Mystery Tractor (close up pics)

grayrider · Nov 15, 2018

Started a post yesterday when I spotted this tractor about 100 yards off the road close to my home, property has recently sold and has been cleared. The former land owner once told me his daddy had built a tractor many years ago and it was sitting in the woods, well you can see it now since woods are gone, could it be fabricated with a Thieman Tractor kit? Check it out and post your thoughts.....

grayrider · Nov 15, 2018

More pics

grayrider · Nov 15, 2018

Few more pics

rustyfarmall · Nov 15, 2018

The frame side rails do not appear to be a Thieman.

CaseChev · Nov 15, 2018

Engine looks to be Ford Model A ??.....Model T ??

grizz02 · Nov 15, 2018

if its free use it for yard art

grayrider · Nov 15, 2018

Just talked with owner, when property sold the tractor did not go with land sale, the elderly gentleman that sold his family homestead kept tractor, he?s in his 80?s and not able to move it or do anything with it, he wants me to make him an offer. He said his daddy built it back in the late 30?s out of Model A Ford, used a one ton truck axle and put two truck transmissions together in it, built his own cultivator and other implements back in the day, he said for me to make him an offer, was hoping it was a free tractor, the guy that just bought the land said he would have given it to me but the older gent wanted to hang on to it and have it moved to his new place, but after talking with him on phone while ago he said he?s not able to fool with it and for me to make offer, don?t know what to offer but am interested in it..

MtMan · Nov 15, 2018

I would believe it to be a McCormack Deering, maybe even a F-20, but not for sure. I would leave it RIP if were mine.

Mark-Ia · Nov 15, 2018

Model A Ford engine.

cuby · Nov 15, 2018

Looks to me as some ones dream went bad.

Bob Harvey · Nov 15, 2018

$50. Likely yard art only - pretty far gone.

Janicholson · Nov 15, 2018

If you decide to have it you might offer to take off the vines and set it up with the radiator straight and create images of it as though it was just out of commission. What he remembers it to have been is important to him. Then either use it for art, or make it workable to drive in parades. Jim

SDE · Nov 15, 2018

Go to the current land owner and tell him that you are interested in it. After it has sat on the new owner's property for a long enough time, the new owner may ask you to haul it away. I think that after 30 days it becomes the property of the new owner. My brother got a lawn mower that way. On the other hand, if you can't see to give an old man $50,?????
SDE

rustyfarmall · Nov 15, 2018

$50 is kind of like a slap in the face. Won't even pay for a couple of meals at a nice restaurant and won't hardly be enough to fill a gas tank. If that tractor is worth anything, it's worth at least $100. Especially if it is built out of Ford model A components. Even at $250 to $500, you should be able to get your money back out of it.

Crazy Horse · Nov 15, 2018

Other than the family story that goes with it, it's really just a pile of scrap iron on wheels. In my opinion, it's not worth putting another nickle into it after you bought it. I think $100 is more than fair, myself I'd offer him $50. Some people might take it if the owner paid them $50.

formerly ny bill · Nov 15, 2018

agree on the $50 comment. I would feel bad offering less than $150-200 considering the circumstances. I'm sure the old man knows it
is pretty far gone, but he can probably put the money to better use.

Rich'sToys · Nov 15, 2018

I would think the scrap value would be a couple hundred dollars, at least.

RedMF40 · Nov 15, 2018

Interesting situation. It's a fine line between being insulting and trying to do the right thing. But it's your money and time, so I'd have to say $50 is more than fair--considering you'll have to figure out how to drag that old skeleton of rusted bones out without it completely falling apart. Someone along the years may have told the old fellow--"Don't every sell that old tractor--it's worth a LOT of money!" and perhaps that stuck with him. As someone mentioned already, you can probably get it for free by just biding your time. The new property owner isn't going to wait forever to be rid of that thing.

Traditional Farmer · Nov 15, 2018

Here's how I'd look at it.If it were something I really wanted and to be sure I'd most likely get it I'd offer $200,on the other hand if I wasn't interested I wouldn't fool with it period.
Also note that its pretty wide so its going to take a 8ft wide trailer or roll back to get it out of there.Paying for a rollback could be the deal breaker.I'd ask for a price to start with though from the owner.

grayrider · Nov 15, 2018

I?m off on Fridays so I?ll go look at it again tomorrow and pull all the vines off of it and take some real good pictures and show y?all some time tomorrow, the old gentleman welcomed me over to look it over and talk with him after I study it over, the new property owner said I could have it if something happened to the guy before somebody else got it, I have an 8? wide gooseneck trailer I could winch it up on should a deal or a handshake takes place, my luck though it won?t roll, lol...

db4600 · Nov 15, 2018

A year ago there was a yard art 15/30 just down the road here that sold for $550. Granted the parts of a 15-30 would fetch more than that, but this is not the case here. Only you know your interest, ability, and connections for parts and true condition of that piece. $100-200 would be more than fair and $50-100 would be better for you.

grizz02 · Nov 15, 2018

looking at the brake drums looks like a 1 ton or 1-1/2 ton truck chassis

funky_g00 · Nov 15, 2018

I would try and save it, of course I see beauty where others see only a hunk of iron, and have a liking towards orphan and frankenstein tractors. In this case knowing some of the history is a great conversation starter, not to mention it is one of a kind, hand built by a farmer, probably desperate for a tractor of his very own, not just anyone can build a machine that can make them a living from scratch! If the owner can not come up with a figure for you, I would certainly offer something close to scrap price (1-300 dollars). From what you have written this tractor probably has sentimental value to the owner. Unless he knows you well or you are willing to pay enough, he probably will not sell if there is any doubt that you will turn around, scrap it and double your money off him. If you could make it at least yard art worthy and showed the owner, he probably would be very grateful, and that is what really matters!

SweetFeet · Nov 15, 2018

The few Thieman tractors I have seen, all have a big tube steel for the frame.

Really neat photo of some old rust.

Mystery Tractor (close up pics)

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