Should I buy a spare tractor for parts?

[BrianKoch 307]

Gentleman,

I’m looking for advice/past experiences here as I’ve come across a non-running, unsure of year, Charger 12 for sale. I have a ‘69 Charger 12. Judging by the photos, it is in rough shape and is parked outdoors on a farm. The tractor comes with a snow plow and it features the hydraulic lift which my Charger 12 does not have. I’m interested in buying it because I feel like having access to its parts could be of future value for my Charger 12, but would still like to hear from you all if buying a “spare” tractor for solely it’s parts is actually worth it in the long run.
 

What would you do if the price was “right”?
 

Pictures:

Edited April 27, 2023 by BrianKoch

[ineedanother 1,369]

I like parts tractors and can't remember one I've lost my investment on. I'd be curious as to why it was parked but the dozer blade and hydro lift could be worth the $200 and there's likely enough other salvageable parts to make it worth your while. Looks like an original Nelson muffler, a decent belt guard, and you'll have some engine parts as well. Coil, starter, voltage regulator, throttle and choke cables, etc...

[ineedanother 1,369]

There's likely an axle bracket there too if the dozer blade was ever used...

[kpinnc 12,016]

That parts machine looks better than most of mine that I use today!

 

If the price is right, I would pick it up for sure.

 

Parts for a 50 year old machine will be harder to find as time goes on. You may also find the parts tractor is nice enough to fix on the side and have a "spare" Charger... 

[cleat 5,934]

Problem with buying a parts tractor is you end up fixing it up as well (ask me why I know).

That is how the herd grows.

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,041]

That blade does not look like it fits a long frame tractor. Looks like vertical crankshaft lawn tractor.

[ebinmaine 67,456]

6 hours ago, BrianKoch said:

price was “right”?

 

6 hours ago, BrianKoch said:

hydraulic lift

 

Price would have to be pretty low on this one. 

 

 

Note the disconnected hose in yellow. Also note the lack of a lift handle in blue. 

 

At minimum you'll need one of 4 hoses but I'd have likely replaced all four anyway. 

Of more concern to me would be the port that hose goes into. A missing lever can be made. 

 

That tractor may have a limited slip differential as well. 

 

5 hours ago, gwest_ca said:

That blade does not look like it fits a long frame tractor. Looks like vertical crankshaft lawn tractor.

 

Agreed. 

There's an interesting bracket on the front of the frame. 

 

The right price is what's agreeable between buyer and seller. That tractor's got good potential but also even the parts could need extra work to use them. 

 

[Pullstart 62,841]

Three words.  Yes.  

[squonk 41,081]

8 hours ago, gwest_ca said:

That blade does not look like it fits a long frame tractor. Looks like vertical crankshaft lawn tractor.

200 series blade.

[953 nut 55,203]

A non-running parts tractor that has been sitting outside and has a questionable past is a real crapshoot. Without firsthand knowledge of its condition and if it isn't close by so a road trip is called for I would value it at $ 50. 

If it close by I would go take a look for sure and aske the seller for a price before going any further. Bring along a good charged battery or jumper pack and see it the engine will turn over with compression. If it turns then check for spark and give it a shot of carburetor cleaner,        Might fire, might not. Don't get it running before agreeing on a price or you have just become his free mechanic.

[WHX?? 48,815]

Agree with 953nut. Especially true with a hydro.

I never go looking for parts tractors they usually find me in the form of getting thrown in on the deal of a runner. My top dollar on a parts tractor or non runner is always a Benny unless there is some thing there that might up the anti. 

All said and done always nice to have parts tractors. Made (bought ) many friends with cheap parts. 

Edited April 27, 2023 by WHX??

[CCW 1,295]

Part of the equation of purchasing it is do you have room for storing it.  I personally do not and do not want more stuff in the yard that needs disposing of in the future.  

[WHX?? 48,815]

Good point CCW. Someone is constantly nagging me about my collection of parts tractors and it's not the dog!  Not to mention I have a outbuilding dedicated to storing parts that would make a dandy she shed...

Edited April 27, 2023 by WHX??

[Ed Kennell 38,159]

I've made about 20 working tractors  from non runners that looked a lot worse than that one.    

10 hours ago, BrianKoch said:

 

What would you do if the price was “right”?

Go get it.          Like others have said, that is not a correct blade frame for a Charger, although  It may have been altered to work on the charger.

[ohiofarmer 3,265]

   If your tractor you have is performing well and you have a smaller suburban yard, then maybe not. But if you found a good running tractor with bad sheet metal, or especially one of those horrid plastic seat pans, that tractor looks to have straight sheet metal. It looks like the drive clutch for the mower is missing. that sheet metal looks pretty straight and the paint looks like it would respond to the oil patina finish method. If he is asking 200 he probably will take 150.00.

   You could create empathy from the buyer by stating that you need a second operating mower and the missing parts like the drive clutch are not cheap to come by. for example, one of my workers smoked a bearing on the mower drive clutch and I had a non runner with a good unit. Ten minutes later I was back in business.Yours does not have the drive clutch, so he might take off fifty bucks. In any case, the value of the tractor needs to at least cover you breaking it down and parting out.

   I have no idea how the market is heading. Just buying groceries and paying the important must haves is where the inflation seems to be the worst. So there is a much higher percentage of paycheck to paycheck people who are not buying projects. I look at things like this against how much money is spent on lifestyle stuff like eating at restaurants vs cooking steaks on the grill. Grill works every time and hamburger usually wins over steak. Even the grill was free as my fancy sister wanted a stainless one and the old painted Weber just keeps choochin'

  

[ri702bill 8,316]

4 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Don't get it running before agreeing on a price or you have just become his free mechanic.

Those are true "Words of Wisdom" there.... About 8 years ago, I missed out on a sweet, mostly original 603 because I diagnosed the transmission problem and the seller backed out on the spot. The shifter had broken off at the pivot pin and the owner was what could best be described as "mechanically declined". He was terrified of the thought of splitting the Unidrive. He already had a used shifter ready to go in......

 

Is it worth buying - probably. If you have sufficient inside storage for it AND you feel it is worth the sum of the visible parts, do it, but do check the trans fluid for water inside and see if it rolls and that the engine can be turned by hand,,,,, tractors get parked for many reasons.

Bill

[ineedanother 1,369]

5 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Those are true "Words of Wisdom" there.... About 8 years ago, I missed out on a sweet, mostly original 603 because I diagnosed the transmission problem and the seller backed out on the spot. The shifter had broken off at the pivot pin and the owner was what could best be described as "mechanically declined". He was terrified of the thought of splitting the Unidrive. He already had a used shifter ready to go in......

 

Is it worth buying - probably. If you have sufficient inside storage for it AND you feel it is worth the sum of the visible parts, do it, but do check the trans fluid for water inside and see if it rolls and that the engine can be turned by hand,,,,, tractors get parked for many reasons.

Bill

@ri702bill raises a good point and you might be well aware of this but that Charger with the hydro shouldn't roll without the tow valve being opened so keep that in mind if you think you might be pushing it onto a trailer or otherwise trying to move it.

[JoeM 7,873]

i have parts tractors for the parts tractors! 

[WHX?? 48,815]

Yer a snake in the grass Joe...

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

 

On 4/27/2023 at 3:56 AM, BrianKoch said:

Should I buy a ***** tractor *** ***** ? YES

Should I buy a *****  tractor for parts?

ALSO YES

 

There, fixed it for ya 

Edited April 28, 2023 by sjoemie himself

[SylvanLakeWH 25,548]

A Haiku...

 

Should one buy tractors

Why yes one should buy tractors

But only Wheel Horse

[ohiofarmer 3,265]

Well,just smack my brain on the ground. SylvanLakeWH just made this place more classy. I had to look up what a Haiku was. So in a further attempt of a guy who butchers the English language for all it's worth, ...........my haiku poem

 

Farmer writes Haiku

Brain challenged on wheel Horse Forum

His feet are Longfellows

 

 

 

 

[size 14EEEE to be exact}

Edited April 29, 2023 by ohiofarmer

[ebinmaine 67,456]

1 hour ago, ohiofarmer said:

Well,just smack my brain on the ground

 

🧠    

 

Oh man. That struck me funny...

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,548]

2 hours ago, ohiofarmer said:

SylvanLakeWH just made this place more classy

 

Now that is not something you hear everyday... come to think of it... never heard that said before... 

 

[953 nut 55,203]