parts tractor vs. resto candidate

[Redav72 227]

Ok, philosophical question.  How do you know if you're looking at a parts tractor or a candidate for restoration?  What tips the scales for you?

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,317]

  I imagine for most of us it’s our skill level that determines it. 
  There’s some guys here with crazy talent that can bring anything back to life! And we have guys that paint rims bright white and dont bother to mask off the tires. 
 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,557]

All tractors are potentially both - philosophically…

 

But for me, I don’t “do” parts tractors. I’ve had 4 ‘s, 3 that I still own. I buy the parts I need and restore them for use.  No trailer queens here…
 

[JPWH 6,033]

I think enough parts become a tractor. Never thought of it the other way.

[Pullstart 62,867]

Some of what become my parts tractors are nicer than the machines I’m keeping alive… but they aren’t as close to me in sentimental value…. One time I had a fully functional C-101 and needed a transmission for my upcoming “show” tractor so it was borrowed for a bit.  Then I needed a front axle.  Then I needed an engine.  Then it was a parts machine.

[WHNJ701 4,165]

1 hour ago, Redav72 said:

Ok, philosophical question.  How do you know if you're looking at a parts tractor or a candidate for restoration?  What tips the scales for you?

I turned these parts into this.

[RED-Z06 2,221]

I look at...

 

1. How common is it?  Is it a dime a dozen model?

 

2. How desirable is it?  8hp models simply can't do the work that a 10+hp model can..unless its some kind of rare 8hp unit, they would be less desirable.

 

3.  If fixed, how much would i potentially lose if i had to sell it?  If its never going to be a tractor worth over 300 bucks, hard to justify putting 1500 into it.

 

4.  Do i want a show tractor or a worker?..a functional restoration can be done usually pretty cheaply, it may not look like much but it'll work.

 

5. How bad are the big $$ parts? Engine/trans/tires are by far the biggest investment.  A set of tires can go for $425, an engine rebuild can cost over 500, if it needs tires, engine work, trans work...a combo of any 2..it may be a good parts tractor.

 

Example...a 520-H, sitting outside a while, not pretty, 1200hrs, has some rust, needs a seat, tires, no start.  Its desirable, not horribly common, won't be a good show tractor but is a good candidate for a worker with the hydraulics.  Id try to get it to run.. if it will run, and the hydro works...its a good candidate for a mechanical overhaul.  Yoy could easily take a 400 dollar tractor and make it a 1500 dollar tractor that works well.  You could also dump 1000+ into new sheeymetal, paint, decals, seat, etc...and have a show ready tractor, but you'd never see that kind of return if you had to sell it.

[WHNJ701 4,165]

I made a career out of restoring the worst "parts" tractors, actually tractors that should have went to the scrap yard and other collector's laughed at me for buying.  But when your searching for odd ball different brand, non wheel horse pre 1965 garden tractors you buy what you can.  It was alot of fun chasing parts, fabricating parts, and spending alot money.  I am done now with tractors just finishing my last restoration a 57 bolens.  In the end I built up a heck of collection to cruise around the yard with.

[kpinnc 12,028]

There are some great answers already on here. In my mind and in my location it's just a personal choice. If I like it and want to make something of it, that is my motivation.

 

I have sold some models rather than let them sit and wait on me, because I knew they were going to someone who really wanted them. And I've bought models that had no special value just because I like them. Point being, all of these old tractors are only worth the value we place on them. Some are sought after, but there isn't any real value over and above what we make for them anyway.

[ClassicTractorProfessor 5,314]

For me a lot of it depends on the sentimental attachment I have to the machine, whether it be a Wheel Horse, larger tractor, antique engine, or anything else. I've got one Wheel Horse C141 I started restoring (and need to get back to) that probably should have been destined to a parts tractor, and truth be told a lot of it wasn't worthy of much more than the junk heap. But I saved it because a very very close friend of mine bought it brand new. Will I be upside down in it when I finally get it done...sure I will...but its the fact that it was Ray's tractor and I want to show it in his memory makes the whole project worthwhile. 

 

I know there are people out there who don't like the idea of a parts tractor, they think that everything can be saved...which with enough time and money I suppose it could be. But I look at it like this, even dismantling a tractor to use for parts to bring another one back to life is better than letting one go to the scrapper to be gone forever. I know its not a Wheel Horse, but take for example the Olliver 88 Standard I drug home a few weeks ago. This poor old thing is ROUGH...the engine is locked up and full of rust from sitting open for who knows how many years, the tires are rotted almost completly off of it, the steering is locked up, you get the idea. If it was a tractor that had been in the family forever, yeah I'd strip her down and restore her, but as I have no attachment to it it's relegated to only a parts tractor at this time. I figure if only one piece of it goes to someone in need of that piece to put their tractor together then I accomplished my goal of saving it.  

[roadapples 6,983]

It used to brake my heart to see a tractor that I felt was in pretty good condition parted out. But then I realized without those parts some of my tractors would not be complete. And sadly a tractor sold in pieces can often bring more money than if sold complete.

[rmaynard 15,458]

There was a guy on eBay and a member here who only sold parts stripped from whole tractors. He would not sell the complete tractor. My heart would break when I would see a picture of an RJ or a 701, etc. But as @roadapples said above, without those tractors being stripped for parts, many of us would not have the ability to complete our tractors.

[953 nut 55,228]

For me it would be a matter of my attraction to a particular model, I will put more than its value into a 953 because I happen to be a 953 nut!

I have never been a "Parts Tractor" kind of guy, but I have shared many parts with others. A few years back I bought a few incomplete tractors at the Big Show because I needed parts from them. @WHX??, @Pullstart and @rjg854 were able to get the rest of the tractor and have probably shared parts from them with others. All three of these had the potential to become restored Wheel Horses but like @RED-Z06 said earlier, the cost to restore these would have been far more than they would bring when sold.

[squonk 41,109]

I've had 1 parts tractor here at the Bird Ranch. A 74 C-160 with a blown engine. It also needed a seat, fender pan and all 4 tires. I wanted the hydro out of it, kept a few pieces and junked the rest. Last year I got a Bronco that I wanted the $300 Simplicity grader blade that was on it. The rest should have been a parts tractor because everything was shot on it  but I put my plaid pants, white shoes and belt on and sold it at the show. 

[953 nut 55,228]

11 minutes ago, squonk said:

I put my plaid pants, white shoes and belt on and sold it

                                       

[Achto 27,571]

I'm one of those nuts who tries to fix every tractor that ends up in my possession. I have some accumulated parts that were acquired as such, but don't really have any parts tractors.

[midpack 866]

The problem I have when I buy a machine for parts to finish a project or maintain the herd, is when the current project is done I start to look at the parts tractor as my next project! 

And of course I always tell myself I should sell the "low man" on the tractor poll, but what if I need something off it to keep one of my main machines going?!?

[Handy Don 12,222]

I haven't yet gotten to where I'd buy a "parts" tractor. But I feel myself edging toward that slippery slope....

[WHX?? 48,815]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

I'm one of those nuts who tries to fix every tractor that ends up in my possession. I have some accumulated parts that were acquired as such, but don't really have any parts tractors. 'Sides I know this dude that has parts tractors coming out his keester...

Ok I'll amit I have ALOT of parts tractors. It does pain me to know most will never be driven again but when I see and drive what comes out of Dan's garage, I'll parts out some more. 

When I look at a tractor it's a gut feeling will it end up parts or a project. Any Round hood or mid-sixties  no brainer ...project. 

BTW good thread @Redav72

Edited February 26, 2022 by WHX??

[Horse Newbie 7,069]

I have 2 Wheel Horses… a 1994 520H (my 1st refresh), and a freebie 1984 Work Horse GT-1600 (currently being refreshed).

 

I did not look at either as a parts tractor… when you only have one, what are the parts going to be used on ?
 

I really don’t think I see any tractor as a parts tractor… I have these grandiose ideas that I can “ make it better “

 

And besides, a 40 year old Wheel Horse is built better than anything you can buy these days, comparatively speaking.

 

I just love taking a dirty, rusty, machine and making it nicer !

 

 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

I often buy my machines, that would hit the scrapyard if I didn't bought them.

 

Fire- incident, broken tranny's, stuck in a mudhole, neglected for years. Just a rusty frame.

I have bought some of them for parts, but ended up getting them all in working order, and waiting to paint them when the weather gets better.

I understand why you would want parts tractors, they can keep many other Horses running when in need of parts that are no longer produced. Hubs, trannys, steering setup, etc 

 

 

 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

7 hours ago, rmaynard said:

There was a guy on eBay and a member here who only sold parts stripped from whole tractors. He would not sell the complete tractor. My heart would break when I would see a picture of an RJ or a 701, etc. But as @roadapples said above, without those tractors being stripped for parts, many of us would not have the ability to complete our tractors.

I heard for a couple of Wheel Horse people down here that there once was a WH collector, and he had a guy who helped him maintain the herd. When the owner go too old, he gave his collection to that dude. He dismantled NOS 520H and other machines to sell the parts for whicked prices. Such a shame, and would never get that over my heart. 

 

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

52 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

dismantled NOS 520H and other machines to sell the parts for whicked prices

 

That's what you call a 'geldwolf' 

[D_Mac 8,618]

One man's junk is another man's treasure. I like to keep them whole. Fix what's needed. If I can't get it done I offer it up to someone who will. Here is my next project. Most would think this is a parts machine. We will see. It's only been sitting out side for the last 30 years but it ran when it was parked there !!!!

[kpinnc 12,028]

One thing I forgot to mention- several of my tractors are absolutely made from parts of other machines. At one time, I had 17 tractors. Now I have about half of that number. Some of those previous machines got cannibalized for others. Then later I'd throw parts together to make something up. Very few of my tractors are even correct, and none are 100% original. So to a degree, all of mine are parts tractors.