961?

Mitch Brooks · May 14, 2011

I am looking at buying what the owner calls a 1959 ford 901. He rebuilt the engine with oversized pistons and he says it has the 170ci diesel. Battery acid has eaten away the seriel and model number so I don"t know for sure what it is. It runs good, the pto turns and hydrualics are fast. It has good rubber all around. The fenders have been repaired with bondo but the rest of the sheet metal is in good shape although it is missing the dash gauges, headlights and the lite vents on the hood. What should I expect to pay for this tractor? An old 5 foot bush hog, NH sickle mower, small disc and a middle buster are also part of the deal. I think the sickle mower is an early 451 or 450. It has the tag on it I just didn"t think to see what model it was. I am going to try to attach a pic too.

old · May 14, 2011

Well if it is in fact a 961 it will have a 2 stage clutch giving it live PTO which is pretty easy to check and that would tell you if the 6 in the number is correct. It would also be a 5 speed. From what you say and with all the extras it could be worth over $2500 to around $5000 or maybe more

Fordfarmer · May 14, 2011

A small point... it's a 172 c.i. engine (whether gas or diesel), not a 170.
There is a casting number on the block (lower right front, if I remember correctly) that can tell you if it's a 134 c.i. or 172 c.i. engine. An archive search of the Ford forum should get you the info to tell which is which.
Hard to put a price on it without seeing it... depends on location, too. Wide or narrow front? Anywhere from $2000-$3500.

Mitch Brooks · May 14, 2011

Thanks for the reply. It is a 5 speed and does have the live PTO. Other than engine size is there a way to tell a 901 series from the 801,701 etc?

Fordfarmer · May 14, 2011

901 (and 701) is a row crop, 801 is a utility model. 701 will (should) have a grill with many, small verticle bars; 901 has the "egg crate" grill like the 801.

Mitch Brooks · May 14, 2011

It is a wide front end and does not have the power adjust rear rims. He is asking $3500. My other tractor is an old IH 424 so I need a spare tractor around but I would really like to restore the ford.

Mitch Brooks · May 14, 2011

Does row crop mean tricycle type front end?

Mitch Brooks · May 15, 2011

The grill has a verticle bar in the middle and three horizontal bars. I wish I could figure out how to post pictures.

old · May 15, 2011

The 901 is a row crop tractor that sits a good bit higher then the 801 and has a bigger engine then the 701 has

old · May 15, 2011

A row crop could have either one it all depended on what option was ordered on it when new

showcrop · May 15, 2011

Does he have receipts for the rebuild? was the injection pump rebuilt?

Dean · May 15, 2011

It sounds like you are describing the so-called "egg crate" grill used on the xx1 (including 961) series tractors.

Dean

Dean · May 15, 2011

The 7 and 9 series tractors have final reduction gear boxes (drop boxes) the 6 and 8 series do not.

Dean

Dean · May 15, 2011

Hopefully you are aware that "rebuilt the engine" means different things to different people. I would look for evidence of dissassembly and ask to see the receipts. The early Ford 4 cylinder diesel engines are more expensive to overhaul than are the gasoline models and some parts are becomming difficult to find and expensive.

The equipment included with the tractor sould be worth $1000 or more. The NH mower if, indeed a 450 or 451 and in decent shape, should be worth $750 - $1500.

Without more information, it is difficult to provide useful valuation information for the tractor aside from a range of, perhaps, $2000 - $4000.

Dean

paul · May 15, 2011

6xx was small engine, low to ground, wide front.

8xx is same thing, bigger engine.

7xx seems very rare around here, it's a 6xx but taller version called row-crop, came as a narrow front but had aftermarket & later on factory wide front options.

9xx models are the taller row-crop version of the 8xx models.

x4x means it's a simple 4 speed.

x5x means a 5 speed, not live pto.

x6x means 5 speed with live pto, and often has power steering and other good options.

x71 or x81 means the SoS tranny, which is great when it works and a potential nightmare money pit when it doesn't....

If you mean $3500 for the tractor _and_ all the implements and the live pto works right so the clutch isn't shot and we assume the engine is reasonably sound, I'd do that sight unseen from your description.

'Here' just the tractor they would be asking $4000 and you hope you could get it for $3500-3700 if in useable condition. Anyhow for me, others sometimes stumble on better deals....

--->Paul

Mitch Brooks · May 15, 2011

Thanks. It seems like a good deal to me but I need to get advice from more knowlegable types before I ask the wife if I can spend my money.
I have always liked 8n's but they are too small for what I need. This tractor has the power and weight I need and still has the classic old ford look

Mitch Brooks · May 15, 2011

I just looked at the pics I took. This one has "stabilizer bars" on each side going to the front axle. I have been looking at pics on line but havnt seen this set up.

961?

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