Oliver 70s

[rrlund]

Did we ignore these tractors for too long? Sherry featured them in this month's issue of OH. I hadn't given it a thought until now, but I just don't see them around anymore. Unless it's a big Oliver show, I don't see them turning up at shows very much. I don't know the last time I saw one for sale. I had one for a long time. I lost interest in it pretty quick and it sat in the corner of the tool shed taking up space for over a dozen years, so I sold it a few years ago. I think back to going to sales with Dad back in the 60s and all the nice 70s that you could buy for a song back then. I sure wish I could run across a barn find in that kind of shape now.

 

[JOCCO]

RR I for one like them (you knew that from the hart parr 70 post) Around me they never brought any money even years ago. No you don't see them around or working as such. There are some for sale but slow moving. (Seems like a lot of farm equipment and tractors) are slow moving around me. A few more things I have noticed is older tractors early 40's back to 30's are out of favor. examples would be Allis wc farmall f12 etc. I am convinced if you look you can find one in good shape for fair price (if the economy takes a nosedive) The 60's did a little better as they were easy to move to tractor shows and pull in the light weight class but for years they did not bring much money. Another one around me was Massey Harris low value and people did not seem to want them.

 

[JOCCO]

Other issues I am seeing is the generation that used that stuff is basically gone. Or like us not getting any younger. The other issues are no 3 point or loader. Around me people want those 4wd little compacts small backhoe, lawn mower etc. The do not have any need for say an Oliver 70 with cultivator or planter. There is a 70 for sale on evil bay for $300!!

 

[rrlund]

An unstyled one replaced the horses here on the farm, but by the time I came along it was long gone and had replaced by Fleetlines. When I started working on that one I had, t was so much different than a Fleetline that I just couldn't get in to it. I've kind of kicked myself since I saw the guy's tail lights going out the driveway with it though. The darned thing had 40 inch tires on cast centers and that was one of my biggest issues. If I could have bought a parts tractor with hubs, pressed steel and 38s so I could have changed it, I'd have probably had a little more enthusiasm. When I think back to some of those I saw sell in the mid 60s for $150-175, it sure makes me want a nice original.

Dad had one for about a week one time. He traded an old Chevy pickup for it, I remember when he sold it, the guy paid cash and Ma let me hold the hundred dollar bill. That was the first one I ever saw.

 

[Gambles]

Sherry has the Oliver 70 featured this month? I've been so busy, I haven't seen the article yet.
The "Oliver 70" subject comes up every so often on this site. I've got several other Olivers that have more value (see my profile photo), but the Oliver 70 is probably my favorite.
I grew up with JD two-sluggers, but at that time my next door neighbor had an Oliver 70 as his main tractor. Whenever we would help him bale his hay, his Oliver 70 was out there with the rest of them, earning its keep.
Here is (IMO) one reason that the Oliver 70 doesn't favor well with collectors: You can easily put $3K into machine work and parts for rebuilding your Oliver 70 engine and you will have a hard time getting $1K out of your refurbished 70. I don't really understand it. Now it's true that nobody uses them for everyday farming anymore, but most other tractors in that era don't get used regularly either. A couple of examples: The $300 Oliver 70 that's currently on ebay. If I lived closer, I'd do a buy-it-now. One of my current Oliver 70s was purchased on an estate sale for $750 a couple of years ago. I drove it home. My bid beat out a high school FFA kid who wanted it as his restoration project. I felt bad about bidding over him, but the next tractor that was up for sale was purchased by him. (I probably saved him $3K in restoration costs )
15+ years ago, John Schweibert (scarce here lately), wrote an article in a magazine about overhauling an Oliver 70. You can use early Dodge pickup pistons and small block Chevy valves can be made to work. Some of the Continental engine suppliers can get you intake and exhaust valves, but I think there were about five different ones used for the Continental 202 and they are pretty proud of them.
I will be overhauling an Oliver 70 very soon. I wanted to talk to the local machine shop last week, but the time got away from me again. I picked up some NOS sleeves, rings and cast iron pistons off of fleabay awhile back. I also have an NOS never-used crankshaft and bearings for the Continental 202 engine.
I've been at many a tractor show where a couple of John Deere diehards will whisper between themselves about how smooth an Oliver 70 engine runs. It's ALMOST worth the cost of rebuilding a 70.

 

[JOCCO]

RR I would start looking you know tractors probably better than me. I don't think a 70 would break the bank and I would find one that had something going for it ie runs good sheet metal. I bought and sold several years ago(low profit) to a collector friend who is now gone same for 60's yes even a cockshut 60. Unless your interested in making one out of two or three. I bought and kept the hart parr 70 and have a half of a 70 for parts. As far as working on them can't see that as a big deal compared to fleeting mine does have 5 gear engine and some early features compare to say a late 70. Don't forget that aluminum hood from wwII either.

 

[scootergmc]

Yeah, that's the trouble. 70s aren't worth much to begin with, and they're only a labor of love if you get to restoring one. I paid $200 for my non-runner industrial, and it's got a weak magneto. Rebuilt the carb, starter is non functional, so I robbed another, but I don't even want to buy new plugs because I'm cheap, and the tractor is barely worth the fluid swap it would need if/when it runs. I haven't even tried to start it. It's covered in spring spiderwebs right now and I just hang my head every time I walk by.

 

[greg krush]

My dad farmed with a 70 and a super C that he did custom baling with, The 70 was the first tractor I drove (steered) at around 5 years old, never had a desire to own one but did instill the oliver bug in me. I still run a bunch of fleetlines with 3 points and hydraulics all in regular use and some 4 digits as well.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

THAT is a great photo!

 

[craigco]

Here's my 70. Never mind the yellow rear rims. Put smaller tires on it to change the gearing for pulling.i have a new set of 38" rubber it just doesn't have the power to pull them. I do agree rebuilding the engine is not cheap. Machine shop used dodge pistons bored the sleeved in place. Cummins valves turned to fit. Reground cam and milled a bunch off the head. Still lack luster pulling with 38" rear. Put 28s on it and that completely changed it. Light enough I can pull in the 2500 pound class.

 

[Gambles]

Here's my 70. Never mind the yellow rear rims. Put smaller tires on it to change the gearing for pulling.i have a new set of 38" rubber it just doesn't have the power to pull them. I do agree rebuilding the engine is not cheap. Machine shop used dodge pistons bored the sleeved in place. Cummins valves turned to fit. Reground cam and milled a bunch off the head. Still lack luster pulling with 38" rear. Put 28s on it and that completely changed it. Light enough I can pull in the 2500 pound class.

I wouldn’t do it myself, but I’m surprised you didn’t make it a dual exhaust….

 

[Antique Acres]

rrlund,

We don’t have a lot of 70s left around anymore either in our area. Grandpa still has the 1946 model that his dad bought brand new from his brother who was the Oliver dealer in town. The first 70 to get shipped in on the rail after the war! They had to unload it in the middle of the night because so many farmers wanted that tractor. It came 38” Pressed steel wheels.

Grandpa later installed a ride master seat assembly off of a neighbors 70 as well as a steering shaft throttle linkage assembly to replace the worn out pull style linkage from that same 70. We also have the rear steel wheels from the neighbors 70 before it was scrapped.

I’d hate to know how many hours that tractor has as it was used for just about everything until the little 60 came along in the 50s. It was the main cultivating tractor until the 880 was bought in the 60s.

I “helped” grandpa restore the 70 back in 2014 or 15. I was 9 or 10. Now she sits in the garage and goes to parades along with grandmas super H farmall.

Bailey @ Antique Acres

 

[mr.precision]

Very cool. I had this 70 Standard until 2017 when I became ill and sold off my collection. These truly are the "Rolls Royce of tractors" IMHO.