By
Theroundhousernr
Last Saturday , I went for a drive to go pick up a 417A in decent shape. Turns out it had a series I replacement motor and someone swapped the air cleaner and stuff from the blown series II. Was a little bummed but still happy to bring a new horse home. I figured out it was a series I when I got home.... Oh well. Still a nice solid tractor and has compression according to my tester so It should come out nice. It hasnt ran in a year according to the seller.
My dad called me the next Sunday night about two 520's listed kinda goofy on craigslist. He found them looking for wood decking. I guess the word Deck is what turned them up in the search. Add says two low hour 520 tractors. Both had decks and one has a blower, make an offer. Give him a call, he says there really nice and not all beat up. Yea , I heard that before. I asked him the years and he wasnt sure. I said Ill be up tonight to look at them.
He opens the shed door and there sits two of the nicest 520's I have seen in awhile. Both have gear reduction steering. NO rust on the tractors or decks. One had 800 hours and the other had only 600 hours, give or take. Blower was an older short chute but still in nice condition. I keep my best poker face and shoot an offer. To my surprise , he says yup. When are you coming to get them. Needless to say, tonight we unloaded them. My dad bought one and I bought the other. My dad is not a tractor collector but even he couldnt turn down this nice tractor to have around for mowing and house choirs. He says its like the cadillac of tractors lol.
The one i picked is a 1994 with 800 hours. It really is in nice shape and one of the nicest in my collection. It runs great. Wiring is unmolested and all gauges work. The deck is like new and it came with hub cabs also. Really is a peach. Finally found my gear reduction, lower hours 520H. Woo Hoo. Also it is the same year as my 416H which is kinda cool.
The one my dad picked has the blower and also a beautiful deck. Plus wheel weights and chains. His has around 600 hours and runs great also. It is a little faded from what must be a garage window because it has no rust. One of the fuses was tapped into and replaced with an inline fuse and also the molex plug was replaced with a different plug. The wiring was done very well and not a hack job. Could easily fix that but I think he is happy the way it is. Also the faded paint should polish right out. I beleive his to be a 1995 but have not checked the serial number yet.
Its been a good week and thanks to dad for keeping his eyes open on craigslist. Although I may have to sell some of my other wheel horses to make some room.....for more wheel horse.
I dont have great pictures yet but here are some. The dark one on the trailer is my dads. The other are of the 417 and my 520H.
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