Newbie about to purchase first tractor

This is my first post on your forum. Well, actually it's my second as I posted the same message in the "farmall" section. (My apologies in advance)

I have been around 60's autos but am a newbie to 60's tractors. I would really appreciate your help in regards to an International B-414 diesel. I've searched the site and found lots of great information but could not find many posts on it's worth.

We recently purchased an old farm that was mainly used for hay. We have the opportunity to purchase the B-414 tractor that the previous owner was using. It comes with an International 1501 loader. I have no clue as to what it would be worth. The old fellow is asking $4000 CDN ($3000 US).

The tractor is in need of some TLC but it's engine was rebuilt by a local diesel shop about 2 years ago. The hour meter(if it works!) reads about 2500 hours. It needs a shot of ether to get going. The rear tire sidewalls are cracked and the pto output shaft seal seems to be bad as the rear of the pto and the inside of the rear wheels are full of grease/oil.

Our plan is to use the tractor as a hobby and not for full-time farming. We need to give an answer very soon. Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated!!

Once we take posession of the property (and tractor), and we start using it, I'm sure that we'll have more questions for you all.

The ether thing gives me the willies, you may have to replace the glow plugs, ($18 a piece) including the switch, which you will never find, so use a starter switch ($6).

These tractors are notoriously cold natured, so you will want to get it into a heated area or put some sort of a block heater on it in the winter. Even in warm weather, I have to put a 30 second warm up on the glow plugs to get her to fire right off. In the cold, sometimes we go a minute or so to fire. But absolutely (!) no ether.

The next thing I did was put on 0 guage wires on the battery and starter. A good battery will roll the starter only as fast as the wires will transmit the power. I replaced the 2 guage wires and cut the starter engage time in half. The starter hits the engine hard and fast. Diesels just love that.

The other things you mentioned are pretty easy to fix, so, it doesn't sound like too bad of a price.

If it is anything like mine, you will find it to be a tough little brute, capable of doing pretty much whatever you want. Mine spins a 6 foot medium duty bush hog, pulls a 6 foot scraper blade, takes a 7 foot disk for a tug like it wasn't there. I've never tried to plow with it but I don't doubt that it will plow 2 or 3 bottoms without hesitation, depending on the dirt.

Ugly, powerful for its' size, makes a beautiful sound powering along on the job. If you can't tell, I like mine.

the UFO Man

Agree with the handiness of the loader. Sometimes they get in the way, but once you have one you won't be without (been there done that). I think the $1000 is a little soft. New they are around $4k, again depending on size.

A fresh overhaul on a diesel from a reputable shop is a super plus. The fact that you confirmed the work with the workers is excellent. I was worried about the ether comment but you covered that with your info about the starting aid not being operational. Don't know where you are located so ether might be a necessity. Since some Original Equipment Mfgrs. (OEM) put ether dispensers on their tractors, it can't be all bad if used according to directions....engine cranking and a little squirt or two.

Seems that most all farm tires are weather cracked. I have some less than 2 yrs old that sit under a shed and are already starting to crack. If they are physically intact otherwise, that shouldn't be a problem.

So take off the loader at $1500 and the overhaul for $2k (1k parts, 1k labor) and $1000 worth of tires you don't have to buy and the guy is giving you the tractor with a $500 bill wrapped around it to boot. Sounds like a heck of a deal to me.

I usually have to pay $4k for the tractor (40 hp area), then overhaul it, then paint, fix little things broken, then new rubber, wind up out $6500 and no loader.

Good luck on your decision.

Mark

You are smart to ask but the first thing you have to do is decide what you will do with a tractor. Not sure what "hobby" use is... are you going to cut/bale hay? Maintain a road? Plow snow? Mow lawn? Cut trees out of fields? What is your budget for a tractor?

Post back and we can help you focus on a tractor that meets your needs.

Just to claify and add info I forgot in my previous post... I verified with the diesel shop about the motor job and it was confirmed. It is a reputable shop and he indicated that the motor was disassembled, new pistons, rings, cylinders sleeves, new bearings, oil pump, etc. He also indicated that the starting problem has to do with the glow plug switch. He said that he found a used IH switch and was going to sell it to the owner for $60 CDN but the owner did not want to pay that amount. So it MIGHT be an easy fix.

The accumulation on the wheels and on the rear of the pto is the same grease as on the surface of the pto shaft. It does not appear to be hydraulic fluid.

I can get rear tires from Firestone for about $290 CND. The front ones are in decent shape.

As to what we'll need it for...that's kinda of a tough question to answer. Being new to the agricultural "field", we're not exactly sure of all the uses for the tractor. We were going to cut hay and bale but the the old fellow sold the hay cutter, rake and baler AFTER we told him that we would buy it. We might be able to get the cutter back...so it limits the immediate use to keeping the fields in a "trimmed" condition. We might be using it for fencing duties and to clear snow from the driveway in the winter.

And as for our budget...$4000 CDN is about the upper limit.

For the uses you listed, I'd suggest that any tractor you get have a real loader and box blade. That means you need live dual remotes and a 3pt. If you are going to bale with it, a live independent PTO is required. I'm a serious Oliver bigot so consider that when I recommend an Oliver. For a truly small place, one of the newer mini-tractors might be an option. Regardless, look for a well-maintained tractor. If it's your first, you'll want to be driving it, not working on it. And be sure you get the operator's and service manuals for it; you'll need them.

As for the "small" place, the property is 300 acres but only about half is farmed for hay.

I've learned a lot in these past few days...keep it coming :-)