Going to look at an H - what to look out for?

WellWorn

Member
I need another something to fix like I need another hole in my wallet, but it's come down to I need another tractor to allow me enough time to park the SA to get it fixed before it fails altogether (and it's getting close), and I've come to really like the old Red iron.

Fellow has this H (narrow) that looks to have seen a lot of time outside, sheet metal all there but a bit rough. Has a slightly better than half arsed 12V conversion on it, but no lights. Has one new rear. Fronts and other rear are pretty well weathered and checked, but hold air. Rims look ok. Drawbar has been patched and welded, but at least it still has one. Has a front mounted single acting cylinder for a snow blade (not included), plumbed from somewhere about mid point right side, I assume from an internal valve from the belly pump.

Haven't heard it run yet, but will probably go see how it drives today.

What would you give for it, providing it starts and doesn't blow too much smoke?
 
DeltaRed, I'd already penciled in "$750", but wanted to make sure I wasn't out of the ball park.

Quick question: how would I go about hooking up a double acting cylinder to this?
 
Spool valve.Circulate hydralic oil via belly pump.Return oil back to reservoir through belly pump drain.The H belly pump is ONLY
capable of 'one way'
 
As you said $750. DeltaRed said $800. I agree with both assessments. If it looks rough but runs good no smoke at start up and if you can drop it into 5 th gear full throttle and smoothly let clutch out with out any slippage or with out stalling it you are set. Personally on my 43' H I can dump the clutch and not stall it in road gear but I am not sure if that is the norm. So I will say if you can smoothly let out the clutch without burning it in to get it moving I would say it is good.
 
Id start low, $500. Don't start at $750. Don't let a little smoke scare you. My H puffs smoke briefly if I let it sit at idle for a few minutes then rev it. But the smoke clears instantly and it doesn't smoke after that.
 
Some blue smoke at start up can be normal on an old Farmall h. H's do not have seals if still stock although umbrellas can be added. They typically will smoke for just a bit on a cold start. Then they will clear up and the smoke will go away.

Only worry if the smoke is constant, continuous, and never goes away.
 
Well, it's a bust. Fellow wants 1200, firm. Battery was dead, gauges didn't look functional (internal rust) and at that price, whether it ran or not, smoked or not, pumped hydraulic oil or not, it wasn't following me home.

IIRC, wasn't it DeltaRed that had one he was looking to get rid of? It would cost more to get it here than it would be worth, unless I could tape a thumb to it beside the interstate, and with my luck it would follow someone else home instead. :-/

Seems the good deals on the things I could use are a long way away, and/or fall into someone else's hands. Guess I need to find the Bryce Frasier in the neighborhood who has the time and talent to spot the gems in the rough that are probably out there if I but had time to be looking. It's already hard to make time to be off the farm, got a molasses slow internet connection, and not enough time for that either. It literally takes minutes to load a page of these forums on a good connection day. Some days, we can't connect at all.

Hmmm.

Scripture says "Ask and ye shall receive".

Ok internet, I need to have a cheap, nearly or mostly functional, at least temporary replacement for my SA find me in far western NY. Someone has to know someone who knows of someone who has something that's been sitting in a shed for a dozen years collecting dust and rust, but isn't froze up too badly or with a tranny full of water, who'd be happier to see it get back into use than to wait until the price of scrap goes back up.

TIA,
Well Worn
 
From the way you described it, I bought a better H than that at a consignment auction a year ago for $450. And I think I'm going to part it out 'cause the trans is worn beyond reasonable repair.

It would probably be worth fixing up, but I have another H I plan to restore and this one DOES have some parts that are better than the one I want to restore. Gas tank's cleaner inside, etc.

On the one you're looking at, I'd say if the engine runs OK, next thing to look at would be the trans. Is the shifter sloppy, gears noisy, etc.
 
Well worn I don't know where your located at but here in Iowa $1200 would get you an H in pretty good shape. Check the farm section on
Craigslist for your area and the photo ad section on this site. You are wise for not paying what he wanted for a tractor in that poor condition.
 
I would not give up. I know a couple saw a nice farm, the wife went and knocked onthe door, asked if it was for sale. Nicely. The old grandma said "No honey, we will keep it." Lady was very nice, left her name and number, and a year or two later the phone rang and the old grandma said they had reconsidered, since they were just a nice couple, and if they still wanted it, it was for sale.
Long story, you might just tell the man "All I can afford is ___, and here's my number, call if you can."
 
I have several H's and they are my favorite tractors for size and handling but beware of buying a junker. there are lots of good H's for less than $1500 that require little or no repair. from WHAT YOU SAID, i WOULD OFFER $800 OR LESS IF IT RUNS DECENTLY. Check the oil pan for water to make sure the head and block are ok>
 
Theere is a running H for sale in PA (look at Erie craigs list farm and Garden for sale for $950 (means sell for probalky %850-900) Good price, looks decent, not too far from you.
 
Check the farm section on Craigslist for your area and the photo ad section on this site.
Old Weldor, the thought is good, but doesn't work well for me. Photo's take quite a while to load, and the YT listings are too broad - I need to find something essentially next door because an hour off the farm is an hour of chores that I'm further behind on.

HenryO,
I just came in to grab a bite to eat, checked in here, and went to check the Erie listings, and I didn't see it there. Searched for "Farmall" did get one 'reasonably priced' from April in Sugargrove, a bit over an hour away, and I called on it - still available, fellow was about to re-list it. Made an appointment for this weekend. Going to take a buddy who will hopefully keep me from buying a pig in a poke. Don't even ask about the POS (Parts or Scrap) spreader I paid way too much for last year 'cause I NEEDED one, and lost 2 hours toting it home when I could and should have been cutting firewood. A week later a neighbor found one at half the price that was in complete working condition.
 

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