David Bradley two wheel garden tractors
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Topic: David Bradley two wheel garden tractors
Posted By: Orange Glow
Subject: David Bradley two wheel garden tractors
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2018 at 9:17pm
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I went to an estate sale last weekend, mainly to pick up some good deals on John Deere garden tractors. But, the day after the sale, I went back to pick up my second half load of them, and one of the few other bidders on lawn and garden machines was right ahead of me, picking up his stuff. I had bought two plows, one sleeve hitch, and one David Bradley. I didn’t have any David Bradley’s, but this plow went to the one on the sale. I didn’t even bid on it, as it went before the plows. But anyway, I went and asked the fellow if he wanted the plow to go with the David Bradley, since he bought the machine, and I got an answer I didn’t like. He said everything he bought was all going to the scrapper, as that is what he has been doing for 15 years, going to auctions and buying cheap stuff and hauling it to be recycled. So, since I like working on and using old machines like those, I told him I’d take it for what he gave, $5. He agreed, and he had already made some return on investment by selling the hood. I also bought his three John Deere garden tractors and decks, along with a very unique Jari self-drive sickle mower. Anyway, I really can’t find a whole lot of information on them, and am wondering if anyone one here has one? |
Replies:
Posted By: Hubert (Ga)engine7
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2018 at 9:38pm
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I have had one for years and use it every year in the garden. These were made in the late 40's up to the mid 50's IIRC and were some tough and handy units. Most common implements were dozer blade, front sickle bar mower, turning plow, opening plow, and cultivator. I am currently looking for new wheels and tires for mine (50+ year old tires finally gave up). I will see if I can find any literature on these and make a copy for you. ------------- Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2018 at 9:57pm
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That's horrible. I wish something awful upon those guys that buy good equipment of any color just to haul it to the scrapper! It's a shame he sold the hood, as that's a somewhat hard to find piece in good condition. Since it had a hood, that tells me it's an earlier model, such as a 5751, 5752, Super Power, or Super 3. There may have been another or two that had a hood, but that's all I can think of at the moment. If you get a chance, upload pics and the serial number tag, as that will help with ID'ing it. I have a very early 1946 DB 5751, which was the first post-war model they made. It's fairly basic...1 fixed speed forward, no reverse. Later ones had a variable speed and reversing mechanism. I restored it a few years ago, and have a disc, harrow, and an early hanging-style cultivator for it. I've used it in my garden quite a bit, and like Hubert said, it's a great machine and bullet proof. Once you get it up and going, you'll love it!
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Posted By: dawntreader74
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2018 at 11:30pm
| also got david bradleys; got some hoods to sell. an other parts |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 12:06am
| I have a newer Troy Built self propelled with a sickle mower on it, prolly has about 50 hours on it from new. guess it's for sale! |
Posted By: chaskaduo
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 12:12am
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This site has a lot of info, manuals, etc. You'll need to sign up for their forum. http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/files/category/130-david-bradley/?sort_order=ASC&sort_key=file_name&num=15&filter_key=all" rel="nofollow - - http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/files/category/130-david-bradley/?sort_order=ASC&sort_key=file_name&num=15&filter_key=all ------------- 1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 7:15pm
| If you need an engine I have one from a DB for sale. PM me if interested. |
Posted By: Wdtractorman
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 8:48pm
| Got 4 know real handy little units i find i can cultivate my garden faster with my db than with my troy bilt horse tiller. I use mine all the time, and stay on the lookout for more all the time. |
Posted By: Orange Glow
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 9:24pm
     It looks like it is a 917 5751 series 181. I don’t know for sure what all I’ll need for it, to make it run. The engine spins, but I haven’t had enough time to look much deeper today, as I have been cleaning the barn to put several garden tractors in. I have seen several places that sell new tires for it, and I do know I’ll need a hood. Dawntreader, how much for a hood? Creston, I’ll try and get this engine running, but if that doesn’t work, I’ll be sure to let you know. Thank you for the offer, I may have to take you up on it!! I’ll also try and become a member of garden tractor talk. Thank you for recommending that! Thank you all for the replies and information, it is very well appreciated! |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 9:46pm
| Well, the thing with my engine is it was supposedly overhauled by the PO, and it just needs the carb and aircleaner to make it run. I don't have the carb and air cleaner, and decided to repower with a Harbor Freight 3 hp engine. You could use my engine and your carb/air cleaner to make a good engine I would think. |
Posted By: Wdtractorman
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 10:32pm
| That a really good looking unit. There use to be a really good db website that give you rundown one the model numbers, but iv not ben able to find it for a while. I would guess its a late 40s by the wheels and that it had a hood. Interesting fact those could be the original tire,bc when they sold them new it was an option to get them with no tires to save money. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2018 at 10:51pm
| What you have is a 5751, the first model produced after the war. Production began in 1946 but I'm not sure when it ended. The website Wdtractorman is talking about used to have it listed, but like him I am unable to find it these days. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 2:01am
| July 11 Big Iron sale has a Gravely with attachments |
Posted By: ac fleet
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 8:49pm
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I have and use several DB and also Bolens, snd wards/simp.--- they all good walkers for the garden. thanks; ac fleet |
Posted By: steelwheelAcjim
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 9:17pm
Just seen the post. What do you need to know? Aside from Allis, I also collect David Bradley's. ------------- Pre-WW2 A-C tractors on steel wheels...because I'm too cheap to buy tires! |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 9:43pm
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GREAT collection there, Jim!! Can't say I've ever seen a Graham Bradley in person, though. What are your tractor models and what implements do you have?
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Posted By: kenbob
Date Posted: 23 Jun 2018 at 10:39pm
| That Jari was made in Minnesota...might still be made there. I am looking hard for a sickle bar mower. You don't happen to be close to kansas city do you? |
Posted By: Orange Glow
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2018 at 8:48pm
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Well, I have been still trying to get everything packed away, and along with everything else life brings, haven’t had time to work more on the David Bradley. Where is a good place to get tires for it? I’m going to get the Ag ones. I have ordered from m.e. Miller tire, and might do that, or maybe I’ll talk to the local tire shop. Next, I need a place to get some parts, such as points, and probably a carb kit. Bob Blin may have them, but I need to look for sure. Then, I need to find out what the original colors are, and where to get the paint. I have a sandblaster, and a HVLP paint gun, so all I need is some paint and some time!! Jim, that is a great looking collection!!! I hope I can get mine to look close to what yours do! I really love working on small engines, as I now own 35 garden tractors, including an A-C Big Ten, a later B-10, and a 616 hydro lawn tractor. The rest are John Deere’s, which does run in my family, even though I’m a rebel with my third cousin collecting Allis’s. Almost everyone in my family besides my great-great uncle and his son (my cousin) has owned at least one Allis along with the Deere’s. So, my ‘35 WC on full steel, ‘53 CA with Artsway 6’ mower, and ‘55 Wd45 with many implements get along great! Dawntreader, I might well be interested in a hood, if we can get it to SW Iowa reasonably. Kenbob, that Jari mower is quite a creature, but I had given it to my brother, and he wants to use it if he can get it running. And with the sickle mower on the David Bradley, I think I might keep it with the tractor, because I like to have toys to play with (at least for a little while) when I put a machine back together. I live in SW Iowa, so it is a road trip between us! From the way it looks, there are a few collectors on here, and it looks like Mr. Shameless has a Troy built he might part with..... I will become a member of that place, it looks like a great place to get good information also! Thank you for all the replies!!! |
Posted By: kenbob
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2018 at 9:22pm
| We go from here to NW Iowa every month, either up 29 or 59. If I can find a sickle bar mower anywhere along that route I would be up for it. A couple of troy's (the smaller ones) sold for about $300 each here in the KC area but I was too slow on the draw. I bid on a Jari on a sale that probably needed a new motor and quit at $125. I could tell the other guy wasn't going to quit and I though with a Harbor freight 100 mystery motor a total investment of 225 was chancy. I don't need a multi tool like the David Bradley's, though it would be cool to have one with a plow. |
Posted By: allis g
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2018 at 9:53am
| I have a 1936 Bearcat on steel with all the implements. Found it in a friends poison oak patch in Paso. Still looking for a lausen TLC239 engine for it. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2018 at 12:08pm
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I think the original red paint is a pretty close match to Massey Ferguson red. I've heard guys say red, with a slight orange tint. As to the green, I've heard to mix Deere green and yellow 50/50. Perhaps Jim will share what he uses.
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Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2018 at 3:39am
| don't green and yellow mixed together make blue? |
Posted By: Hubert (Ga)engine7
Date Posted: 27 Jun 2018 at 4:34am
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Blue and yellow make green. IIRC ------------- Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God. |
Posted By: Wdtractorman
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2018 at 8:22pm
The deutz green iv hurd is a good match for green. I got my tires off ebay they are bkz tires i think. http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/wdtractorman1984/media/Mobile%20Uploads/73AF1C06-4273-48B1-A1C8-326F39E750EB_zps1bnphi3h.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Orange Glow
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2018 at 8:59pm
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Yes, yellow and blue make green. I might try that and see if it looks close with a small batch. Massy’s look about the right color, so I may just use that red also. I am going to get some tires coming before too long. Kenbob, I really wish I knew that you were looking for a sickle bar, I could’ve picked up three more from that sale!! I thought about it, but then got to thinking how I really didn’t need any more projects, and I was thinking that someone else might want to buy something off the sale, as I had bought 15 garden tractors plus the David Bradley, a push mower, and that Jari for my brother. If I’d known where they were headed though, I would have picked them up. The scrap man had already loaded a bunch of the stuff before I got there. Wdtractorman, the Duetz green might be a tad bright, but then again, dirt and rust is what’s making the original darker! Maybe I’ll see what they have at the AGCO dealer next time I’m up there. It sure would be a lot easier to pick up a can than to try and mix the green and yellow, and it would be able to be matched, too. But, the AGCO dealer is a pretty long road trip from here. Those tires look nice! How much were they? Miller tire has the right size, and some of their products are cheaper than Amazon. I’m thinking about getting them from them since they are a good business to deal with. Thank you for all the good information!!! |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2018 at 9:17pm
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Orange glow, Yes have one of these too.   Family tractor. Just needed carb work and one of the dogs in the wheel replaced. Also got new wheels for the cultivator from a fellow on the garden tractor talk forum. Good guys there too! Good rubber in those old tires, mine are original I think, and have very little checking. Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: Orange Glow
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2018 at 10:04pm
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That’s a great looking original one! Those tires are really nice, especially if they are original! They must have been taken care of. I have been trying to become a member of gardentractortalk, but I had a problem with the security deal saying it was shut down. So it wouldn’t let me. I messaged another member that is mutually a member of a John Deere forum, to see if could tell the moderators. I’ll try again tomorrow and see if works then. |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2018 at 6:18am
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OG, The garden tractor form has a portion dedicated to the David Bradley machines. Good luck with your machine and hut for parts. Lots of these were made. About like Allis machines. Mine might get passed down to my great grandson who would be the 6th generation in the family, since the DB was new. Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: Orange Glow
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2018 at 8:42pm
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For some reason, I still can’t register to GTT. From the one mutual member that I messaged on another forum, he said GTT got sold, and the new owners aren’t responding to the administrators or fixing any problems very good. I see on there that many moderators are resigning and the staff are quitting, and several other people aren’t very happy with the new ownership either. So, I guess I can’t become a member, at least until the problems are fixed. According to the security deal’s website, the one on GTT’s site is an outdated one that was supposed to be upgraded a few months ago. I feel for the admins and moderators, as they have probably been quite frustrated from the problems. I guess I’ll just have to read on there from the outside! 
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Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 29 Jun 2018 at 9:10pm
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OG, Thanks for the update on GTT. Was a pretty good site for small lawn and garden equipment. Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |