Ford 601 Workmaster ground-speed question

I've got some farm land 1000 miles from where I live. Land is in northern Michigan. I've got an agricultural assessment on it and need to keep some fields cut. So, I've been trying to find a tractor up there - rather than trailer one of mine.

I just got a chance to buy a 1960 Ford 601 Workmaster with a 134 gas engine. Nice shape, been kept indoors since new. Has a later Dearborn front loader (all hydraulic - not a trip loader). New 5' brushhog, disk-harrows, new tires all around, and a back-blade. $4500 for the whole deal. I thought that was high at first -especially since I'm not a Ford enthusiest. But, after thinking about it - maybe it's a good deal.

I checked out the Ford spec #s on it - which read 641 108984. That tells me:

6 is - Four wheel utility type with adjustable front axle, 134 ci gas, LP-gas or 144 ci diesel engin

4 is - Four speed transmission with PTO and 3 point lift

1 is - "01" series '57 - '62

Serial # 108984 means the tractor is a 1960 model.

Tractor has power steering and a two-stage clutch for live PTO. My one concern is this. Since this only has a four-speed trans - and does NOT have the aux. trans option - is 1st too fast for certain things - especially running a three-point snow blower? I know that with any of my tractors at home, having low-range is a must.

Anybody got ground-speed specs for 1st gear in this Ford?

3 MPH and over is way too fast. I've got a 1964 Ford 4000 here with a four speed - but it also have a Sherman three-speed aux. trans. I always have it in low range on my property.

I've used an overrunning clutch on my Case VACs on those rare occasions when I put a bush-hog on them. They are the only tractors I own without live power.

I live in dairy farm country and there's no shortage of older tractors around here. Ford 8Ns, 600s, 800s, 4000s, etc are common in the $1000 - $3000 price ranges. But, I don't find much for sale in northern Michigan. And - considering the guy is asking $4500 for all - take off the new brush hog, disks, back-blade, and front-loader, and the tractor itself is selling for around $2000. I'd much rather find a diesel, a dual range trans, and live power but wanting and getting are two different things.

I'd like to get a good all-around tractor - which this may not be - but it still may be worth buying for that price. All I need it for, at least for now, is running a brush hog.

He just sent me these photos - but can't see the trans.

I guess he might have a 5 speed and not know it - but he claims it's a 4 speed and that's what the spec numbers say.

Maybe, since a brush runs a long time by it's own interita - he just assumes it's live PTO because it keeps on spinning during gears shifts?

Buying stuff at a distance like this gets kind of frustrating.

This guy is not a tractor expert but is a pretty smart guy around mechancal stuff. I'm 1000 miles away and taking his word for it - for now. And, as I said - I'm not a Ford person. I spend most of my life working on Deere, Case, and IH. I own one Ford - it's a 1964 4000 - but mine has no PTO and also have the Sherman aux. trans.

As far as the 601 not handling a snowblower?
We get more snow here where I live in New York - than then northern Michigan does. I'm talking about northern MI just below the Mac bridge in Presque Isle County - NOT the UP. We get 10 feet a year on average here - but many years we get more. I've also got land a bit further north in New York that gets much more snow than the UP. I run a 6 foot snowblower with either my IH B-275s (144 diesels) or my Deere 1020 (135 gas) - and neither have more power than the Ford 601. They both do fine in 3' to 4' of snow.

If 1st gear is 3 MPH , that's way too fast to be of much use for snowblowing. The engine would have to be throttled down to go slow enough - and at that low speed it'd lack engine power. My Cletrac dozer was like that until I added an aux. trans. My IHs and Deere both have dual ranges and I couldn't use either for blowing snow without.

Being able or not to run a snowblower is not a major issue if the price is right. My situation is this. I have many dozers, backhoes, farm tractors, etc. where I live in New York. But, I'm considering moving to Michigan. So, whatever I buy for working the property now, might have other uses once I move there later. I haven't figured out yet if I'd sell off my equipment here, or pay the money and move it. So, since I don't know what my future is yet - I'd like to buy a tractor that is all-around useful to me, and not just a brush cutter.

This two-stage clutch thing is a mystery to me. The guy that owns it seems to know what he's talking about. I've got no way of verifying unless I find someone to check it for me in his area. He swears it has it - and all I read says it does not.