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This time, it'll work. Buy it, fix it up, sell it, make money. No, really... Login/Join 
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
posted
I have bought, refurbished and resold a couple of tractors, several motorcycles and other odds and ends.

Lost my shirt on every one of them. WAY more cash invested than returned, to say nothing of my time. In most cases, I thoroughly enjoyed the process and wrote it off to "recreation".

I've always thought it'd be fun to have a small dozer. For the 2 people on the planet that aren't already aware of it, a dozer is a bigger money pit than a boat. Worse even than horses. We're talking nuclear money incinerator.

One of my semi-imaginary friends (actually met him in person once at a tractor show, talked on the phone several times) has an old John Deere 420C crawler/dozer he'll let me have VERY reasonably. Needs some transmission work, but runs and moves as is.

I've been working quite diligently at talking myself out of it (gotta drop the tracks, final drives and clutch packs to get at the tranny) and it's 350 miles away. I actually said I'd pass a couple of days ago, but he came back with a counter-offer that has me back on the hook. He's 84 and knows he'll never fix it, figures some money is better than none.

In a last ditch attempt to talk myself out of it, I ran it by SWMBO figuring she'd have a minor fit about it. Nope. Just "It's your money" as I can pay for it out of my side job cookie jar.

Damn. I'm seeing a road trip in my near future...




Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
 
Posts: 15181 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
chickenshit
Picture of rsbolo
posted Hide Post
Good luck to you!

I'm not even going to try and point out any drawbacks to your plan. I think we've all been where you are spiritually.

My current project is a Jeep Wrangler that I keep telling myself I'd break even on if I sold it now.


____________________________
Yes, Para does appreciate humor.
 
Posts: 8000 | Location: East Central FL | Registered: January 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
thin skin can't win
Picture of Georgeair
posted Hide Post
Look at is a part project, party charity in unexpected areas helping out the ol' man and his heirs.

Looking forward to pics later this week.



You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02

 
Posts: 12348 | Location: Madison, MS | Registered: December 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of sigcrazy7
posted Hide Post
There’s maybe only one thing in the world more fun for males than pushing stuff around with a dozer. Just sayin’ Smile



Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
 
Posts: 8202 | Location: Utah | Registered: December 18, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
"The deals you miss don’t hurt you”-B.D. Raney Sr.
posted Hide Post
I don’t buy “projects” for the same reason I don’t buy sale barn cattle....because I know why I carry grown cows to the sale barn....
 
Posts: 6288 | Location: East Texas | Registered: February 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of ShouldBFishin
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LOL. Enjoy playing with your new toy Big Grin.


Several years ago Dad, my daughter and I went on a road trip to pick up a JD 420 that needed "some" work in Idaho. Dad was grinning the whole way back home just thinking of what he would do with it. I'm pretty sure that "some" ended up being a lot more than he anticipated. I think it was a year or so later he traded it for a tractor and/or some stationary engines and was happy to see it go. Regardless, working on old machinery in the summer and clocks in the winter is something that he enjoys. I think it helps keep him mentally and physically fit. As long as he's able to do it (safely), more power to him.


I've got my eye (and so does my daughter) on his JD BO - when I have the appropriate place for that, I'm pretty sure that will be coming home with me.
 
Posts: 1799 | Location: MN | Registered: March 29, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Unmanned Writer
Picture of LS1 GTO
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ANd here I was thinking about doing the same with vintage receivers.

It'll be more a hobby than a money recouper.







Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.



Only in an insane world are the sane considered insane.


The memories of a man in his old age
Are the deeds of a man in his prime


 
Posts: 14020 | Location: It was Lat: 33.xxxx Lon: 44.xxxx now it's CA :( | Registered: March 22, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Power is nothing
without control
posted Hide Post
We had a 50’s or 60’s era forklift that was somehow acquired at work. It technically ran under its own power when we got it. We the. spent months calling folks out to repair one thing after another. We would replace one hose and the next one along the line would blow. Most of the repair calls cost probably half what we figured it might sell for. Then it blew one of the head studs off and erupted in a big smoke cloud. Turns out we were wrong. No one would even buy it! Ended up selling it for the scrap value.

What you have to ask yourself is this: do you actually want a tool you can use after some work, or not? You KNOW there is more that will break or go wrong in short order, even if you fix the obvious problems. If you don’t mind having it crap out every so often, fine. If you actually want to use the thing, how pissed are you going to be if it dies in the middle of some work and you have to rent something else to finish the job? Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure it will work some of the time, but if you really use this thing, it is going to keep breaking, and never when it is convenient.

Now, if you really do just want to flip it...you aren’t going to make any money and you know it. Admit that this is a hobby and that you are spending money to have fun. That should make it easier to figure out how much you are willing to spend on playing with it, and when you hit a point where a repair would cost too much and isn’t worth the fun anymore.

Of course, you know all of this already. I’m not telling you anything new. Still, sometimes it helps to hear someone else say it.
 
Posts: 2461 | Location: OH | Registered: March 03, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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Sounds like tractors are like the feral old sports cars that have a way of following me home!


Pragmatism: the relentless pursuit of seeing things as they really are.
 
Posts: 169 | Registered: September 21, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
posted Hide Post
You are a wise man, sadlerbw. I just got off the phone with him and plan to head down Sunday morning and pick it up.

This is just for my own entertainment, I have no illusions about making money with it. If I can do a little cleaning up around here, leveling some rough spots in the pasture, cleaning up along a drainage ditch, grubbing out a couple of stumps, I'll be happy.

If it stays together, grandson has some projects for it as well. In fact, he'll probably wind up with it in the long term.




Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
 
Posts: 15181 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
ANd here I was thinking about doing the same with vintage receivers.

It'll be more a hobby than a money recouper.


Google Catalin table radio on ebay. That is where the $$$$ is....assuming you can find one cheap.


*********
"Some people are alive today because it's against the law to kill them".
 
Posts: 8228 | Location: Arizona | Registered: August 17, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Not Today
Picture of badcopnodonut!!
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I run a dozer nearly every day. You will LOVE it.


________________________



Hi,I'm Buck Melonoma,Moley Russels' wart.
 
Posts: 2926 | Location: sunflower state | Registered: January 31, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Man of few words

Picture of remsig
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I can empathize with you on this PHPaul. I bought a 2nd vehicle to drive back/forth to work & to save miles and wear & tear on my primary vehicle a few months ago.

I bought the vehicle for $2,000 and have since put at least $1,500 and between 80 and 120 hours of my time into it. Before I bought the vehicle I couldn't find one of similar condition to what I have now for less than $3,500.

I've since decided I'm tired of working on it and don't like driving it so I listed it on Craigslist for $4,000 thinking I would have someone try and talk me down to $3,500 (which I would take,) but I've not had 1 legitimate request from anyone in 2.5 weeks since listing it. As of now I'll keep driving it and try and list it on other places other than CL.
 
Posts: 7859 | Location: NE Ohio | Registered: July 03, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Nframe
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Best of luck to you. I've seen enough of my buddies do this that it has cured me of ever wanting to.
I watch them piddle with the project a couple times a year and see the space its taking up and the time. Its not for me I'm quite sure never will be. I really don't like those kind of hobby projects, got enough to do around the house.
 
Posts: 2912 | Location: mid S.C. | Registered: March 22, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
You already know the answer, but like your wife said, "it's your money."
Helped my uncle rebuild a 350 crawler 20ish years ago. Replaced final drives and clutches and it ran like a champ. Pushed a couple of small 6-7'ponds out of the gumbo on his land. Lots of fun and built like a tank.
 
Posts: 169 | Location: Kearney, MO | Registered: October 18, 2016Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of cne32507
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quote:
Originally posted by PHPaul:
...

If it stays together, grandson has some projects for it as well. In fact, he'll probably wind up with it in the long term .


HA. On day it will be delivered back to you with granddaughter-in-law riding shotgun.
 
Posts: 2520 | Location: High Sierra & Low Desert | Registered: February 03, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go ahead punk, make my day
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Here you go.



But I guess it gets you away from SWMBO, so it's money well spent maybe...?
 
Posts: 45798 | Registered: July 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Here you go.



But I guess it gets you away from SWMBO, so it's money well spent maybe...?


Yeah, that about sums it up. I've come to the conclusion that I'm a glutton for punishment.




Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
 
Posts: 15181 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
posted Hide Post






Should run with a tuneup, trans needs work (probably a bearing) and left front idler wheel needs some attention, flopping around a bit. Hopefully bearing, maybe shaft. Have all the tin except one battery box cover. Serial number dates it as a 1957 model.




Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
 
Posts: 15181 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
posted Hide Post
I wish I had one of those. No idea what I would do with it, but it looks like something I need. Wink



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30544 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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