Tier E — Heritage / discontinued Two-wheel tractor
IMT 506
The IMT 506 is the archetypal Yugoslav-era walking cultivator, built at IMT's Knjaževac motokultivator factory under licence from Germany's Agria (it corresponds to the Agria 6000). It runs an IMT 66/2 two-stroke petrol engine of 4.5 kW (~6 hp) with three forward gears. Engine type and power are well-documented in period manuals; working width and weight are implement- and configuration-dependent, so they are left unstated, and the introduction year is approximate — specs are flagged.
Indicative price
£150–£600
Specifications pending verification.We publish estimates openly rather than hiding them. Figures here are a used-market range and should be confirmed against a live dealer quote or listing before you buy.
Who it's for
Best for: Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian buyers restoring or running a classic used motokultivator.
Strengths
- Iconic, everywhere on regional used markets
- Simple two-stroke; parts widely available
- Agria-licensed design
- Cheap entry to a walking tractor
Trade-offs
- Discontinued — used only
- Two-stroke (mix fuel), dated
- Width/weight configuration-dependent
- Specs and year need verification
What the IMT 506 is
The 506 came out of IMT's motokultivator factory at Knjaževac, built under licence from Agria of Möckmühl in Germany and corresponding to the Agria 6000. It is a walking tractor rather than a garden tiller: an IMT 66/2 two-stroke petrol engine of 4.5 kW, roughly 6 hp, driving a three-speed forward gearbox, with the rotary cultivator, plough and trailer hitched as separate implements. Introduction is put at around 1970, and because the whole of former Yugoslavia ran on them, there are still enormous numbers in use and in sheds across Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.
That is why it appears in UK searches at all. There was never a UK dealer network; interest here comes from the Balkan diaspora — people who grew up with one on a family plot — and from collectors of Agria-pattern machines who know the German original and find the licensed version cheaper. Working width and weight are left unstated on this record because they depend on which implement is fitted and on the configuration of the individual machine.
Two-stroke, three gears: what that means to run
A two-stroke walking tractor is a different daily experience from a modern four-stroke. You mix oil into the petrol, it is loud and it smokes, and it does not like to lug at low revs, so choosing the right gear matters more than on a Honda-engined machine. In return there are no valves, no sump and very little to go wrong, which is exactly why so many have survived half a century of village use. The three forward gears cover the three jobs the machine was designed for: a low gear for the rotary cultivator, a middle gear for ploughing, and a high gear for pulling a trailer along a track.
It is worth being clear that the 506 is a working machine of its era, not a restored classic in the tractor-rally sense. Most examples have been repaired repeatedly with whatever was to hand, and that is part of buying one. Our rotavator vs plough guide explains why owners of this type of machine still reach for the plough.
Buying one in the UK
A 506 almost never appears on UK classifieds. The usual route is a machine bought in Serbia, Croatia or Bosnia — where £150–600 buys anything from a field-find to a tidy runner — and driven over in a van with the implements. Treat the range as indicative; it is a used-market figure and it is flagged as such. Add the cost of transport and accept that documentation will be in Serbian or Croatian.
Inspection follows two-stroke logic. Check compression by pulling it over; a weak pull means rings or bore. Listen for it revving up on its own or running lean, which on an engine of this type points to tired crankshaft seals letting air in. Check the magneto gives a fat spark, that the clutch takes up without slipping, that all three gears engage and the gearbox oil is not milky, and that the implement hitch is not worn oval. On the rotary cultivator look at tine length; on the plough, at the share. Parts are widely available in the home markets and reach the UK by post.
Who should not buy an IMT 506
Anyone who wants a tool rather than a project: there is no warranty, no dealer and no English handbook, and every fault is yours to diagnose. Anyone gardening in a built-up area, where a two-stroke walking tractor will not make you popular. And anyone who mainly needs to till a vegetable plot, for whom a modern four-stroke rotavator is cheaper to run, quieter and simply easier.
It suits a smallholder from the diaspora who knows the machine and wants the ploughing and towing ability of a walking tractor at a price no new machine approaches, and it suits a collector who values the Agria lineage. If you are in the first group, the smallholding rotavator guide shows what a modern equivalent would cost, so that you are choosing the 506 with open eyes rather than by default.
Specifications
| Category | Two-wheel tractor |
|---|---|
| Type | Front-tine · Heritage / discontinued |
| Power source | Petrol |
| Engine | IMT 66/2 petrol two-stroke, 4.5 kW (~6 hp) — built under Agria licence (Agria 6000) |
| Power output | 6 hp / 4.5 kW |
| Working width | Varies by configuration |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Introduced | 1970 |
| Indicative price | £150–£600 |
| Price basis | Used-market range |
Front-tine machine. Width and weight determine how much ground you cover and how manoeuvrable it is — heavier machines bite harder but ask more of you to turn and transport.
506 — your questions
How much does the IMT 506 cost?
The indicative price is £150–£600, based on used-market sale prices. Always confirm against a live quote — these figures are estimates pending verification.
What size plot is the 506 suited to?
Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian buyers restoring or running a classic used motokultivator. As a heritage machine, working width varies with the rotor and engine fitted — check the specific example you're buying.
Is the 506 petrol, diesel or electric?
It is petrol (IMT 66/2 petrol two-stroke, 4.5 kW (~6 hp) — built under Agria licence (Agria 6000)). That means strong sustained power for breaking and turning ground, with routine fuel and oil maintenance.
Can I get parts for an IMT 506 in the UK?
Not from a UK dealer, because there is none. Engine, clutch and gearbox parts are still widely stocked in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, where the machine is everywhere, and small parts travel by post without difficulty. Most UK owners either order from a home-market supplier or bring spares back with the machine. Generic two-stroke consumables such as plugs and fuel line are no problem anywhere.
Is the IMT 506 the same as an Agria 6000?
It was built under Agria licence and corresponds to the Agria 6000, so the layout and much of the design are shared, which is why Agria enthusiasts take an interest. It is not identical: the engine is IMT's own 66/2 two-stroke and decades of local production and repair mean individual machines vary. Check parts fit on the specific machine rather than assuming Agria and IMT parts interchange.
