Tractor best buys

[bandmiller2]

Guys what's the best deal you have ever scooped on a tractor.?? Myself it was a farmall "C" for $125.00. One spring they found the engine seized and the kids tore it apart in the garage. As usual they never got around to putting it together, 20 years later Mom was selling the farm. I rebuilt the engine and used it in the woods for years. Frank C.

[A.O.]

Sorry, I've always spent too much on tractors.. last one was 20K

[Ox]

Mine was a 42 Farmall H with a wide front.  Needed valves adjusted, a carb kit, and electrical tuneup.  I converted it over to 12 volts and added an old trip loader to it.  Problem was, the trip loader wouldn't lower to the ground with the wide front on it!  The loader arms would hit the wide front's axle tubes on each side and it wouldn't narrow enough without lots of metal work.  So then I found the narrow front bolster so I could use the loader.  Paid $1000 for the H, $125 for the loader, $20 for the front bolster, and $75 for a New Idea model 40 semi mounted sickle mower from the late 30s. 

I think I overpaid for the H but I really needed one and there weren't any others around.  Plus the fact it came with the relatively rare wide front made it worth it.  This machine was one of the things I traded in for the old Oliver backhoe that I got hosed on and was one of my most expensive mistakes.

[moodnacreek]

Had so many old tractors, can't remember prices paid.  My first J.D. was given to me. It was a 1938 unstyled B with 36" split rims [rubber tires] and a 4 speed.  Very original except it had an X mag.  Engine was seized so I pulled the draw bar out and bolted it to the flywheel and hooked a comalong to it and to the front and got it free. This little tractor was the easiest starting I ever had. Hardly any bigger than the J.D. H I still have.  It came with 2 way plows and had the foot hydraulics.  Should have kept this one but I was young and there where so many more to be had.

[starmac]

Probably the tractor buy I made was an international hydro, with a hydraulic side mower.
The city had some equipment and pickups they were auctioning off. two identical tractors.
It was a sealed bid auction and they brought everything to my shop so folks could see what they were bidding on.
They had 2 tractors that were identical, but one had a leaking bottom radiator hose, so they drove one to my shop and took the hose off of it and went back and got the other one. They never replaced the hose.
Potential bidders probably assumed that I knew something about this equipment, so they always came and ask what I knew, all I ever told them was they drove it there, so I know it runs. lol
I don't remember what I wound up paying, I think 1300, put a radiator hose on it, removed the mower and used it for 2 or 3 years lightly, and sold it for 4500 to a friend that needed another baler tractor.

[kbeitz]

To many to list... The last one I just got is a 350 International Utility With 4 new tires and a loader and a snowplow attachment mines the plow for $400. One that I bought years ago was a ford jubilee with a backhoe that I used for years that I got for $1500. I have had over 50 garden tractors at one time. I still have around 20. My favorite one is a Roper that I bought for $75. and it had a new 16hp IC briggs on it. I have a collection of Pennsylvania mowers. So are quite rare. I've had 4 OC3 at one time. I'm down to one now. My day to day tractors is two Kubotas. You can never have to many tractors. I live about 15 miles from a 300 acre tractor junkyard. More than you can look at in one day.

[Ox]

Would that be Marshall Machinery by any chance?

[kbeitz]

 Fry's Machinery

https://www.frysmachinery.com/default.htm

[Ox]

They have both farm and garden style tractors?  Is it a u pull it or do they have to pull the parts for you?  Are they reasonable on prices?

[kbeitz]

I don't have any answers to these questions... I just don't know... sorry.

[Ox]

No worries.