School me on an old WD, please

it's hard to say. If it's a WD, the newest it could be is a 1953. You have to remember that it is at least a 68 year old tractor.

The way we rake the larger windrows is a little different- we run half the row into the New Holland 57, so we get two windrows that our balers can handle. Last year, the barley crops here weren't very good at all, so the rows were thin enough that we just used the Deere 670 rake to flip them (The type of taking you prefer). The problem with using the 670 on the large rows to split is that the ground drive tire always seems to plug with the volume. That's why I think your uncle and I are thinking the same exact thing- that a Ford 8N would just push the windrow on the front axle. I'm thinking something like a WD or WD45 wouldn't be too much wider to really cause a problem with a rake, but it would be taller, so it should clear the windrow. That's just my guess though

I will throw in two pennys too.

Depending on the capacity of the small sq baler, and if you use a flat rack, or thrower wagons, of drop the bales on the ground, a WD can operate a baler.

Sugarmaker is right- the oldest tractor I've driven is a 1962. I know that in the 10 years from when they last made these to 1962, a LOT changed on tractors. This could be the first tractor I ever touch that I'd call a "Vintage" one. I know a lot of people would argue that a Case 830 and Oliver 1800A are vintage, but to me, it's a modern-type tractor, just a bit more crude that what came later.

Good Luck! I have brought home way worse. But with the changes and things mentioned she may be a winter project for you to get back to good working order. Translate that into $2000 additional stuff you could do to get it ready for days in the field raking which it will do but maybe not day one. 

Edited by Sugarmaker - 14 Jun 2021 at 5:54am

I think the WD would do what you need it to do, no problem.   But I’m prejudiced, I love the WD series.   That seat looks like it has a shock under it, so it may ride better than the original. If tractors are that hard to find in your area, I’d get it, and plan on going through the fuel system, the carbs are really easy to rebuild and other parts are plentiful.   If you bought it and hated it, you could resell it and probably get your money back. I’ve used a WD for years and love them, even though I will admit they are not the most comfortable tractor To drive, but you get used to it.
Good luck with your decision. In my area it would have an asking price of around $2000, but would be negotiable, I know prices vary greatly by location.    It if you could get it for $1500 or less, I think it would be a safe gamble. As long as you don’t mind doing a little work on it, these old tractors always need something, I would at least rebuild the carb and go from there, but it wasn’t smoking or knocking, the hydraulics worked and the 3 point didn’t look to bad.
Again. Good luck.

I've heard from a lot of people that the hand clutch/power director is great for baling. Now, on these WD's and WD45's, I assume the hand clutch is the same thing as the later Power Directors like the D-Series and 100 series tractors had pretty much, right?

To be clear the WD does not have a Power Director. It is only an in-out transmission/rear end clutch that allows the PTO and hydraulics to continue to be powered. There is no hi-lo like you would have in a D-17, for example. You may already know this but I couldn't be 100% sure from your posts - don't want you to be counting on a hi-lo function that isn't there!

Think you should be looking for a good 170 diesel. They run cheap on fuel, has mechanical hand clutch and live hydraulics, wide front and will ride a lot better....  Or find a D15 or D17 IV with factory 3PT

The auction date is a week from Wednesday, so nobody's bought it yet. Right now, the bid is cheap at like $100 or so, but you know what they say about auctions- you just never know.

The neighbor runs a Deere S670 and two 9600's. The S670 and one 9600 get 30 foot headers, and the other 9600 gets a 25 foot. We're in NW Wyoming, so we flood irrigate here. The irrigation produces thick barley to start with, and the giant headers leave massive windrows

The auction was today, and well, I own the WD. It sold for $725

I see they make a step you can buy that mounts to the side rail on these so you can climb on from the side. How good are those? Convenient and handy to have, or not really usable?