Tractor Tips: What I've Learned Since Buying My 1957 Ford 640 TractorI bought my tractor a year after moving to my 37-acre farm in Western Oregon. I needed a tractor just to keep the pastures from turning into forest. In addition, I raise free-range hens in portable houses, and the houses need to be pulled to a new location from time to time. My tractor is a 1957-vintage Ford 640. Like the more numerous "N" series tractors -- 9N (1939 model) 2N (1942 model) and 8N (1948 model), it is a gasoline-powered four-cylinder utility tractor with a three-point hydraulic hitch and a PTO (power takeoff unit) on the back. It's bigger than the N-series tractors, with about 35 HP. At the time I bought it, I thought it would be nice to have a tractor that was powerful enough to pull a ground-driven hay baler, though now I know enough people who have been injured by balers that I've lost interest. I had never driven a tractor before, so maybe I should give you some tips: Type of tractor to buy. I don't know about you, but I would never consider a tractor without a three-point hitch. Not only is this the standard, but the hitch itself is a safety device that makes it hard for the tractor to rear up and flip over backwards when an implement snags on something. So I don't think of a three-point hitch as an option. Age of tractor. I like older equipment because it's simple and easy to work on, not to mention cheaper. My tractor is almost 50 years old, but parts are still available, and it's still running strong. Its hugely overbuilt cast frame will last forever. But new tractors have their attractions, too. It might be a good idea to do the process backwards. First, discover who the best dealers and mechanics are in your area, and then buy the kind of tractor they like to work on. Pick a brand with some kind of track record, not the flavor-of-the-week tractor from a third-world country that's only been importing into the U.S. for a few years. You don't want to be stuck with a tractor for which parts are unobtainable. Converting my 6V tractor to 12V. Life is less painful with a good tractor seat. Adding lights for safety and visibility. Putting a roll bar on the tractor. Marvel Mystery Oil prevents fuel tank and carb problems. Notes on periodic maintenence.
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