Ariens GT12 Tractor

[Fordlords]

A friend in town has offered me an Ariens GT12 garden tractor free for the taking. He says it runs and looks OK but will need a new mower deck.

The only things I have figured out with these is that they have the cast iron Kohler 12 HP K301 and a hydrostatic drive, and were also made under the Sperry-Rand and New Holland names. He said he thinks it was made in the late 70's or early 80's, and most of the big name GT's from that era was very well made. Does anyone here know if these were good machines worthy of me refurbishing like I did with the 682? Any info well appreciated as I'm still a green sprout to this hobby

-Fordlords-

[Bigdog]

Unless it is totally worn out it would be worth rebuilding.

[Fordlords]

I looked at it today, and is is an early 70's one hood only had the Sperry-Rand name on it, and it is green and gold- like the one in this ad except a 12 HP version:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1971-New-Holland-Sp ... dZViewItem

It started- It ran fairly well with no oil smoke (just needs tune-up)-It drives- It is heavily built. It sure needs new paint! (not rusted but badly faded.) The deck is totally repairable IMHO, housing not rotted out but rusty, one spindle completely blown apart which is really the only thing rendering it useless as a work machine at the moment but spindles are easy to find and replace.

Because the price is right, (friend's dad bought new tractor and just wants it off the property) I am probably going to take the tractor and just repair it to sell, just for the sake of having something to do now that my Cub is complete It is sort of a cool looking little GT!

-Fordlords-