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My New Toy |
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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Posted: 27 Nov 2010 at 7:52pm |
It's not an AC but it is cool none the less. This Gravely belonged to my grandpa who has had it for several decades. He no longer has a use for it so he decided to give it to us. This old Gravely runs like a champ and can mow anything that it can push over.
I don't know alot about it other than it is a Gravely Super Convertible. Does anyone on here know anything about them? It's not the prettiest thing out there but I like it.
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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BennyLumpkin
Orange Level Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Location: Centre Hall, PA Points: 2657 |
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I have one and several attachments....what do you want to know? They have a Graveley Engine, yours being a Super Convertible vs being a Convertible is the addition of electric start...at least thats all I've ever figured it to be. Mines a bit newer with the white hood...a 76 model year I think it was....I have a mower deck, snow blade, rotory plow, rototiller, and mine is a dual wheel...they are an add on though...I just stopped storing one for my buddy thats a twin to mine but his has a finish deck, brush hog, rotory plow, snow blade and snow blower..and both have Sulkies( the seat attachment to ride behind these. Your Gravely has what looks to be the same finish deck I have but its been chopped up a bit....any questions just let me know....Gravely's are my second favorite to AC
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Central PA Allis Express
1934 WC254 1945 WF 1945 WC135755 1951 WD68085 1953 WD45-150217 1957 WD45D-230744D B110 |
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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Here's the burning question. Should I clean it up and keep it as is being that it is origional or should I go for giving it a new paint job? About the mower deck, it is one of those things where you would have to meet my grandpa. He is one of those people who like to Afro engineer everything. |
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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BennyLumpkin
Orange Level Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Location: Centre Hall, PA Points: 2657 |
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well its matter of opinion....its just like our AC's....these darn Gravely's are the oddest thing.....check out ebay....they go crazy sometimes....these things in original condition are bringing 1000.00 and up....I've seen as high as 8K for a walk behind with some good attachments...its crazy!
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Central PA Allis Express
1934 WC254 1945 WF 1945 WC135755 1951 WD68085 1953 WD45-150217 1957 WD45D-230744D B110 |
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BennyLumpkin
Orange Level Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Location: Centre Hall, PA Points: 2657 |
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oh and do some research on attachments for these things....some SUPER strange ones....like a chainsaw attachment. I just remembered I have a set of cultivators for mine as well....I'll never use them but they were bought with it new by the Preacher I bought the whole collection off of.
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Central PA Allis Express
1934 WC254 1945 WF 1945 WC135755 1951 WD68085 1953 WD45-150217 1957 WD45D-230744D B110 |
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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This old Gravely ad shows some of the attachments. It is crazy that Gravely still makes a product similar to this today. Even crazier still is that all of the old attachments will work on the new one and visa versa.
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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Don M SEIA
Silver Level Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Location: Danville, Iowa Points: 119 |
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We had one with the older still hood, the battery was out on top in the front. The mower deck has been modified for mowing big tall weeds, be very carefull around people and things. Don
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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Oh, I almost forgot. Where is the serial number located on this? Do you know of a place where I can find the year out with the serial number?
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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DREAM
Orange Level Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Location: Elberton,GA Points: 1828 |
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Nice looking Gravely. I wish I still had mine. Had the sulky and mower deck with it. It is literally a small bush-hog. The guy that came up with the DR rough cut mower had to have copied the design of it to a degree.
A word of advice. When using the sulky, beware of turning uphill. Handlebar will cause some serious hurt to the man-marbles. Don't ask how I know that. LOL!
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I didn't do it! It was a short, fat, tall, skinny guy that looked like me!
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JohnCO
Orange Level Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Niwot Colo Points: 8992 |
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If it were mine, I think I'd just pressure wash the grease and dirt off and change the oil and stuff and run it. Usually they run just as well when they are faded and scratched as they do all painted up. It also depends on how you remember it when your grandpa ran it,
was it shiny and new or a but faded in it's work clothes. |
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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
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Fred in Pa
Orange Level Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Location: Hanover Pa. Points: 9210 |
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Being it was your Grandpa's,I myself would clean it up good a keep it as it is.You can remenber it just as he used it .It's not all beat up ,Look's nice as it is.
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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Thanks for the advice. I can already see that under alot of that grease still lies some shiny paint. So I may just leave it as is because my grandpa has never had anything that was new and shiny. You know, if given the choice I don't even think he would paint it. It has been through hard times just like him and the Great Depression.
Now all I need is a new battery and a sulky and it would be a good show piece
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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JohnCinMd
Orange Level Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Westminster, Md Points: 1438 |
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Around here the sulky seats sell at a premium. Guys fix them up & run them one behind the other behind a small tractor at the shows, sometimes 3,4, or 5 in a line.
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Bill Long
Orange Level Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Bel Air, MD Points: 4556 |
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If this is your GRANDFATHER'S TRACTOR I would restore it. Don't let it get away. You know, in this area the Gravely was one of our biggest competitors. In fact, I own one. Used it to cut lawn and plow snow on Pop's place.
Heavy duty unit. Tough.
Good Luck!
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wjohn
Orange Level Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Location: KS Points: 2050 |
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If you haven't found it already, http://www.oldgravelys.net has a ton of online pdf manuals. If the serial number isn't on a plate on the gas tank, then I think it's newer than 1966 (also if the spark plug is vertical and not slanted it should be post '66). They're very useful machines... I'm trying to find one now. They're not very common where I live.
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1939 B, 1940 B, 1941 WC, 1951 WD, 1952 CA, 1956 WD-45
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dustinmo
Orange Level Access Joined: 12 Sep 2009 Location: Auxvasse, MO Points: 2187 |
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I have a deck like the one in the pic with the dolly wheels and a seat, what would something like that be worth I dont need it and never will, so someone who could use it or want it should have it, i live in central MO
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SHAMELESS
Orange Level Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Location: EAST NE Points: 29486 |
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lookin good '37!! you should git sum exercize with that unit!!
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GADinMD
Bronze Level Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Location: Severna Park MD Points: 33 |
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The Gravely Club Yahoo group has been around for years. They are the best source of Gravely information, almost a cult following like another brand I know. All the data, manuals, and folks who know how to do almost anything to and with these great machines.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gravelyclub/ One of my fellow railroaders had an apt saying, "A Gravely will make a man out of you!" They provide healthy exercise to those who operate and maintain them. Edited by GADinMD - 29 Nov 2010 at 6:50am |
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-Gordon in Maryland
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Ken in Texas
Orange Level Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Henderson, TX Points: 5919 |
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A Gravely. When I was a kid in highschool I worked for a neighbor who had a walk behind with a power plow attachement. It was a like a tiller set at a angle to churn up the soil and leave a furrow. He was in the business of planting multiflora rose living fences. I walked many a mile, many days, behind this god aweful machine getting fence lines ready to plant. Can't say I loved my job. I graduated HS in 58 and it "Made a Man out of Me"
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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Yeah, my cousin who has 2 of them said that they will drag you anywhere they can go and he told me that the sulky is nice. On the other hand he said that it will cut better than most Bush Hogs. The way I see it Gravelys are like AC tractors, you can polish them up and show it but they are ment to be worked even if they are 40 or 73 years old.
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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Rick of HopeIN
Orange Level Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Location: Hope, Indiana Points: 1324 |
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neat machine. I always thought the rotary plow was a slick idea.
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1951 B, 1937 WC, 1957 D14, -- Thanks and God Bless
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DREAM
Orange Level Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Location: Elberton,GA Points: 1828 |
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Yeah, if you're gonna use it, don't paint it. You will be sad the first time it drags you into a briar patch. Both of you will come out screaming, spitting out briars, and scratched nine ways from Sunday, but you will come out none the less. Those things don't stop when you get them going. I believe that engine had around 11 or 12 HP(can't remember exactly), and you will think it's got 100. Very torquey. Hard to stall down. I once ran over a piece of rebar when I was helping a friend clear a small lot. Sounded like a couple of gunshots went off, then the end of that rebar came out from under there(came out the front, luckily for me) and went straight through the metal siding of his little outbuilding. The blade is so thick and tough it didn't even bend it. Couple of nice gaps in the cutting edges though.
Remember, this thing is like your WC, it has no safety switches. When you put it in reverse, it is coming backward, so make sure of your footing, and that you aren't boxing yourself in against anything. Always check before pushing that clutch lever.
Have fun. Be safe.
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I didn't do it! It was a short, fat, tall, skinny guy that looked like me!
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Juston
Bronze Level Joined: 28 Nov 2010 Location: Chewelah,WA Points: 4 |
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Prety nice, I have never seen one before.
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GADinMD
Bronze Level Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Location: Severna Park MD Points: 33 |
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The forward-reverse lever can snap over center for either direction. You can adjust the reverse so that it has to be held in position and doesn't snap over center. I didn't like that at first, but after being nearly pinned in position a few times with my snow blower on an L-8, I set it that way and now it seems just fine.
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-Gordon in Maryland
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Jamie (KY)
Silver Level Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Location: So Cen KY Points: 150 |
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Very cool looking machine! I've never seen one before. I have a nice little hillside that needs cleaned up and that sure would do the job. Let me know when your coming to the West side of the state and I'll let you demonstrate how it all works. LOL
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Just when I thought I was finishing my "honey-do-list", she turned the page!!!
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AllisChalmers37
Orange Level Joined: 11 Jul 2010 Location: London,KY Points: 1846 |
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Oh, one last thing. What was the correct paint scheme for this thing? Is it supposed to be all red or orange,what ever it is? Every picture of a Gravely that looks anything like that is white.
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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BennyLumpkin
Orange Level Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Location: Centre Hall, PA Points: 2657 |
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it depends on the year....yours probably is the color it is supposed to be.....mine is the same as the last pic you posted with the white hood
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Central PA Allis Express
1934 WC254 1945 WF 1945 WC135755 1951 WD68085 1953 WD45-150217 1957 WD45D-230744D B110 |
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GADinMD
Bronze Level Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Location: Severna Park MD Points: 33 |
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Both of the photos in this thread show correct paint, and both are either original or very close. The Super Convertible with the off-white hood is earlier. It has a great original Gravely "Muffle-Tone Silencer." It is very important, with that silencer, to make sure that the outlet end is supported by its bracket. Otherwise it will break the exhaust pipe flange off at the engine block.
I tried taking the original muffler and piping it to point forward, away from my ears, using an ell and a nipple, and that was my unfortunate result. Our local shop had a very good welder who had seen that before and knew exactly what to do. |
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-Gordon in Maryland
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