- never meant 
to cut a blade of grass-- or else the seller thinks you got money.

OK, so I have restored-refurbished-revitalized-repainted-remechanicced 
two over the years.  Use one in summer for mowing 4acres of grass, use 
the other in the winter for plowing snow.  I forgot to mention how much 
fun they are... 
If a choice, an 8N (1948-52) is probably a better bet in some ways 
mechanically than a 9N (1939-42) or 2N (1942-47).  (Pretty much all the 
same one--9N,2N). [Don't ask me-- Henry Ford named them.]..

Ok, boys, that's my opinion-- what's yours???   
Carl in Vermont