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Paul - I agree with msb below - if you are looking for a classic tractor the Minnie Mo UTU would be an excellent choice. In addition to the hand clutch, it has a spacious operator platform that's mounted relatively low to the ground. The seat can easily be swung to any position over the platform or it can removed entirely. The U also has excellent brakes - they could be adapted for hand operation with little difficulty. Finally the U can easily have power steering added - a Charlynn PS kit is straightforward to install and works great. Only downside is the PTO. It sticks out about 10" right at the middle of the platform. Not a big deal if you're not gonna use the PTO (remove the shaft and guard and cover the hole with a plate). However if you're gonna run a PTO driven-sickle, etc. the PTO will be an issue. Other possibilities: International W4, O4 or OS4, many (most?) of which are hand clutched. However these are wide front tractors and hence are less maneuverable than the narrow front UTU. The other option would be to go to a more modern compact tractor (Kubota, etc) equipped with a hydrostatic transmission. Some have both direction and ground speed controlled via a single hand lever. They also have many safety features (power steering, ROPS, starter interlocks, foolproof parking brakes, etc) not found on older tractors. Good luck with your quest!!
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