Dad found a JohnDeere-M

[Anonymous-0]

My Dad called last night and said he saw a 1950 JD-M in the paper with a 4 ft bush hog for $1000 OBO
Just wondering what its gonna cost me to buy and mount a 5ft finish mower (used of course) under the thing? Id feel pretty good if I could have a good working rig for $1300-1500...Not sure where Id look for brackets,pulleys etc. Any one got any ideas?
P.S any known issues with the vertical 2cyl.? or the M in general?...thanx in advance...OCG

 

[Allan in NE]

I dunno. I bought the little IH version, thinking the same way.

The geardrive PTO kinda sucks.

Allan

 

[Don L C]

You better get your butt over there.....if that tractor is in good shape it will bring between $2500 and $3000......

It will be gone tomarrow.....

 

[Blackhole49]

I don"t know about the belly mower, but I have a M and a 8n and a 5' rear finish mower. You couldn"t get me to use the mower on the M for any amout of money. The M is worth more and sounds neat and I don"t plan on selling it, but the 8n is a MUCH more user friendly tractor.

 

[Mn Dave]

I still have the M JD that dad bought new in '48. We use it every year to rake hay, run the corn elevator PTO, and light work. The only thing we did to it over the years was grind the valves, my wife wouldn't be without that tractor for light stuff around the farm. Not sure about the pto mowers, might be working the crap out of it if the grass gets tall.

 

[Hotflashjr]

My father in law has an M and has a lot of trouble with the head on his. He has had three different heads crack on his M over the years. Neat little tractor, works a pull behind plow pretty well, but I don't know if I would use it with a belly mower. If it's in nice shape, probably worth the $1,000 though.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Better hurry on that M as it wont last at that price if anyonesees the add. New woods probably will run 1500 for a 5ft but a 6ft would be much better. The belley mower on that M makes anice unit.

 

[randy47]

Growin up my dad had an M it was a neat little tractor when I got older he sold it and I always wanted to find one.. I bought one at an auction with a 2 bottom plow for 1800..that tractor was a total piece of crap!!!! Water leaks ,oil leaks hard to start and VERY LIGHT in the front end when trying to pull the plow ...very very happy to send that one down the road to the next John Deere nut.

 

[buickanddeere]

Everybody knows most utility tractors require front ballast when using a heavy piece of mounted equipment.
You tried to use a two furrow mounted plough on a little bitty 18drawbar HP tractor. And you wonder why the front end became light?
The last M was built in 1952. You seem surprised that a well used 50+ year machine may leak water or oil?

 

[Gordy in Mn.]

I have a M with a L59 mower and works very well, the only problem is getting on and off (kind of a bummer). Gordy

 

[Two Dogs]

I had one until 10 years ago. I had a 5 foot rotary mower behind it. I used it to mow my five acre spread. It would sit over the winter and start immediately months later. The mower would remain in the raised position for months as well, unlike the MF35 I replaced it with which leaks down in a few minutes. As stated it was a pain to get on and off. I usually climed over the back. I loved to hear it run though. TDF

 

[randy47]

It was the plow designed for that tractor-- the same style my dad had-- as for leaks on a 50 year old tractor these were beyond any Ive ever seen you would fix one and another would pop up. This was by no mean my first or only tractor I wanted it only for the nostalga and memories.That tractor only left me with bad memories

 

[oscar80]

That wouldnt happen to be in NC is it?

Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

Boy ya go ta work fer a day and get all kinda ansewers to yer questions!!!...Im mostly lookin for known issues with the M and wonderin where Id go to find the hardware to rig up a belly mower.. I assume that every model has had every prob at one point in time, but that if the things not notorious for one thing it could be worth a shot. I'll probably have Pop buy it if it looks and runs decent and go from there...now that i think about it scroungin the parts is probably half the fun and if it dont turn out to be what I want I'll just shine it up, keep any extra parts that i came by and sell it fer what i can get and invest it in another adventure....not like I aint lost my Butt before...lol...I think I'll jus keep my eye open fer a L59 woods that kin be patched and see how it goes...I can still cut and weld(after a fashion) and might just make sumpin work, if anyones got any parts that Im sure ta need just Gimme a shout
thanx everyone for yer 2cents....OCG

 

[Rick in NB]

Did you have an after market 3pt set up on the JD M or was the rotary designed for that funky underbelly 3rd link? I have both an M and a 35 Massey (dsl). The M is a neat little beast but implements are rare in my area and an aftermarket 3pt could never make it compare to the versatility of the 35.

 

[buickanddeere]

If you read the operators manual. It tells you to add front ballast when using that plough.
As for the leaks? There has been a pile of tinerer overhauls/repairs done without a torque wrench and just a tube of silicon for gasket material. Blaming the tractor for the workmanship is illogical.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dad just called, the M sold last night for asking price. He called at 9 this am for directions and found it was gone...Oh well...thanx for everyones imput...