nos d series on ebay!

[bean 85]

I remember seeing a few threads about a member finding several nos tractors. is this one of them

http: Linking of E-Bay auctions not allowed

talk about a time capsule!

Edited July 4, 2012 by Sparky
No posting of E-Bay links allowed

[AMC RULES 37,134]

Immaculately preserved too.

Seems it would be hard to buy, and restore one for that price.

[meadowfield 2,594]

that is pretty cool !

[coldone 35]

Wow 38 years old and looks like it just came off the assembly line.

[rmaynard 15,588]

The tractor is located in Lawson, MO. That's where rickv1957 lives. Wonder if it's one of his. If you check his profile, a NOS 1974 D-180 is his favorite tractor.

In any case, it is a fine looking machine.

[varosd 1,185]

even if I afford the price ...the ? would be....fill it up the petrol and fire it up? or just push it around at shows ala the ultimate trailer queen. sakes alive...would anyone consider actually using it?!?!

heck, I was like 11 years old in 1974!!

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

I wonder how much it cost back then? I'd love to have it,but like others have said,I wouldn't want to use it.Just storing it in the barn and looking at it would be fun too though.

[wheeledhorseman 574]

even if I afford the price ...the ? would be....fill it up the petrol and fire it up? or just push it around at shows ala the ultimate trailer queen. sakes alive...would anyone consider actually using it?!?!

heck, I was like 11 years old in 1974!!

I've just finished droolin' over the pics which in themselves provide rare reference material for restos. My answer is no, no, no....shouldn't, wouldn't, just couldn't put something like this into service after all these years. I don't know if it will fetch the asking price but whatever it sells for, a bit like a new automobile, you'd knock loads off it's value by just starting it up and using it.

If I'd just won the lottery then sure I'd buy it and ship it here to the UK but then I'd also have the money to build it an air conditioned humidity controlled display building to keep it nice along with the NOS pto and 3 point hitch also available but not yet fitted.

Dreams are made of owning this sort of stuff - but then so is winning the lottery!

Andy

[bean 85]

looking at it is mesmerizing. it's like looking at a sales brochure pic from 1974.

I was 11, also, when this was built.

:flags-usa:

[1maidenfan 202]

I believe that roblawrence one of our members just purchased a D from this same seller. Had like 15-20 hours on it. :happy-smileygiantred:

[sscotsman 166]

My question is..how does something like this happen?

Why would someone buy a brand-new tractor (or car, or whatever) then *never use it*?

I suppose if its something ultra-rare and valuable when its new, like an experimental one-off Ferrari or something,

I can see not using it just because you bought it as a brand-new museum piece..but I dont see how a 1974 tractor would

fall into that catagory!

Im just really curious how such a thing would come about!

Scot

[Zeek 2,286]

That's drool worthy :sleeping-drool:

[MarkPalmer 81]

My question is..how does something like this happen?

Why would someone buy a brand-new tractor (or car, or whatever) then *never use it*?

I suppose if its something ultra-rare and valuable when its new, like an experimental one-off Ferrari or something,

I can see not using it just because you bought it as a brand-new museum piece..but I dont see how a 1974 tractor would

fall into that catagory!

Im just really curious how such a thing would come about!

Scot

The curisoity gets me sometimes too- they just seem too hard to believe. A while back there was a place selling several NOS GM cars from the mid to late 70's from a "collector." Cars with 15-20 miles on them, brand new, stored indoors in controlled climate. They weren't even the sporty type cars you would think they would be, just plain old everyday type cars. One I remember was a '79 Buick Electra station wagon. It was a nice car when new, mind you, but why on earth would anyone have had a desire to preserve it when it was new? I guess my mind can't even imagine the lives of those who have so much money they simply run out of practical things to spend it on. The Buick sold for about what its sticker price was new, (around $12k) so like the Wheel Horse D we have here, if you factor in inflation they lost a lot of money sitting around doing nothing, and didn't give anyone one ounce of use.

-Mark-

[Hodge71 664]

I better hide right now because if I had the money for it, the first thing I'd do is fire it up and :chores-mowlawn:

[dennist 139]

I better hide right now because if I had the money for it, the first thing I'd do is fire it up and

You know it! :thumbs:

[JamesBe1 82]

It's really cool, and very tempting. If I had more money than common sense, I would buy it in a heartbeat. But I doubt that I could ever bring myself to ever use it.

One thing I noticed in the text is that it is unstarted. After 38 years, I would imaging that there is a fair amount of damage to the engine from not having oil splashed around inside of it. I'd be really curious to open the engine and see what kind of condition the valves are in. It would almost seem archaeological.

I wonder what kind of condition the batter is in after all these years.

[Ken B 3,164]

I with Hodge on this one. If I had the dough to buy it then hand me the keys and I'll fire that sucker up. While all the neighbors are out there using their new just as expensive Tinker toys I'd show em what a real tractor is all about. I'd take it to all the local shows so everyone would be able to enjoy it instead of it just sittin there to collect dust. I don't think I'd put it to any real serious use but c'mon, she was born too run!

[AMC RULES 37,134]

I've got a '73 Javelin that sat on the dealership floor for the first 12 years of it's life, titled for the first time in 1985.

So, it does happen.

I agree though, things serve no good purpose only collecting dust.

Time has come, throttle up that big D and get to mowing something. :)

[varosd 1,185]

It's really cool, and very tempting. If I had more money than common sense, I would buy it in a heartbeat. But I doubt that I could ever bring myself to ever use it.

One thing I noticed in the text is that it is unstarted. After 38 years, I would imaging that there is a fair amount of damage to the engine from not having oil splashed around inside of it. I'd be really curious to open the engine and see what kind of condition the valves are in. It would almost seem archaeological.

I wonder what kind of condition the batter is in after all these years.

that would be a wise decision, to ensure the engine/transmission internals were not seized up. Did they ship them "dry" to the dealer like some brands do? did they test fire them up at the factory at least once? with some hours on the gauge, that would mean it had been run right?

I with Hodge on this one. If I had the dough to buy it then hand me the keys and I'll fire that sucker up. While all the neighbors are out there using their new just as expensive Tinker toys I'd show em what a real tractor is all about. I'd take it to all the local shows so everyone would be able to enjoy it instead of it just sittin there to collect dust. I don't think I'd put it to any real serious use but c'mon, she was born too run!

most folks now seem to want zero turns or conventional units but with short turn radius, deck washout port, cup holders! fine with me, sell your WH to me!

[redhorse100 4]

this person had 12 new in crates at one time. dont kow how many are left that they own. but they just listed some used wh on ebay that are really nice.

[Challenger 27]

I don't follow the D series but I respect them. To help ME put a value on this "new" unused one, what do nice clean low to moderate hour D's sell for?

If I could locate a well maintained 500 hour machine for say $1200 - $1800 I'd find that much more bang for the buck (better value) than this "new" machine.

As suggested earlier, once it's used just a few times I bet its value drops by at least half.

I think restoring and showing vintage Wheel Horse machines is a great thing. They are worthy of that kind of attention and respect. No other brand connects with me like a Wheel Horse and even after 11 plus years since my first purchase I still discover and enjoy the numerous abilities of these machines.

In my case, I just LOVE to USE them all year long.

[redhorse100 4]

if you are a collecter and love wheel horse and you spend the time and labor to redo a horse do you go cut your lawn the next day after you finish it. some may do but i think they go to shows and show off there new redone wh. some fans just keep there going and enjoy and use they as they are. i my self would love to buy a new one to bring to shows. but redoing one for showing is what the hobby is about. because you dont find them new in crates to offen.

[grnlark 488]

Back in the early 90's one of my best friends father had a '87 Buick Grand National with 100 original miles. He bought the car brand new and made them keep all the factory plastic on the seats and tags in the engine bay etc. It was in a wall-to-wall carpeted garage that was heated in the winters too. I'd say somewhere around the late 90's some guy made him an offer on it he couldn't refuse so he sold it. True story: the new owner drove the car to his house about 20 minutes away and parked it on the side of the garage where it still sits to this day. Rotted and on 4 flats.

[bean 85]

you would think that it would be a good investment to buy something like this new and "time capsule" it for 40 yrs, but actually, if you took the $5000(not sure what it cost new), and put it in the bank for 37 yrs , at 6% interest, you would have $45.700.

I had an account that paid that kind of interest, before interest rates went to zero :angry-cussingwhite:

[Challenger 27]

Did this sell or did the listing expire?