tractor restore

how many people have restored a tractor and what kind of tractor, how much money did you put into the tractor. did you think you were going to get your money back? what do you call restored? I have refurbished maby 25 tractors, make sure it runs good, fix all oil leaks, nice tires [matching],everything back to factory, all slop out of linkage and nice paint job. even add aftermarket parts [m&w] power steering, live hyd, Christmas tree, many options. kept a few sold a lot never lost money, something to do in winter time.

M&W never made a power steering kit

I do this from time to time and it doesn't matter that brand it is, It all depends on the deal. It dose not matter the time of year it is but I do like to do it over the winter so I have something to look forward to. The last tractor I got going and made look good was an Oliver 1555 gas that I really bought for parts to fix 3 other's I have. Once I got it home and took a close look at it I had to try to get it running again and I did. Now this tractor was all original with good strait sheet metal but had 3 tires that were shot and real dull paint. Thee tires later and lots of elbow grease she was running and lookin good again with no paint work because it did not need it. Now I have fixed them and repainted them and sold them or kept them to use on the farm. A trailer queen I will never own or build because that's not for me, I like to see a good lookin tractor in the field doing what it was made to do. I have never lost money on any tractor I have done this to and got more enjoyment in the fact that I took a dead or close to it tractor and bring it back to life, That's the part in enjoy the most. The Oliver pictures are of the day I bought it and yes that's the oil pan laying in the pan on the front and this is ware it had sit for 3 years, And what it looked like the day it left the farm when I sold it. Bandit

I did a 1959 Massey in 2006/7. I had a lot of time, and a lot of money in the project. I could have broke even on my money but not on my time. I didn't cut any corners as I was building something to use here at the house. I have had several offers but unless situations change, it isn't for sale. I can't see making money on tractors unless you get a fairly straight unit really cheap. I am sure it can be done. Of course, I never saw station wagons coming back, either...

Aaron

I have never restored a tractor in the fullest sense of the word. I have mechanically rebuilt several tractors for my own collection, but did not paint them. I have bought a few non-running tractors and did what was necessary to get them running and then sold them. There was a couple of Farmall 400s that I bought and did what work was needed to make them run good and sold them for a fair profit. Then there were a pair of Farmall Hs that I got running and replaced some cosmetic parts that I would not have had to and when it was all said and done, my profit was barely enough to cover my time and labor, if I charged $5/hour......

sorry Kent didn't mean M&W made power steering, just after market parts

A true restore will cost more then the tractor is worth most of the time but then again few people do a true restore many fix a few things and paint them and call that restored but that is not a TRUE restore

A truly restored tractor will never make you any money. It all is down to what you mean by the term "restored".

I have restored 3-4 tractors from the ground up. I do mean everything stripped and made back to factory or better. I had 2-3 times the value of what they would sell for if you figured anything for my labor. The last tractor was a JD 4020. I had over $15K in parts and machining, $8500 in the tractor to start with, and over 200 hours of labor. So if you figure shop time at $30 that would make me having around $29500 in the tractor.

Now if you just get thing working, paint, tires then MAYBE you can make something on it. It all depends on what model of tractor anymore. I can buy regular letter series JD two bangers for less than the tires would cost new. Farmall letter series are that way too. Some of the older Case tractors are even worse. A VAC in top shape will hardly break the $1000 mark anymore.

I knew a fellow that specialized in Ford 1953-1960 tractors. He always had one restored and for sale. He usually would get $4500 or so out of them. When he was done they where 100% functional and looked sharp with good tires and paint. He has hard time doing it anymore. The cheap payment plans on the compact tractors has shrunk the hobby market for tractors.

So in my opinion it would be hard to do if you count your labor for much. I still trade some tractors but they are newer and usually just need little things done to make them right, cab kit an maybe lights and such. The days of overhauling them and such an making money is over. The basic tractor, even non running, is too high right now. Plus parts are high as well. So your behind the eight ball before you even start.

The last larger tractor I did was a JD 4450. I got it with a NEW JD 740 loader for $24000 delivered. The tractor was straight but faded and cab interior shot. Good tired too. I sold the loader off. Then painted the tractor. New cab interior with seat, repaired the AC system, fixed the leaking load shaft/seals, and installed as step kit. With the cost of all the parts and such, I broke even. So I will not go that deep in one anymore.

I thought I restored one once until I went to a tractor show.

Depends on what you call "restored". Some guys run a tractor through a car wash, squirt some paint at it, and call it restored.

If you want to put everything back to where it was when it left the factory, for speculation, it isn't cost effective.

But, the factory never put a $3,000 clear coat paint job on a WD Allis like a friend of mine did.

When I was in the auto body business, I saw guys put $10,000 into a $5,000 pickup and expect to sell it for $15,000. Ain't gonna happen.

Yup many different types of "restored" tractors. I ususally restore mine to "Trailer Queen" levels. Strip everything down to bare metal. Repalace all the seals. Redo the linkages. Pound out the dents, patch rusted out spots. Bondo, and high build primer. I usually draw the line at using automotive paints. They are just too darned expensive. The last 8n I did cost me nearly $500 just for paint. I had to do it once just to see how it would look. I will say I do like working with Delstar, it does go on good. Where was I oh yes, and all new rubber. I paint all small parts and sheet metal individually and then assemble. By the time I am done, I am so underwater that I wouldn't even consider selling them. I have had people ask and I just say you couldn't afford it. The other type of restored is to factory original. Pretty much the same as a "Trailer Queen" the only difference is the paint/painting. I would use just equipment paint of the correct color and spray the entire tractor assembled. Wires, hoses, belts everything. That is how they used to do it.

I have seen some real award winners as "restored". I saw a "restored" John Deere at an auction. From about 20 feet it looked real sweet. Up close you could see the brush strokes in the sheet metal paint. I think they used automotive paint too. What a waste. Another favorite is a restored tractor that just has a coat of paint. No de-greasing, still full dents just painted over everything. Yuck!

Unless you are really lucky, you will spend more than you can sell a unit for when the restore is finished.

The best way to make money is to do custom restorations on other people's tractors and they pay you by the hour for your work. I know of a couple place here that do tractors and one place that restores rusty old Chevrolet pickups for other people - and they do make money doing that!

Not a lot of tractors deserve to be called restored.I looked at one of the best appearing tractors at Mecum Auction [the best one there to look at] and when it was started the T/A was out and sounded like an injector was bad.The 52 unrestored H that brought $40K I am sure made the most money of any there.I would rather have one mechanically sound as an overhaul if done right costs a lot more than paint and tires.

Ive restored only one so far, back in 1986, a 1952 ZAU MM. I was missing a few of the extras that came with the tractor so I got in to making reproduction parts for them and haven't had the time to restore another one since then but am starting an M5 now. I wanted to get everything as close as possible back to the way it was from the factory, as in the operation of it. Getting what was mentioned below, the slop out of linkages and levers and the steering. It gives you a feel of what they were when new. You can do them somewhat cheaper if you know where to cut corners at and still come out with a good restoration. Ive seen a lot that were just a tractor on the farm with all the modifications done to it over the last 30 to 50 years with a coat of paint on it. The saddest thing Ive seen, which is just my opinion, is a tractor that is restored very well with a good paint job and the decals are either the wrong decals or in the wrong places. Some decal kits now days fit a few different years of the same model. People think all of the decals in the kit go on the tractor so they are put all over. With the power of google and tractor forums it wouldn't be that hard to find the correct info for them.

I never have completely restored a farm tractor yet. This F20 I am dabbling with might be the first total restore depending on how ambitious I feel. The closest I have come to a total restoration on anything is several military vehicles I have done for a friend. I did a frame off resto of a 1941 Ford GPW jeep but I wasn't into the tranny, transfer case or diffs so I can't call it complete. The last military resto I did, a 18 ton high speed tractor took three years. The only part of that one I did not restore was the transaxle and torque converter. That is a job for a younger, more nimble man than me.

Back in the '80s and early 90's, I made a lot of money rebuilding rusty '73 to '87 Chevy pickups and Blazers. Last time I counted, I had done 67. I said then that as long as Chevy pickups continued to rust, I had a guaranteed source of income. And, the only way I'd deal with rust was to cut the rust out and weld in new metal. Whether a customer vehicle or one I'd bought, redid, and sold, I could to one in about a week, and make anywhere from $500 to $1,000 on it. And I usually had work lined up a couple of months in advance.

But, times change. Pickups don't rust as soon nowadays and the profit margin just isn't there anymore for ones you buy, redo, and resell. And most owners won't pay what you would have to charge to do customer work, they'd rather just trade pickups.

But, it was fun while it lasted.

You're not going to make your money back on it. It's got to be for your pleasure, or don't do it.

I have restored one and am almost finished with another. I know I have more money in them than they are worth but I don't plan on reselling anytime soon. The VAC is finished being restored and is the later style so it was a little tricky finding parts for. The 300 round nose has been very expensive and is still in the works. It went through a fire and even though the transmission and engine are still good (not even singed) it has been very costly to fix up.

The 300 needed a new gauge cluster, clutch, seat kit, and much more.

The tractors I have restored are a Case VAO & VAH and a Massey Harris Mustang. These were complete tear down and rebuild. The VAO was bought new by my dad so not worried about getting my money back. The other two maybe. Any more I look for orchard tractors to restore. If I am real careful I should be able to get our money back. Steve

My son and I started restoring classic Chevy's and building street rods when he was in high school, some original, but mostly somewhat modified. We started doing some tractors a few years ago, strictly as a hobby. In the past year we have done 2 8n's, 1 47 2N, another 47 2N is being assembled, a 52 Super A, a JD 40, and an International 656 Dsl. These are pretty much total rebuilds but not total original restorations. We convert them to 12 volt, usually install electronic ignitions and take some liberties with the paint scheme. starters are rebuilt, engine disassembled and refreshed as needed, carb rebuilt and new gauges and wiring, hydraulics rebuilt, etc. We usually have about $1000 -$1200 cost in parts and materials invested in a gas burner. We usually figure about $10.00 - $12.00 per hour for our labor, which usually averages about 150 hours per tractor. That doesn't sound like much, but all of my other hobbies end up costing me money, so I'm happy with it and we enjoy it.

Last year a 1941 Farmall H. Rings, bearings, head rebuilt, seals, clutch, breaks, steering wheel, seat, intake manifold, transmission gears, tires, carburetor rebuild, steering universal, wheel bearings, battery and box, wiring, switches, lights, belts, hoses, thermostat, paint and decals. Over $4500. I know I would never get my money back selling it but I have a very nice tractor that my family and I can use for many years to come. Less than $40,000!

Old I know you have said that you have a lot of tractors and work on a lot of them.Do you have any that are
restored? Show us some pictures if you have any.

(reply to post at 08:44:23 12/20/15) The cheap payment plans on the compact tractors has shrunk the hobby market for tractors.

Click to expand...

This explains alot. Must be why you see all of the new Kubotas (or new Harleys) parked in the driveway. Then when the new wears off or the bank account is wiped out they go up for sale.

NO I have fixed a few up to look good but never done a true 100% restore since to do so would cost more the the tractor cost when it was new. Here is one I fixed up just a little bit. But it is by far not a restored tractor