I Bought Another Craftsman Today, This Time A 1965 Heavy Duty......

1967Craftsman's

1967Craftsman's

Tractorologist
Member
Hi Everyone,

Today my stepdad and I made the trek to Rehoboth M.A. for a 1965 Craftsman "Heavy Duty" tractor. The fella I bought it from is named Ben who has a YouTube channel, and is mainly into Wheel Horses and is also on the Redsquare tractor forum. The first time I saw this tractor in one of Ben's videos back in December I told myself I have to get it, mainly because of the deck that was on it that I wanted for my 10hp 857 because it don't have one. Ben said that his friends grandfather bought the tractor I assume brand new and Ben got it from the junkyard. The tractor has been sitting outside at Ben's house for at least 3 months because he has a 2nd one of these he is selling painted JD green and he got that 3 months ago, and he said the one I got was for parts. My personal plan on this tractor is to start on it next year in 2024 or maybe sooner AFTER my 6hp 855 Craftsman is all done and restored, get it running, and keep it patina'ed for awhile, then maybe restore it or resell it at some point in a few years. Although plans could change. Pictures will be posted soon......
 
1967Craftsman's said:
Hi Everyone,

Today my stepdad and I made the trek to Rehoboth M.A. for a 1965 Craftsman "Heavy Duty" tractor. The fella I bought it from is named Ben who has a YouTube channel, and is mainly into Wheel Horses and is also on the Redsquare tractor forum. The first time I saw this tractor in one of Ben's videos back in December I told myself I have to get it, mainly because of the deck that was on it that I wanted for my 10hp 857 because it don't have one. Ben said that his friends grandfather bought the tractor I assume brand new and Ben got it from the junkyard. The tractor has been sitting outside at Ben's house for at least 3 months because he has a 2nd one of these he is selling painted JD green and he got that 3 months ago, and he said the one I got was for parts. My personal plan on this tractor is to start on it next year in 2024 or maybe sooner AFTER my 6hp 855 Craftsman is all done and restored, get it running, and keep it patina'ed for awhile, then maybe restore it or resell it at some point in a few years. Although plans could change. Pictures will be posted soon......
Click to expand...
A 58 year old lawn tractor. wow.

Yes, pixs of it now would be super.
 
Toomanytoys84 said:
You can’t post about a tractor and not post pictures!
Click to expand...

They will come soon, probably sometime next week just not right now. I probably got at least 14 pictures of it though. I unfortunately can't post them right now because I can't post pictures from my phone, (which is where I originally made this post and is where I'm typing now) and I can't get to my computer because there is a bunch of stuff from our living room in front of where the computer is because we are doing our living room carpet over hopefully this week. That's a whole nother aggrievating story.

On a separate note on the tractor though is that it's actually in pretty good shape, and maybe even a tad better than my 6hp 855 Craftsman I'm currently restoring. Unless someone else is more knowledgeable than me about these tractors please correct me if I'm wrong, l'm 99% pretty sure (although I maybe wrong) that the motor on it is not original. I say this because the gas tank is plastic on top on the outside and not metal, the muffler is in a weird place in the center of the front of the motor although the muffler itself looks original, it has a different recoil on it than an original, one nut is holding the front on the motor on one side and the other is something else, and it has not one but 2 oil dipsticks.
 
Hi Everyone,

Great news...... I'm finally back typing on my computer again today and our new carpet has been installed. Here are some photos of the new tractor as requested, first up are pictures of it in the back of my stepdads truck coming home with some pictures of the hood out of the truck once we got it home. I will try and explain why the left rear axle is missing in the 2nd picture in the next post below......


new tractor 1.jpg


new tractor 2.jpg






The hood is actually in pretty good shape EXCEPT Ben said that the side was cut out. By the way I'm looking for the emblem that goes in the middle of the hood, if anyone has one or know who does please reply or PM me here. Thank you.......

new tractor 3.jpg


new tractor 4.jpg
 
So, where do I start with this axle story? Quite honestly i'm not too sure how the axle got out of it in the first place, Ben just had it laying on the seat in multiple pictures of the tractor when he showed his outside collection online cause after all he personally said that it was a parts tractor. It was rusty when we got it, BUT it was a very easy fix. We sanded the axle down with an abrasive cloth type stuff that comes in a roll and sprayed lots of PB blaster in the hub and hammered the axle out of the hub. We did this a few weeks ago so it's hard to remember especially this late at night, but I believe the problem was that the axle gear wasn't smooth on the edges so it wouldn't go in the rear-end, so we grinded it smooth and it slid right back in place in the rear-end. The transmission goes into only 3 gears, reverse 1st and 2nd though so I will go through the transmission at a later date. I will ask my stepdad exactly what we did to confirm though. All this being said with the axle being off and the tires flat, and the tires and inside the hub being rusty, and PB blaster soaking in the hub there was LOTS of brown rusty lookin' water spraying out of the valve stem when we put air in the tire to try and put it in the backyard so it could go in the shed, and this was the mess it left.......


new tractor 5.jpg
 
Hi Everyone,

I confirmed with my stepdad on what we had to do with the tractor for the axle. We had to grind the axle shaft because Ben ripped it out and beat on it with a hammer. Anyway I got more pictures as well, this was the next day after we got it home when e put it in the backyard so it could go in my shed.......

new trator 6.jpg



new tractor 7.jpg


new tractor 8.jpg


new tractor 9.jpg


new tractor 10.jpg


new tractor 11.jpg


new tractor 12.jpg
 
1967Craftsman's said:
Hi Everyone,

I confirmed with my stepdad on what we had to do with the tractor for the axle. We had to grind the axle shaft because Ben ripped it out and beat on it with a hammer. Anyway I got more pictures as well, this was the next day after we got it home when e put it in the backyard so it could go in my shed.......

View attachment 66793



View attachment 66794


View attachment 66795


View attachment 66796


View attachment 66797


View attachment 66798


View attachment 66799
Click to expand...
Its in respectable condition for its age.

I'm surprised at the OE effort for the engine mounting bracket help to the fuel tank with two screws into the plastic.

The deck exit chute looks impressive, like it would never ever clog with that shape. Thanks a bunch for sharing.
 
Pictures of the engine oil dipsticks that I believe that there are 2 of as you probably noticed in my 2nd to last picture in my last post, and that make me 95% think the engine is not original unless someone else knows otherwise. I never seen or heard of anything like this before. I pulled both them and they have oil on them..... black but oil. The 2nd picture is of the dipstick most towards the back of the engine nearest the gas tank behind the pulley, and in my opinion the main stick. Anybody know? Anyways these are all the pictures I got of the tractor for now, more to come hopefully soon......


new tractor 13.jpg


new tractor 14.jpg


new tractor 15.jpg
 
Last edited:
BMaverick said:
Its in respectable condition for its age.

I'm surprised at the OE effort for the engine mounting bracket help to the fuel tank with two screws into the plastic.

The deck exit chute looks impressive, like it would never ever clog with that shape. Thanks a bunch for sharing.
Click to expand...

I agree, for sitting outside as long as it did it looks really good. I honestly think that bracket is kinda silly lookin, but I got another engine that has that same bracket in the same place too. The exit chute was like that on all the Craftsman and Sears mowers and tractors in the 60's, and in my opnion no it never clogs because my stepdad mowed the lawn with his Craftsman with this type of chute and it mowed fine although the deck caught a lot of grass and it had to be cleaned off again. What I think is weird on this tractor is that the front of the deck is being hung up on the tractor by cotter pins which is correct, but the back of the deck is being held up by nails. I will try to get a picture of that soon and post it. Thank you for the compliment too by the way.
 
Looks like a cool tractor! That engine does look like a repower. I think it may be a mid to late 1970's. Tecumseh obviously. Can you get the numbers from on top of the blower housing? I have a 1978 Tec 10 HP in my 1965 Massey Ferguson Executive.

Someone just ran out of cotter pins working on it at some time and used nails in place of them. Happens all the time!

Thanks for showing us your new project!

DAC
 
MFDAC said:
Looks like a cool tractor! That engine does look like a repower. I think it may be a mid to late 1970's. Tecumseh obviously. Can you get the numbers from on top of the blower housing? I have a 1978 Tec 10 HP in my 1965 Massey Ferguson Executive.

DAC
Click to expand...


Thank you for the compliment DAC, upon first inspection I did not see any numbers anywhere on the engine saying what the engine is but I will look again and let you know.
 
4getgto said:
Right up your alley...looks pretty good..
Will agree with Doug . Don't think the motor is original to the tractor..not a bad thing...and the hood maybe was cut to fit this motor ?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the compliment Bill, I appreciate it. I would say it's up my alley yes, but as I said before I may sell it at some point in the future. I'm not sure I'm still debating, who knows I may fall in love with it and keep it. I'm pretty sure that was the case here yes, although Ben didn't directly come out and tell me that. I'm gonna try and get in touch with him again and see if he has the original engine from his John Deere green lookin' one of these and see if he wants to sell it.
 
Most of those "square housing" Tecumseh engines had the number on top of the blower housing. This 10 HP engine was out of a big Craftsman walk-behind snowblower. The 110V electric starter switch covers part of the number.
MF 8E 11-9-11 001.jpg MF 8E 11-9-11 002.jpg

The switch has to be removed to see it all. Of course your engine does not have that switch but most of this era engines had the number in that location. That is a Sears number though, not Tecumseh. Might be in that spot on your engine.
DSCN4991.JPG

DAC
 
MFDAC said:
Most of those "square housing" Tecumseh engines had the number on top of the blower housing. This 10 HP engine was out of a big Craftsman walk-behind snowblower. The 110V electric starter switch covers part of the number.
View attachment 66894 View attachment 66895

The switch has to be removed to see it all. Of course your engine does not have that switch but most of this era engines had the number in that location. That is a Sears number though, not Tecumseh. Might be in that spot on your engine.
View attachment 66893

DAC
Click to expand...


Nope sorry DAC, no number to be found there from what I can see.......


no number.jpg
 
I just learned thanks to a member on another tractor forum that the 2 dipsticks mean and I quote, "the manufacturer can mount the engine in a position where the equipment blocks one or the other dipstick." Hmmm interesting, and good to know
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top