80s-something Agway GT 11 Pulling Tractor Build + Restoration {Pic Heavy}

So I got this and the Craftsman around April when I was first getting into mower modding stuff. I think its an 80s tractor. Anyways, I like the look of it and it has a pretty heavy duty rear axle on it that looks kind of like a truck axle. Because of that and the mean tires that were on the back, I decided to instead of mod the body, use it as a pulling tractor and maybe possibly put a blade on the front to push snow.

I started teardown around May I think and havent really progressed since then (I sandblasted and painted the body pieces). The engine was bad and the one I was putting in it got used in my racer, so it didnt have any drive. I got another engine though that is close to running so I think ill dig this back up once the engine is finished being repaired.

Pics for now.


Condition after I pulled it off the trailer. Its been sitting a while, not a lick of red paint on it anymore.


Underside. Only downside to this machine is the fact the belt twists. It worked back then though, so itll work for me.


11 horse Briggs.


Hood + seat off. Steering wheel was tossed caused it flexed like rubber. Literally.









I have it down to bare frame now, primered and ready for a coat of bedliner spray or something similar, but I put it away after the engine was used on something else so I dont have pics of it yet. Ill dig it out when my engine is ready to go on.

Man nice find. That's on hoss tractor. Put a horizontal diesel on that sucker and you could pull anything.

Did you say you were going to do pulling with the tractor Doug?

Not too sure yet. Ill probably make a trailer for it so I can haul wood when I get my chainsaw back. Or use it to pull around all my spare lawnmowers.

Well I am trying to get into lawn tractor pulling myself, if that is what you are thinking about doing with your tractor.

Nice tractor - i always find it odd how manufacturer's could get away with twisting belts like that - my GT craftmans have twisted belts ( horizontal shaft motors to a side input trans) - my 69 simplicity has a similar setup also, because of the flex chassis it has ( twists in the middle just in front of seat).

John Deere 165 Hydros twisted the belt like that too Doug

i honestly dont see anything wrong with belt twisting,as long as everythign lines up its fine with me. i also love that rear axle and wish i could find a mower like that.

@crafsmankiller wrote:

i honestly dont see anything wrong with belt twisting,as long as everythign lines up its fine with me. i also love that rear axle and wish i could find a mower like that.

The ability to change direction is one of the greatest things about the good old fashioned vee belt.

When I was a kid we had a case 444 and the mower and snowblower were belt drive. from a horizontal motor to a pair of idlers out to the driven pulley. My ford has the basically same arrangement.

I've seen it on Combines and old swathers too.

I think it is tecnically called a A belt cause the belt lookes like a A.

A, V, either way, the walls arent parallel.

I dug the body out today and set it up on all fours, but without the Vanguard being in a running state its not going to do much.

A good example of belt twisting is our IH cub with a WOODS belly mower. It twists several times. It uses only one long belt.

That will be a good puller/hauler for around the woods. That looks like a Peerless 2300 transaxle... very stout & can handle considerably more power if you ever decided to swap engines. I'd change the gear oil if you haven't already.

That would be a perfect set up for a motorcycle engine all you would need is a jackshaft to run from left to right side lol

My grandfather has a Cub similar to that one but the deck is different.

The transaxle is empty right now, I emptied it a while ago but haent filled it yet.

I cinsidered putting in a motorcycle engine of some sort but I decided to stay with a horizontal.

So I ordered a pump for the engine last night. Should get it next week so hopefully I will have the Vanguard mounted.

Good lookin Agway. That hill hold brake is something Murray only offered for a year on the GTs. You should check out MurrayOwnersWorld.com Lots of info on GTs. Look throught the info and you may find some info on your Agway.

@98Murray wrote:

Good lookin Agway. That hill hold brake is something Murray only offered for a year on the GTs. You should check out MurrayOwnersWorld.com Lots of info on GTs. Look throught the info and you may find some info on your Agway.

Ill have to do that. I posted about it on MTF when I first got it but nobody could ID it for me. Gonna try to keep this baby stock, other than attachments like a plow that im planning on building and a dually setup.

Well I think I might dig this up again, im not sure yet. The Vanguard isnt running, however my Racer isnt either. So, instead of having the Kohler sit about, I was thinking of putting that in the GT as I had originally planned.

Nothing is for sure yet though, the chassis needs to be cleaned and primered again before paint, as well as the front tires being taken off so the rims can be cleaned and painted. We will see in the next month or so.

Ok sounds good.

what size is the vanguard?

14hp OHV V-Twin.

GT actually might be getting an Arctic Cat 440 or something rather engine, in which case it will be built for speed. But itll be a sleeper if not too much needs to be molested. Still talking to my friend on getting the snowmobile from him.

if it does get the snowmobile motor, would you consider selling the 14?

Maybe, depends on what is going on at the time.

Looks like a sears transmission.