Demolition Derby on my Lambert

[D_Mac 8,593]

Well I got a phone call this AM about someone wanting to buy my homemade tractor. Guy said he would be over in 30 mins to see it. Meet him out by my garage and I opened the door and he was excited to see it full with tractors. I learned that he wanted to use the Homemade to plow several driveways with it. I explained to him that it really wasnt the tractor for that and should look at the Simplicity or my new to me Cub Cadet. I pushed all four tractors out into the driveway. Gave him the history of each one. He wanted to drive the Cub so I started it up showed him how to operate it. he drove it down my driveway out into the street where he stopped and tried all the gears and reverse. Made a few passes up and down the street. Now he turned back into my driveway and headed towards the garage were he proceeded to smash right into the homemade tractor and T-Boned the Lambert. I thought he was going to ride over the Lambert and through the neighbors fence. He was panicking I jumped over and killed the engine. WOW cant believe what I just saw !!! At first I didnt see much damage. Paint was scratched, small dent in the rear fender on the Lambert. I though no big deal. The guy felt awful about it. Said his fault and would pay. i told him dont worry about it. I would repaint the scratches no big deal on the small dent. So after he left I started pushing all the tractors back into the garage. I get to the lambert and go to push it this is what I discovered......... U G H H H H H H H !!!!!!! Never ocured to me to look at the other side. He pushed it up against the curbing on my driveway. I only had 2 of the three wheel bolts in because I cant find a third. I do not know if that helped it or hurt it. I am relieved the fenders didnt get damaged. The hubs didnt get damaged. Looks like just the rim. I called him back, he came over to look and I decided that 100 bucks be fair. Now I do not know anything about rims or how to get a new one the correct size..... lug pattern.... center hole ... the offset..... i understand none of it. Did I say U G H H H H !!!!!!! yet ? I know you guys can help me. Where do I start?

[ACman 7,618]

If I were closer I have two or three you could have. Looks like a a standard 6” rim a early WH would have. Most garden tractors use the 5 on 5 1/2” (Ford /Dodge) bolt pattern.

 

@D_Mac https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/d/honeoye-falls-lawn-mower-12-rims/7160071703.html

 

I’d also check the other rim for damage.

Edited August 22, 2020 by ACman

[D_Mac 8,593]

When I took the bad wheel off I spun the other rim around. It seemed to spin straight so I believe the damage was limited to the one side. In the first photo you can see how high the curbing is. I thought the Cub was going to roll right over the Lambert like a monster truck. Most likely would have if I didnt kill the engine. I am glad that the fenders didnt get damaged. I wouldnt have been able to replace those. Funny I just mentioned earlier today I would be willing to let it go and this happens. It would have been alot worse. Could have damaged all 3. No damage on the Cub because that thing is a beast, and the Speedanza seems ok. Can look at it as bad luck as or good luck...lol... im not sure yet ! Bad luck it happened at all or good luck it could have been a lot worse.

[JoeM 7,871]

Looking at that damage......wondering if the guy is okay? looks like a pretty good shot. You might want to take a look underneath to see if anything dislodged. 

Also, did he say what happened? I always get a little nervous letting folks drive. 

[AMC RULES 37,125]

   Real sorry to hear bud...

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Somehow that dosnt cheer me up. My 6 year old nephew drives the tractors just fine. This guy decides to play bumper cars with all my hard work. Before all this happened he was telling me how he drives a city sidewalk plow in the winter time. Im still in shock over it. Topper is I felt bad asking the guy to give me 100 bucks for damage. I dunno what he was thinking, He was starting and stopping just fine on the street. Plus if he would have turned left he would have turned into the grass, he turned righ, smack into the 3 tractors .....ugh I need a xannax.

[WHNJ701 4,165]

When I buy tractors I pretty much know ahead of time if I am going to buy it, most sellers are surprised when I don't want to hear it run or drive it.  I had an instance where a tractor was pulled out of shed after sitting for decades and the guy is like let's see if we can fire it up as he whips out starting fluid.  No way I restore them anyway no need to waste time and break something.

 

Same goes for selling, you got very very lucky today he didn't get hurt on your property or hurt or damaged someone else, you could have had an insurance nightmare or he could have sued you.  I don't let anyone test drive equipment I am selling, I will clearly demonstrate if they would like to see it in use.

Needless to say I wouldnt let anymore test drives

[D_Mac 8,593]

Im sort of the same way. I never test drive. lol partially because 50% of the time I am buying one that dosnt run anyways. Even when they run I am happy when the owner starts and drives them and I hear the deck engaged. But like you said. I pretty much know at first look if I am buying it or not. Most people are not like us though. That being said I think you are right about not allowing test drives. In the future I will demonstrate them. Really though... 6 yr old nephew handles them. I hope everyone learns a lesson today then. Never underestimate the stupidity of others.

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Ohoh, not good.

Testdrives are allway‘s difficult.
You not be able to see the driving skills your opposite shall have, just can trust what they‘re telling.
 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,466]

Sorry to hear about this...

 

If it had been me doing the driving / damage, I would have immediately bought the damaged tractor from you at your asking price... not right for you to have to deal with it now. 

[AMC RULES 37,125]

So, what did he say happened?

[953 nut 55,005]

                So after all of this mayhem and misery he didn't buy the Cub!                       

[D_Mac 8,593]

He said he just panicked. Said he was used to braking with his right foot. The clutch/brake is on left side. I am glad I was close to him when it happened, I jumped over to kill the engine on the Cub before it drove over the top of the Lambert. He was clutching and braking just fine out on the street. He felt awful. I gave him a choice, 100 bucks tops I figured it was cost me to get new rim, or he could give me 500 and take the Lambert. He gladly gave me the 100 and promised if it was any more he would cover it. He offered to take the wheel and do all the leg work to get new one. Figured I would rather do it myself. Has for buying the Cub he had to " check with his wife". I said if he bought the Cub all forgiven... if not well......... I am just glad it wasnt worse then it was. I think I will follow the no test drive rule. I will demonstrate in the future, once I get paid they can load it in the street. Lesson learned. Anyone want a 1964 Lambert 655 scratch and dent special ???????

[tom2p 2,394]

not good 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Took the wheel to my cousins house today. He got it nice and straight again. There is nothing he cant do. He had a ford rear end, all 5 lugs lined up. We bolted on the rim and cranked all 5 lug nuts down. Then turned the wheel over and did the same thing on the other side. Couple of wacks with a sledge hammer and a big punch and it was good as new. He had some black paint so we cleaned it up and painted it.... can hardly tell. Then he made me another wheel bolt. I only had two on that wheel. Thats why it bent. So he fabricated me another one in his shop. Brought the wheel home and bolted it on. Spun it around, everything spins straight. Glad to have if fixed. I will try to erase that crash from my memory !

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Is the metal on the center of the wheel cracked? Or did it just bend, and the paint cracked? Hard to tell from the pic. Glad to hear you got it straight though.

 

Hopefully he comes back for the Cub. Would add insult to injury if he didn't buy anything after all that. At least he maned up and offered to pay for the rim, very stand-up thing to do.

 

As others have said, I typically know if I'm going to buy before I go or not. My last buy (the Lawn Ranger), I went there not only knowing I was going to buy. I even went with more cash than the original price we settled on, as I felt it was too low after sleeping on it. Turned out good though as he threw in extra parts, and we all walked away happy, him with extra money, and me with extra WH stuff.