My best buying experience, ever

[Inspectorjoe 471]

I've long the dreamed of having a full set of cast iron wheel horse weights for the 1973 no-name I use for plowing snow. Being a practical man of modest means, I had settled for generic cast-iron rear weights and plastic front weights. But last year, my dream partially came true when in a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story, I acquired a front set of weights for free. My dream was completed about 18 hours ago when I picked up a set of rear weights.

 

Tuesday night, I saw a new Craigslist ad for a set of rear weights with chains. The asking price was $150. I immediately emailed the person, saying I'll take them at that price and gave my phone number. I assumed they were already gone, but about three hours later I got a call from an older gentleman. They weren't gone after all. We didn't have a mutually available time the next day, but set a time to pick them up Thursday morning. I drove back on a long driveway through the woods, to come upon a clearing of his house, detached garage, and numerous sheds. It was a place I would have loved to own. I pulled up to the garage, whose doors were open, and saw a man working inside. I introduced myself, and made a little small talk. He was 81 years old, owned the property for 53 years, and spent most of his working life at a Wheel Horse dealership. We talked Wheel Horses for a while. He said at one time he owned 12, but was starting to sell them off, and had one that he thought I might be interested in. We walked over to a shed, and inside were several Horses, but the one in front was the one he wanted to show me. It was a Lawn Ranger, in completely original (and excellent) condition, except for having an 8 hp Kohler. Another modification was the pulley sizes. He said it went really fast. I asked how much he might want for it, and and he said probably $500. I was all ready to ask where the nearest ATM was, because it would have fit in my wife's Subaru that I came in (she's in Florida this week, which gave me a little breathing room to buy stuff). But then he said, "I don't want to sell it now, I use it to go to the mailbox". Dang!

Then we walked around to different sheds, with each one having one or two stashed inside. They were all in excellent original condition, original paint and no rust. I was drooling. He ended up showing me close to 12, so he either originally had more than he thought he did, or sold fewer than he thought he did. The guy knew Wheel Horses. I asked him if he was on any online forums. I got the answer when I had to explain what an online forum was. That was sad, because I thought of the wealth of knowledge that is going to die with him when he eventually passes.

He wasn't ready to sell anything else today, and I didn't want to pressure him, so I'll be sure to be on the lookout for the next time he posts on Craigslist. Thank you Will, you made my day. No, you made my week..

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,313]

Excellent! Maybe he’ll call you first before he tosses anything up for sale next time 

[ebinmaine 67,328]

Excellent story!

 

@Sparky wouldn't that be cool.  

 

Joe maybe keep a line of communication open with the fella. Maybe make a friend. Maybe glean some knowledge. Maybe more. One never knows.  

 

 

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Sounds like you definitely stepped into it that Thursday. 

[JoeM 7,871]

3 hours ago, Inspectorjoe said:

Thank you Will, you made my day. No, you made my week..

So cool.

I have met so many awesome people that are connected to these machines. 

I always say "Every Tractor has a Story"

 

[953 nut 55,120]

3 hours ago, Inspectorjoe said:

I asked him if he was on any online forums. I got the answer when I had to explain what an online forum was. That was sad, because I thought of the wealth of knowledge that is going to die with him when he eventually passes

This is so true when it comes to the tractor and engine hobby.      Guess it is up to us to share all the information we have and hope others can benefit from it. Glad to see that he has embraced modern technology enough to post your wheel weights on the internet, so many good parts and pieces end up being scrapped because no one knows they are out there.

[squonk 41,040]

I had similar story. Saw an ad on CL for a No Name 12 8 spd with a deck. Pictures looked decent enough but the price was a bit high to my liking. So a week went by and the tractor was still available and I had time to think. I didn't need the deck so I could sell that. It had the original 2 piece seat and I find these uncomfortable so I could sell that to. I could end up with just about a free tractor. 

    So I call and find out he's an older gentleman. When he found out I was a collector he got all excited. This tractor was his baby and he couldn't get on and off anymore and wanted to sell it to someone who collected them. He was an hour away so I tell my wife we're going to lunch. She asks "where's the tractor?"  Before we get to the house I say I bet the tractor is in his drive way and he's sitting in a chair next to it. Sure enough he is. He goes onto explain the tractor was never even rained on in the 41 years he had it and all it did was mow. He still had the original spark plug in it. He wanted that and had bought another one to put in it when it sold. He gave me a box of parts/brochures and receipts to go along with it. We spent over 2 hours there looking at his 1939 fire truck in the garage.

 

          4 years later I get an e-mail from him. He was cleaning the basement and found more parts and pieces he had and wanted my address so he could bring them to me. 

[ebinmaine 67,328]

6 minutes ago, squonk said:

so I tell my wife we're going to lunch. She asks "where's the tractor?" 

 

Either she's got you well understood or it's the other way around. 

[953 nut 55,120]

33 minutes ago, squonk said:

I could end up with just about a free tractor.

Did that with my 310-8. It came with a mid-mount grader blade which I already had one of, sold the blade and have a net investment of $ 150 in a like new Wheel Horse with a 42" RD deck.                     

 

[roadapples 6,983]

Just think how this old gentleman would enjoy the Big Show...

[wallfish 16,988]

20 hours ago, roadapples said:

Just think how this old gentleman would enjoy the Big Show...

You or the man from the story?

[ebinmaine 67,328]

1 minute ago, wallfish said:

You or the man from the story?

This is a fair and reasonable question.  

[roadapples 6,983]

5 hours ago, wallfish said:

You or the man from the story?

If it were me it would probably be "this old fart", or "grumpy old man"...