Rare Contemporary UFT Walk Behind

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

While looking through CL last month, I spotted an ad for an interesting tiller only an hour away. I recognized the brand and was pleasantly surprised with the photos. It wasn't just a tiller, it was a United Farm Tools "Mountaineer" with the tiller attachment. The deal was actually made three weeks ago but weather, trips to the hospital (not me!), etc. prolonged the event.

 

There were only about 1,300 tractors manufactured by the L&G division of UFT in Charleston, West Virginia. The Mountaineer was designed by former Gravely employees and corrected some of the engineering idiosyncrasies of the Gravely. It has eight forward ground speeds and four reverse. The powertrain can be disconnected which eliminated Gravely creep plus it has headlights among other improvements. They used Kohler 8 and 12 hp K-series engines. A number of attachments were produced including a three blade 40" mower deck. The interesting part is that the mounting was identical to the Gravely so powered attachments could be interchanged between the brands.

 

This is an 88E with an electric start K-181S. The serial tag is missing but I dated the engine to 1980. It currently doesn't run plus has two flat tires. It made for an interesting move. The starting point had a forklift whereupon it slipped off and tumbled onto its side in the dirt. Didn't want to record that poo-poo, but there was no damage. Then when I got it to the house, I needed to utilize "Cisco" with the HF crane along with Scott's and Tom's receiver hitch plus crane adapter. (The tractor weighs 445 pounds so that speaks well for the hitch and adapter!) It actually went a lot better than I had expected on my end. I lowered it onto HF car dollies after lifting it out of the trailer until I can get to the tires. The weather also cooperated with 72 degrees on December 1st!

 

The tractor is in surprisingly good shape externally. The colors look like a Kubota-orange with medium dark metallic blue.  Hopefully it was something minor that sidelined it as parts for the tractor portion will be next to nil on availability. I never thought that I would see one due to being unique yet alone own one. It will probably be a project next year as there are three tractors ahead of it right now.

 

Here is a brochure: http://gravelymanuals.com/pdf/Mountaineer_Tractor_And_Attachments.pdf

 

[RMCIII 838]

I saw a UTF walk behind, about a month ago, in Cleveland. It had the snow blade attachment. Not nearly as nice shape as yours.

 

Rob

[C-101plowerpower 1,605]

great looking machine you've got there John  

maybe you should come over to MOM http://myoldmachine.com/ and show em off there too

 

 

Koen

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Another nice "half a tractor" score John...    

low slung to the ground, definitely looks like it means business. 

[RMCIII 838]

Still looking, but came across this while trying to locate the UFT walk behind.

 

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/grd/4727476349.html

[RMCIII 838]

Attachemnts:

 

http://mansfield.craigslist.org/grd/4738491536.html

[slim67 2,735]

I seem to be the guy bumping up the old threads but someones got to do it. How is this project going? Or have you had time to start it? I used Gravely walkbehinds on my prior job and they are bulletproof. Gravely had an attachment for just abouit any chore. Built to last and made in the USA.