Ebay SMTA

Are any of you as blown away as I'm over the SMTA that just sold on Ebay for $5100?This was a narrow front completely original ( as in oil leaks everywhere and next to zero paint with what might have been the original 57 yr old tires ). How do folks think they can spend that much on a tractor that might bring $6000 once restored?

Who realy cares about how much someone pays for a tractor they wanted it and got it. Maybe it was next to where he lives and doesent have to pay a lot for hauling and he could drive over and look it over.

(quoted from post at 13:00:41 05/06/11) Are any of you as blown away as I'm over the SMTA that just sold on Ebay for $5100?This was a narrow front completely original ( as in oil leaks everywhere and next to zero paint with what might have been the original 57 yr old tires ). How do folks think they can spend that much on a tractor that might bring $6000 once restored?

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Maybe it brought that much, maybe it didn't. Maybe it didn't even sell. It's Ebay after-all. Take it with a grain or two of salt.

yeah o well at least i did'nt buy it.

I thought it sold about right considering it was all original. I thought the paint was above average (again being original), tires looked pretty darn good to me, tin looked to be PERFECT, + power steering and working T/A. I think you would be VERY hard pressed to find an original in as good a shape for the money.

Alot of it depends on location too...tractor restoration is real big here in IA and WI. Its hard to find a junk H or M for under $1200 here in central IA. Everybody either thinks there fence row and barn found junkers are gold or they just plain wont sell them even if they are going to sit there for another 20yrs and rust away.

Well perhaps you are correct if you want an " original " and plan to keep it that way. However if you want a show tractor your talking about replacing the steering wheel , seat , battery box , gages , tires , a bunch of seals and paint.The guy would have a bunch more in it than just buying one already done for around $7000 and maybe less. Certainly its OK with me because if that tractor is worth $5100 mine is worth $10,000 plus and its not although I whish it were.

Mabe a long lost family tractor? Bob

The same seller sold a different SMTA for 3900.00 on ebay a couple of weeks ago.

You Know Fellas,I like to see these old girls hold some value. We who love this old I.H.Equip. do it as a labor of love ,However, its nice to see that their is some value to our efforts.As for the smta on e-bay ,its pay me now or pay me later.If you don't want to spend time and money restoring then your' going to have to pay more for one that is preserved enough to have something to be proud of. Also I recall in 2005-06 Smta's were bringing 7500.00 to 10,000.00. I saw a junk smta sell at auction in 2006 for 7500.00.I have a freind in nevada that has a very sound older resto smta for sale and He cannot get 6000.00 been trying to sell for last two years. He told me he had offers of 10,000.00 pre 08.Kicks himself for not selling. I have been restoring a set of tractors that my Dad Had when I was in grammer & high school. 1945 H, L.a.case propane,Smta propane,f-400,and now starting a 560 gas.Even with A couple free tractors I have close to 18000.00 average in them. even though I think they are perfect and I am very proud of them,I would be hard pressed to get 6000.00 average.If it were not for the connection to my roots in farming and to my Dad that I lost when I was 19, I probably would not place as much value to them. Amazing what we value! Just my 2 cents, Tony

He should be a happy camper. Of course it depends on how much of a restoration the Buyer is able to do himself and if he values his time but I don't see how you could pay over about $2000 for a decent tractor and then pay to have it restored without losing big time. You can still buy a really nice restored SMTA for $6000 or less.I know because I just did it

Tony
I did the same thing with my Dad's SC. Took a free tractor , spent $8000 on it and now have a nice $3000 tractor than I wouldn't sell for $10000. You make my point for me in that now is the time to pick up nicely restored tractors for a lot less than having them built.

Just my opinion, but a complete restoration both mechanical & paint is pricey, even if you throw in your own labor for free, I have seen many so-called restorations that aren't worth scrap price, a bad attempt, or the wrong vintage mix of parts. If you check the price on any newer machinery made the past 20 years, you will find some pretty high prices.
Tractors are very photogenic, it is really hard to tell true condition from a photograph, whether this SMTA was really worth 6k to some of you is relevant to what you would be willing to pay for that one tractor you have always wanted, or could never find. Ebay is a poor indicator of value, looks more like the seller was wanting just to drive the price up, we have no proof whether that was an actual sale, a shill, or a bidding war.
I think you would be hard pressed to buy any farm tractor made in the last 20 years, and find them still going strong 30-40 years from now. I think these old tractors are a good deal for what you are getting, and I beleive they are worth much more than people claim they sell for.

True but we dont restore these old tractors to make money because it just can"t be done! Like others have said, maybe it was a family relative or convenience in location or who knows what. I sold the first tractor I ever bought and restored this past summer, a beatutiful 1955 Farmall 300. I listed it for $6250 and it was narrow front, no power steering, no fast-hitch, did have fenders. Never thought I would ever get that for it, but I didn"t really need to sell it and that is about what I had in it in parts. It sold in 2 weeks to a guy about 10 miles down the road from me for $6000! He said he has been wanting one because that was the tractor he learned to drive on back in "55 when his dad brought home a brand new one...

Dont get me wrong either though, I think it was a nice tractor and the eBay seller should be very happy, but I would not have paid that much for a SMTA when, as others have said, you can buy a completely restored on for another $2000. That seller has had a few other SMTA"s within the last few months and a very nice SW6TA.

Heck I still kick myself for not calling on a craigslist add faster earlier this summer. Guy in NE listed a SMTA with IH wide front, power steering, new tires and working T/A for $2400!!! First try at calling (no more than 10 minutes after he posted the tractor) and the line was busy. Immediately called back and the guy said "Sorry the guy I just hung up with just bought it..." I told him I would be happy to give him $3500 for it but he said he already had a deal (I am sure he was tempted but also kind of glad there are still some fair and honest people out there)!

I'm from IA and every MTA I've ran across the seller's wanted from low $5000 as high $6800. And these MTA's were not restored, but on a 1-10 scale they were 5-7's.

It's not so much the tractor as to who showed up to bid. Another day, a lower price. Do I think it is worth it? No, even though I have one I wouldn't sell for that.

Tell ya this it would take a whole bunch more to get my S/MTA , i am the second owner of it and one of two that was featured on the 94 Red power video . Waited a long time to get one and now that i have it i am not letting go of it and BTW i have turned down 10000 for it twice.They don't make them anymore and don't figure the people in China will reproduce them any time soon.

I agree that it is high, but I am with Tractor Vet. I would not sell mine for twice that money. Mine was bought new by my Grandpa in Law and I am the second owner. When my FIL had his sale somebody unplugged a spark plug wire trying to get a deal on it bc it ran like crap. They pulled the wire out, but left it just hanging in the rotor. My FIL refussed to sell it for $2300 (in 2002) because he didn't want the crook to have it. I ended up getting it for $1800, but it was a steal. The TA is out, but other than that it is decent.
VERY nicely restored SMTAs with PS and other goodies were only selling for $6500ish at the Mecum sale. I think it is nuts what people will pay for unrestored tractors when fully restored ones are only 20% more.

Some of you gentlemen have stated now is a good time to buy these tractors already restored and you are right! However, for me the satisfaction of seeing it go from fence row to a sparkling, purring, gem and knowing whats inside is worth the money spent. I have done four and now starting the fifth.It usually takes me about two years each and the search for parts,the friendships started along the way ,even on this forum I feel as though I know many of you just by your posts and all the advise and help over the years.There is a lot of pride and joy in desplaying our heritage and hard work.We old tractor guys are pretty special. Tony

Only $5100? That's about right for that tractor assuming it's as good as it looks.

I watched an SMTA that looked nowhere near as good, only ran on 3 cylinders, beat... bring $5400.

If that one brought $5100, what's mine worth with new rears and no rust on a 10 year old paint job.

Just used it last week to plow some fences lines down and it purred like a kitten.

It may need a water pump, it had a little seep there when I got done.

I'm not that attached to it that for the right price I would let it go.

Gary

Well I paid $5500 for this one about 4 months ago(new tires with 14.9 Firestones on rear , no welds and run perfect with new TA . Also has Power Steering . If the one on Ebay was worth $5100 mine should be worth $10,000 but its not.Red Power has a segment on Auction Results and what looks to be a nice one brought $6600.

NICE TRACTOR !! I remember my father & I fixing up old cars to re-sell in the 60's & 70's, some required much more work than others, but I can only imagine what those same cars would bring today, by some of the "ridiculous" auctions on TV today we would have both owned our own state by now, back then, we were just trying to stay busy & make a few dollars on the side. I find these old tractors well worth the money and definitely worth restoring, who knows what the future will bring. I have noticed some parts and certain models getting much more scarce in the past few years, and prices definitely on the rise compared to say 10 years ago. With scrap prices on the rise, I beleive many of these fine gems might fall under the torch to make a quick buck.
We certainly don't restore tractors as an investment, but the pride of ownership, and the friends we make along the way certainly account for more than the bottom line on an auction invoice. I still find the prices for restored tractors, and their parts amazingly low compared to cars & trucks made in the same era. My hat is off to anyone involved in collecting or restoring these classics.

Interesting and fun discussion here. Let me ask everyone something.

What do you think a water temp guage is worth for an F-20? Yup, you can buy a repop for around $40 -$50. What do you think an NOS original is worth? Both do the same thing.

If you can even touch the NOS one under $150, let me know, I want one.......and that is if you can even find it. Heck, show me a working original used one that is under $100.

My whole point here is the same as I think was stated early on. Anything is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I don't even want to beging to say what I would pay for my Dad's SM if I ever find it. I would be willing to pay multiples of what is is actually worth. does that make me an idiot because I would pay 3-4 times what something is worth to get it? If so, then I hear the phone ringing, the village wants me back!!!!

So, in the end, scoffing at what someone paid for something doesn't prove anything. It may be good for some light hearted fun, but in the end it means nothing.

Tom
All good points and I sure wasn't trying to make fun of anyone. Afterall I'm the guy who paid $8000 to have my Dad's SC restored. However if I just wanted a restored SC I would not buy an average old tractor and pay someone to restore it thus having $10000 in one that I don't have an emotional tie too.There are way too many already restored that can be had for under $4000 in todays market.My post was just fodder for discussion-everyone has the right to spend their money as they choose.Bud

Bud, I agree, and wasn't pointing my comments at you. I see these types of posts pop up every once in awhile, and most times (such as this one) they are pretty harmless and a bit of fun. Although I have seen them get out of hand, and become downright nasty at times.

Not sure what possessed me this morning to post my thoughts, as I said, this whole post was rather tame.

There are 2 sides to every story, and one usually carries more weight than the other, but not in all cases.

Hey guys, thanks for this thread! been good therapy . I am 65 yrs old not retired still farming, restoring these these things as time permits.I am trying to complete a set of all tractors that impacted my growing up days with my Dad. My wife supports me,my kids roll their eyes,my grandkids are to busy with bseball.So here I am working hard to do these up right and somtimes I think what I am I doing this for? Most of my farming neighbors could care less which blows my mind. If not for few freinds I have made along the in this hobby their would be no appreciation. However I believe down deep inside that if I do these well and for my enjoyment that in time they will be appreciated.and my kids will look back with fondness. In the meantime the village needs to keep me on my medication. Tony