FORD 641 W/ HOWARD REDUCTION

Hello, I have a 1958 FORD 641 with the Howard low range unit. I bought it at auction 8 or so years back, kind of a package deal as it was thrown in with a Kubota tractor which was what I was after at the time. I ended up selling the Kubota,which gave me the FORD for really less then free, and t I still have it.
Anyways it came from a closed Japanese Nursery started before the WW2 era in Richmond CA, the owner in his late 90s, had died a while back and everything was finally auctioned off by his relatives. It was kinda weird, as this rather large, old run down nursery was right in the middle of one of the worst crime ridden areas on the planet. The tractor, when I got it was right in the middle of a tuneup, the hood was off, it had new oil,filter, belts,plugs,wires, points etc but the guy couldn't figure out how to do the points so he gave up I guess.(funny because I never tried either as I changed over to Pertronix Elec. Ign. system the very first thing) It originally had a loader attachment as well. I sold that off right away as I had no use for it, as I have much better options for that type of work. I am now restoring the FORD, just put in a clutch.
All I have ever used it for in the last 8 yrs, was close in tilling around the yard, once a year. It only has 2200 hrs on the proof meter.I think its original hrs.
I do have to say without the Howard engaged I can't see how this tractor would work at all for what I use it for as the first gear is so not low enough for me. Come to think of it I never shift it out of low range, and just use the 4 gears that way.
My 1st question is what was this Howard unit originally marketed for? I read it was for rototilling but I doubt this in my case, as this tractor doesnt have a PTO! I learned that the hard way when I removed the rear PTO cover and had oil all over the place! That was an unwelcome surprise.
I'm thinking the original owner or dealer must have thought the tractor didn't have a low enough first gear for close in loader work?
And regarding the lack of PTO, is it normal to have the shift lever but still not the PTO option? And can I just buy the PTO shafts I see for sale to gain this option?
One more question, on the three point hitch system, with the engine cam driven pump, is there any filter for this? I can't seem to find anything that protects it or needs to be changed, I thought that was somewhat strange as even the power steering pump has a little filter inside it. Maybe Im used to modern equipment as that all seems to have hydraulic filter(s.)But now come to think of it none of my older crawlers with the rear PTO drive BEE GEE pump/systems don't have filters either. Thanks Nick

Hawssie,
Welcome to the Ford board.
Yes the Howard was designed to lower the
ground speed of the tractor without reducing
the pto speed. They were built for use with
a Howard Rotovator - rototiller.
They were NOT built as a crawler speed stump
puller by the way. They are a bit fragile
and more of them have been destroyed that
way than any other use.
A good working Howard, if removed from the
tractor and sold on ebay will fetch most of
a grand. It's a valuable option so treat it
right.
As for no PTO, I would say if you removed
the pto cover and oil gushed out that the
pto shaft has been removed for some reason -
hard to say why.
It would not be difficult to find and
install a new or used pto shaft. I would do
that if I were you. Because a "restoration"
requires it and it really increases the
functionality - and value of the tractor.
Or, if you will, decreases the tractor's
value without one. They sell new ones here
at this site.
As for no filter on the hydraulic system, no
those models did not have one. As a matter
of fact, Ford did not install an externally
changeable hydraulic filter on their under
60 hp models untill 1976 or so. And many
thousands of them are still chugging along
just fine.
The Navy ship I was on went through an
overhaul in Richmond and Mare Island in
1974. Richmond was a hell hole then and I
can't even imagine what it's like 40+ years
later.

The 641 model definitely came from the factory with a PTO. The models that did not come from the factory with a PTO had a flat plate on the back where your PTO cover is that you removed, so there would no place to install the PTO cover and no hole for oil to come out of.

Also, your pictures shows the two handles on that round plate, one is for the Howard transmission and the other one is for the PTO. If it had come from the factory with no PTO then it wouldn't have that handle either.

So I agree with Ultradog that the PTO shaft was removed at some point.

You should be able to buy a PTO shaft and install it, as all of the major parts should be there to make it work. Since the shaft is not there it is probably missing some other small parts like the bearings, some circlips that hold things in place, the shaft seal and maybe the sliding collar that the PTO handle moves to engage and disengage the PTO. I would open it up and compare what's there to the parts drawings to see what you might already have and what you need to order along with the new shaft.

The PTO lever/Howard lever round cover was not factory it was
supplied as part of the Howard package.
Agree that factory no PTO would have a flat plate, no PTO cover.
Grab your PTO lever and move it back and forth. It should have
some resistance. You might even hear/feel in go into the detent.
If so it is likely the PTO support is there. If the lever flopping
in the breeze then the PTO support isn't there.