Purchasing a 1010 - Guestions

From the serial number, T 16277-T, I'm pretty sure this is a 1960 JD 1010. It has a Dual front loader with a teeny bucket. Right now it's leaking fuild out of the center hydrulic cylinder for the bucket.

First, how do I tell if this is a R, RC, RUS ... whatever?

I've driven it around the dealer's lot and it seems to handle fine. Much as I remember the old Farmall I grew up with. I think the loader is going to need work, but I think I'm up for that although I've never done hydrulics before.

This is NOT a show tractor. It has 1800 hours on it. The dealer originally wanted $6500, dropped that to $5500 and is now going to take $5000 for it.

I have 13 acres which I plan to plant 1 acre of heather. The rest is forest, so each spring I imagine I will need to clean up downed trees. I plan on getting a mower and a chipper for the PTO.

So, given I'm not afraid to do my own work, and I'm actually looking forward to getting my wrenches on the machine, is this going to be a good buy? Or should I be avoiding this machine that people seem to either love or hate, depending on experiences?

Thanks,

Al

Aside from jdemaris' comment about the brakes no one has said what's wrong with this tractor. So, is anything really wrong with the 1010, or do you all just not like the 1010 on principal?

Here's a thought, this tractor is 45 years old. Someone has used it, and used it well for that entire time. It would seem to me that if the 1010 was junk, so would this one be junk. Perhaps it is a testement to it's worthiness that it is still running and being used as a small farming tractor.

Perhaps?

Thanks,

Al