# New to forum, need advice on Gravely



## Carl in CT

Hi, I am new here and looking for a little advice. I really want to get a brush mower for my property and have been looking for an old gravely or something like that but budget is tight. I found an ad on Craigslist and I'm hoping to go check it out in the next few days and I'm looking for some advice beforehand.

The guy says it ran when he parked it 4-5 years ago and turns over now but he hasn't gotten it running, didn't really try very much. So it will at least need a carb cleaning, maybe a rebuild, hopefully nothing more. I don't know if it has spark or not. He says it's a Gravely Custom Convertable. He has owned it since the late 70's and he's pretty sure it's a 1974. He has used it a lot and as far as he knows there is nothing major wrong with it besides sitting and the tires are not good but hold air for now. He wants $200 for it. 

I have done carb work and replaced points and condenser on my old tiller so I can handle doing some repair. If it comes down to it I guess I could repower it with a different engine. If I get it I will post my progress on getting if operational again.

So the big question - Is it worth $200 as is?

I couldn't paste the pic, I tried to upload it as an attachment, hopefully that worked.

Thanks!

- Carl


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## chrpmaster

First of all Welcome to the Tractor Forum Carl!

I don't know what the prices are in your area but around here that is a little high for a non running/unknown problem Gravely. Especially with just a 30" mower. See if he has other attachments to throw into the deal. Even if you don't need them you can sell them and help fund repairs.

That said you may have a real diamond in the rough. If all it needs is a carb cleaning and maybe the points filed then $200 is a good deal. If compression is low or the tranny is goofed up or the mower deck bearings are bad etc... you can have some expensive repairs on your hands. Don't worry about changing engines. The original Gravely engines are work horses that are normally as good if not better than modern ones. Most people just rebuild them and run them for another 40 years without problems.

Check everything over when you see it. I would also check the mower for signs of leaking gear oil under the deck and also see if its full. Spin the blade by hand and listen for noisy bearings. Check engine oil for how clean it is and if its full. Check for spark, pull the plug and look for heavy carbon. Check the gas tank for any signs of rust. All this may indicate how well maintained it was.

You can get almost any part you need for this tractor at a couple online dealers. The service manual, parts list and owners manual are free downloads on OldGravelys.Net: : so check them out for more info too. Let us know what you find and we can help steer you in the right direction.


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## Carl in CT

OK, those are good pointers I will use, thanks! Luckily there seems to be no rush by the seller so hopefully that will buy me some time to think it over.

Another guy is advertising Gravely parts and said he has tons of Gravelys in various states of repair and could get me a working brush mower setup for $400 to $500. A little out of my price range unfortunately but maybe I'm better off waiting until I can afford a runner rather than a non-runner with question marks. It's always a calculated risk I guess and patience is probably my best freind. 

Everything is way more expensive in CT then anywhere else so if something is worth $100 in Indiana they will want $200 for it in CT.


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## Carl in CT

Hmmm, I thought I replied yesterday but it didn't post. No matter.

Anyway thanks for your reply, those are all great tips I hope I can make use of them. Unfortunately I just got the estimate for repaving my driveway and holy crap. 

I may still go for this $200 machine and hope I can get er goin, no way I can afford anything more for a long, long time. I don't think I'm going to find anything cheaper and if all that's wrong with it is it's been sitting I think I can clean the carb, maybe file the points and see what happens.

At least it's a relatively low risk as I am seeing just the brush mower decks going for around $150 in this neck of the woods. Yes, everything is expensive in CT, awful, God forsaken state. So I'll let ya know if I go for it and if I can get it running.


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## SHARTEL

Been following along with great interest !

Hope you get it...and get her running cheaply too.

I believe I've seen them with a "Sulky" setup. Sure would be fun to sit down and let the equipment do all the work.

Shartel


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## flman

All right and old school Gravely. I used to run one of them as a kid with a sickle bar, that was one tough machine. I would give $200.00 and make that old mill run. Does it have compression?


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## chrpmaster

I wouldn't pass on this deal just because its not running but I would be more careful since you can't test it out. Given the prices out in your area this may be a good deal just waiting for someone to do a little TLC on it. If you are willing and able to do some basic mechanical work and can follow the directions in the manuals you can probably get her running. my previous advice is so you can avoid buying something that is expensive to fix. If running Gravelys go for $400-500 in your area and this guy is asking $200 you figure you can spend $100 on parts and still be a head of the game. Plus then you know your machine a lot better and how to fix it. 

Shartel and Flman are both correct in that these old girls are great machines to use with lots of different attachments. The brush hog mower is probably the most common one available since most people use it to mow their lawns with and it does that very well. The same mower can be fitted with a heavy blade (3/8" thick as I recall) to use on heavy brush and saplings. I have used the heavy blade to more my lawn and it seemed to work fine also. 

The sickle bar mower is handy for those areas where you don't need to grind up the tall grass but you just need to cut it down. I have done that for years at my Dad's place along ditchbanks and in some bottom ground. It takes a lot less power to do and you can go a lot faster. I have done most of my Dad's place riding the sulky too.

These are great machines that can do things that would cost many times more if you bought modern equipment to do the same jobs. I have owned them for many years and wouldn't trade them for anything. Its fun now because my 11 year old son is learning to operate them and he loves them too.


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## Hoodoo Valley

people everywhere, think that everything is a potential retirement fund. Some good deals out there, but mostly over priced crap. I spent 3 hours driving and a third of a tank of fuel, following up on someones craiglist lie. So I didn't buy! Sounds like an interesting unit you have in your sights though. You get it yet? Can't wait to see some photos!


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## Carl in CT

Haven't gone to check it out yet. It is a little bit of a drive and I don't want to drag my rear end out there unless I think there is at least a 60% chance I'll be taking it home. There is the one pic from the ad attached to my first post.

Yeah, Craigslist is scary, people lie all the time. I drove 40 mins to look at something else a while back and the guy totally lied, wasn't even close to the model he said it was. Then he tried to get me to buy it anyway, what a jerk he was, obviously I didn't buy it. Guess that's what I get for responding to an ad with no pics. At least this gravely has one picture so I have some idea what it is.


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## flman

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.


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## Carl in CT

OK, got the Gravely yesterday and it's in slightly rough shape but not too bad. Hopefully it's mostly just appearance that is rough. I'm going to have a wicked busy week so not sure when I'll get to work on it much but I'm anxious as the weeds are starting to green up and I want to mow them down asap.


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## Carl in CT

So I seem to have fallen into one of the pitfalls of not knowing exactly what you are buying when dealing with old stuff. It appears I did not buy a 1974 7.6 Custom Convertable but rather an older model with a Custom Convertable hood on it. I say this because the spark plug is slanted, not straight up and from what I've been reading that puts it at 1966 or earlier. 

I didn't have money to be too picky or time to research these things for hours and hours, I just hope it works out OK. I don't really care all that much as long as I can still get it running and it does the brush mowing I need it to do, I'm not looking to restore or resell it. 

My fear is that it may be one of the L models that I see people saying are too fast for brush mowing. I cannot seem to find a model number or serial number for sure. There are numbers but I don't know which is which. Any suggestions on where to look?


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## chrpmaster

Congratulations on your "new" tractor Carl.


To answer your question about the age. Normally there is a plate on the gas tank next to the gas cap that has a serial number on it. Once you find that you can determine when it was made. If the previous owner changed the gas tank you can narrow it down with the help of several online manuals. One I found was on a website I mentioned before OldGravelys.Net: :. If you go to the misc literature section you can scroll through lots of interesting stuff but the one I have found most interesting is the second to the last one and is called a customer service update from 1988 or 1989 but it has an entire section on "how to identify a Gravely". tons of good information. 

Since Gravely didn't change much over the many years they were produced a lot of parts are interchangeable irregardless of the year of manufacture. This is nice if you need a part and have a donor tractor but it makes it tough to identify the exact age of a tractor since if someone changes the gas tank on a tractor they have also moved the serial number plate. In most cases some basic examination of your tractor will cover most of the important characteristics.

You can get a rough idea of its age by looking at a few things. Does it have the "donut" shaped air cleaner on the left side of the tractor or is it a round dry air filter under the hood in the middle of the engine or is it a blue or black painted oil bath air filter? You mentioned the slanted spark plug (which was used on the 5.o and 6.6hp models) but does it have a spin on oil filter and oil pressure gauge? What brand magneto is on the tractor (Wico or Fairbanks) Answers to these questions will not only help date your tractor but are invaluable when ordering parts.


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## Carl in CT

Thanks Crpmaster! I looked at the link you mentioned before (in fact I think it was you who posted it on another thread), I just need to match up the info with my machine tomorrow. I did see that it has a spin on oil filter and oil pressure gauge (glass is broken though), Fairbanks magneto, the round dry air filter.

Like I said, I'm not that upset but it stinks people lie about stuff. Either the guy I got it from lied or the guy he got it from lied to him. No matter, but I am going to let him know he sold something other than what he advertised (I was just too ignorant to know better). Bottom line is I would have bought it anyway so no harm done really.


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## chrpmaster

It could be a newer tractor with an older head on it. they are interchangable. The newer tractors had the Fairbanks magneto. Actually they changed the model from L to C when they came out with the 7.6hp engine but its basically the same engine. I never noticed any difference in power between an L and a C. 

When you said the round dry air filter are you talking about the donut shaped one on the side or the round one under the hood? Richard's lawn and garden carries most anything you need to get her running. Richard is also a great source for advise too. his website is gravelyparts.com. Since its spring time their phone will be busy and Richard might not be real "chatty" but keep trying and they will get you anything you need. I buy oil filters at Walmart (it takes a Fram PH8A or Walmarts clone filter works fine too) but the spark plug and air filters are competitively priced at Richards. Call him with a shopping list and save on shipping.

I normally take the magneto off to work on it since I don't like scrunching over to see inside when its installed and I'm filing the points. Just make sure you don't rotate the connector when you take it off and it should go back together without the need to time it. It has two bolts underneath to take it off.

Good luck and let us know how you're doing. Maybe post some pics when you get a chance.


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## Carl in CT

Well, had a very busy week but finally got time yesterday to start getting into it. Had no spark but a quick bit of light work with some fine sandpaper on the points and plug and hallelujiah, we have spark! Put a little gas in the cylinder, pulled it over and she sputtered, woohooo!

So with that encouragement I proceded to take the carb of and apart and cleaned that all out as well as the glass bowl under the gas tank. Put it back on and after a couple of pulls she came to life. Then the muffler fell off, the threads are stripped so I'll have to get a new one of those.

Unfortunately the linkage to disengage the mower deck is froze up and stuck in the engaged position. The good news is I can still use it that way. The bad news when pull starting it, the blade turns too. I had the deck off when I first got it running. Any tips on freeing that up?

Also, it seems to lack power when I tried to do a little mowing where my lawn had grown a bit high. I'm thinking no way should this thing bog down in 8 inch grass. It was getting dark so I put it up for the night but I'm hoping to get back to it today, maybe I just need to tweak the carb?

Oh, chrpmaster, to answer your question, my air filter is up under the hood. I did discover that I have a Zenith carb, not sure if that clue means anything. I'll try to get some pics today.


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## flman

Glad to hear you got it running, sounds like a fun project. Freedom is WD40 and tap it lightly with a hammer or turn it, what ever it takes.


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## Carl in CT

I tried the WD40 last night but didn't want to push my luck so I didn't try the hammer tapping. Maybe the WD40 overnight will help, I'll see. 

The other thing I didn't mention is that the air intake side of the carb is facing the back and none of the manuals I've seen so far online show that but I did see it mentioned somewhere. Does that help identify this machine (assuming it's not another borrowed part)?

Here's the original pic the guy had posted on Craigslist when I bought it but that hood is wrong I'm pretty sure. I'll take better detailed pics today.


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## flman

I am not familiar where the problem is, but a little heat with a torch could help out as well, as long as it is not a sensitive area.


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## Carl in CT

WD40 overnight and a hammer didn't free it up. I didn't pound on it too hard for fear of breaking something. When I had the deck off it didn't seem like there is that much to go wrong with this part so if it stops raining tomorrow I'll go back out and see if I can take it apart and see what the problem is (I really need a garage or a barn). I almost pulled my arm out of socket pulling on it with the blade spinning and I'm not a weak guy so I need to get this straightened out.

I could not get it running yesterday but I only tried a couple of times before I had to go to church (smelling just a little like gas, ha ha). Gas was pouring out of the carb when I opened the gas valve back up. Perhaps the floats are stuck down or full of gas and sank. I'll probably have to break down and rebuild the carb anyway.

Oh yeah, I will get pics soon, I promise!


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## chrpmaster

Glad to hear you got it going Carl. It sounds like you float in the carb is stuck open and allowing too much fuel into the carb. Check the seat and the needle valve or replace with rebuild kit. 

The PTO shutoff can be accessed after removing the attachment. There are only two bolts holding it on. Be careful when you remove it as there are some small balls and springs inside it that fit into dents that keep it engaged or unengaged. Check a repair/illustrated parts list for more info. It sounds like something is just stuck and it should be easy to free up after you disassemble it. These parts are normally lubed when used so after sitting for a while they can freeze up and stick. 

Don't run the engine without something attached or you run the risk of losing gears and oil out the front opening. The engine oil also lubricates the transmission and is kept in by the attachment on the front. There is no separate transmission oil.


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## Carl in CT

Good advice chrpmaster. I will try and take the carb off again tonight after work. I shot a little starter fluid in the cylinder this afternoon on my lunch break. Got it to start up, quickly turned the gas back on and it ran for a couple minutes before stalling out, flooded again so it's definitely stuck open I'd say for one reason or another (I hope the floats aren't leaking and full of gas). Was very happy it started up again though.

I have a lead on an L8 with snowblower for $500. I can't spend that much unless I am able to sell the one I have. He said he also has a plow if I prefer that instead of the snowblower but I'm assuming the blower is the more valuable attachment if I'm just going to sell it anyway. I don't need a snowblower so if I did that I would sell this one once I have it running steady with the snowblower and keep the L8 with the brush hog I already have. The L8 would be nice because it has the lower gear, electric start and the governor (so the guy says).

Is it worth all of that to upgrade to the L8 assuming it's in decent shape (kind of pushing my budget too), and if so what would my running L with a snowblower be worth to resell?

I also talked to a guy with a homemade log splitter which I could really use for my firewood but he wants $100 for it and he doesn't have a running tractor for me to test it so I don't know about that. If I got mine running I suppose I could bring it to test the splitter. Interesting stuff.


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## Carl in CT

Well, took the carb off again and when I did I noticed that the venturi was loose and sticking down into the bottom part of the carb quite a bit. It wasn't that way the first time I took it apart but I didn't see anything anywhere that could have fallen off that would hold that in place. Besides, when I put it back together the first time is when it ran decent for a while until it sat overnight. That's when the flooding issues began.

I think the venturi is supposed to be removable but isn't it supposed to stay put once installed? This thing was sticking out more than 1/4 inch. That can't be right, won't that block airflow? So if that is wrong, what is allowing that to happen and can it be fixed short of trying to find another carb?


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## chrpmaster

Carl it looks like you have officially been bitten by the Gravely bug! Now you see why us other Gravely nuts end up with all kinds of attachements and multiple tractors. They are addictive. 

To answer your questions. Yes an L8 in good running condition with a snow blower and plow might be worth $500 in your area though it depends on which snow blower he is offering. The older square shoot snow blowers are less valuable than the newer models but I have used a square shoot for many years and they work fine. A plow is not just for snow and I use mine more for smoothing my gravel driveway and shoving dirt around than for snow. It is amazing how much these little tractors can move. 

That being said though if you need this tractor to mow your field than getting one with a snow blower seems to be going the wrong direction. If the grass gets really tall a sickle bar mower on your current tractor would more easily mow anything and the shorter stuff could be handled by the current mower. You can always shop around for a snow blower attachment as money comes available if you still need one. 

An L8 is nice but it only adds the two speed axle to your current tractors capabilities. I have an L8 and an LI and on very rare occasions do I even use the low range. If the grass is so high your need to use the low range you could probably get by taking smaller "bites" at a faster speed. 

The homemade log splitter might be worth a look. If the hoses, pump, hydraulic reservoir and ram look in good condition without apparent leaks you should be OK at that price. The parts would cost a lot more than $100.

I am not a carb expert so one of the other guys who works on small engine carbs may be able to advise you. Do you have the correct manual for your carb? I think you are correct that the venturi should not be moving around but I don't recall what holds them in place.


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## Carl in CT

I don't have the manual for the carb yet. I'm not sure which one it is. I know it's a Zenith cast iron with the air intake facing the rear of the tractor. So I think it's either a 61 or 161 (the 68 is the aluminum I think). 

I did look through what I could find on OldGravelys.Net and saw lots of good info but no mention if the venturi is removable or if it should be able to slop around or what might hold it in place. I'll pull the carb again and take a closer look. I wonder if there are other carbs that could be substituted.

As far as the L8, it's not just the low gear I like but the electric start and the governor, plus the fact that it runs and I'm running out of time to tinker with this one. Other L8s are going for around $500 with no attachments in my area, at least that's what people are asking for, and most of them look to be in kinda rough shape, even if they are running. I would have the choice of the snowblower that I don't need or a plow that I could use but I'd be looking to sell the L that I have now and I'm thinking it might be easier to sell with the snowblower and I'll live without the plow for now.

He also has an LI with elecrtic start, no governor for $300. I haven't seen them yet but I spoke with the guy and he really knows his Gravelys so hopefully these are both well cared for as he says. Worth a drive to go see. I'm getting more rototilling jobs so I'm itching to spend the extra cash on Gravely stuff! Thank goodness for my 1976 Troy Bilt Horse! I had to repower it last year, hope to rebuild the Techumseh HH60 someday as it's not in bad shape.

My brother in law seems to think the governor is a big deal on the Gravelys, I really don't know but I know I like not having to pull on it anymore :dazed:


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## Carl in CT

Well, I could not help myself, I got the L8 last night. This guy knew his Gravelys, had them all over the place, has been collecting and using them for 30+ years, in all the clubs, goes to the shows, etc. He also had a homemade log splitter, the screw type, not for sale though.

I brought my bad carb with me from my L and he insisted on fixing it for me. He pulled out another one just like it and we concurred that someone had ground off the ears on the venturi that holds it in place. He has some way of adding material back then machining it down to the right dimensions. Then he is going to replace the gaskets, etc and test it on one of his to make sure it works OK. He won't take any money for his time, I had to twist his arm to at least let me pay for the parts. 

Really nice guy, just wants to see people continue to enjoy Gravelys. He even threw in a couple extra pto gaskets. I took the plow instead of the snowblower but it was tempting because he had gone though that too, he demonstrated it and it worked smooth as silk, chute rotated just like it is supposed to. I just can use the plow more.

I am glad I bought the tractor from someone like him because I know he went through it thoroughly rather than another guy who has had it sitting under a tarp for 5 years and it "should run". If I can ever find my camera I will get pics of both of them. Probably going to have to sell the L though, need to put some money back in the bank.


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## SHARTEL

This has been a great read, Carl.

I like happy endings too. Wish I knew someone around here who was so generous (and wise) like your new Gravely contact. 

Good luck and look forward to pictures when you getcha a camera 

Shartel


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## chrpmaster

Sounds like a very happy ending to the story Carl. If you don't need the L then now is the time to get rid of it. You should be able to sell it easily for what you have in it just by cleaning it up and maybe repainting the hood. One thing I have found is these tractors need to be run if you want them to stay running well. They don't like to sit around with nothing to do. I find that every spring I need to do some TLC to one of them if they didn't get any running time over the winter.


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## Carl in CT

*Pics, finally!*

Well, I finally got my camera and got some pics of the first L that I bought. I repainted the hood yesterday. Just did some quick sanding, primer and a couple coats of white paint. Nothing fancy but looks a whole lot better than before so I could post it on Craigslist. 

The plow actually came with the L8 I bought and the bush hog with the L but I'm keeping the brush hog with the L8. I actually will probably keep the plow too but I priced it so if someone really wanted to overpay for it I'd let it go but I most likely will end up just selling the L tractor without the plow. I kind of like the custom cut away edges for plowing narrow sidewalks, just flip it over.

I also included a pic of the rebuilt carb my new Gravely buddy did for me. I know he went to the show last weekend in Somers CT. I could not go but I'm sure he had fun!

I will post some pics of the L8 next.


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## Carl in CT

*L8 pics*

Here are some pics of the L8 that I am enjoying immensely. You can see some of it's paths of destruction in the background near my yard. I will be sanding, priming and painting the hood and brush hog deck soon. Not sure if I will paint anything else as the rest looks pretty decent already.

I also took it with me on a rototilling job I did last week. I had to till an existing garden but the lady had not mowed or weed whacked it at all. So the Gravely brush hog made life easier for me and the tiller. It was great having a mid 1960's Gravely and a 1976 Troy Bilt Horse on the job together! Both better built than anything new anyone could buy today, and both built in the USA!!!


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## GravelyNut

The Custom is a mix of 50s and 60s parts.


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## Carl in CT

OK, even with my limited Gravely knowledge I was thinking that one was a mix of parts. From the reading I did it seemed like the cast iron rear facing carb was from an older machine than the paper air filter and Fairbanks magneto, and Lord knows what else.

I'm not sure I'm right about those specific issues but I'm not surprised to hear it is a mix, thanks for the input. Still, it runs great now, looks decent and everything works well so I don't mind that it's a mish-mash of parts. Actually I think it's pretty cool that these things are so interchangeable, even across several years.


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## GravelyNut

Carl in CT said:


> OK, even with my limited Gravely knowledge I was thinking that one was a mix of parts. From the reading I did it seemed like the cast iron rear facing carb was from an older machine than the paper air filter and Fairbanks magneto, and Lord knows what else.
> 
> I'm not sure I'm right about those specific issues but I'm not surprised to hear it is a mix, thanks for the input. Still, it runs great now, looks decent and everything works well so I don't mind that it's a mish-mash of parts. Actually I think it's pretty cool that these things are so interchangeable, even across several years.


Mutts are loyal. I use one. Johnny Cash's Cadillac has nothing on the ways a Gravely 2-wheeler can be put together.
From 1937 to the end of production in 1976, the Ls and Cs can be built with most any of the parts being interchangeable. There are some restrictions on what parts but generally it's a mix and match world.


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## markiemark

I am new to this forum. I too just found an old gravely L. I have a late 60's gravely with the 7.6 hp. The older gravely I just got also has the plug vertical, so Im finding out this was changed. I checked the model number and on here it said it was a 57 and my other one is a 67. I am in the process of cleaning it up and painting her back. I will add images soon.


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## markiemark

Does anybody know where I can get all the stickers that are on the the handle bars and the tank? I am thinking about painting mine and wanting to get her back to original.


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## graydog

My two Gravely 2 wheelers are 1972 models. They do not have a glass sediment bowl under the gas tank or anywhere else. The spark plug is straight up, not leaning over. They both have a lever for high or low axle speed on the right side. They also have a lever for high or low attachment speed, also on the right side. The older tractors had a short shaft to kick the attachment clutch into engaging; the 1972s had a long rod going back to the handles to pull the attachment clutch into gear or push to take it out of gear. In either case, it is a dog clutch, and requires a hard fast action to engage clutch. 

Both of my tractors had the hole for the retaining ball drilled too deep, making it very hard to engage and dis-engage clutch. Back in the early 1970's, I brazed up the hole and re-drilled it so the ball did not go into the hole so far, making it much easier to engage and dis-engage the attachment clutch. 

I would recommend buying a parts manual and a service manual ASAP.

I don't think it was mentioned, but to work on the mag, jack up the right side, remove the rim and tire (not the hub) giving you better access to the magneto's two bottom mounting bolts. Take the mag off and work on it on the work bench. It's almost impossible to change points and condensor while it is on the tractor. 

Hope this helps.


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## Richard-tx

markiemark said:


> Does anybody know where I can get all the stickers that are on the the handle bars and the tank? I am thinking about painting mine and wanting to get her back to original.


rggraphix.com

oldgravelys.net has all the manuals.


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