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Do you select projects ? or do they just find you?


quantico

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I purchased my first tractor ( a sunstar ) because I had used one and loved it. I am a big guy and the sunstar fit me well. I found my deutz allis on ebay and without much research bought it and am now learning about what it needs and parts availability etc.. I hope to get it fixed and running and really like the size and condition of it. I planned one purchase and that went well, and I stumbled into another and the jury is still out on the outcome. My next door neighbor has at least three simplicity 's 4211's I believe... one gear and two hydro's . He bought a snowblower on ebay and all went great. My guess is that he has maybe 200 dollars invested in all three tractors total. He just keeps finding them and gets them for free or maybe 25 dollars.. all run great. I would ask some of you more experienced tractor guys if you keep your eye open for a certain machine, or if you just kind of find deals as you go ???? It seems that many of the simplicity tractors have a true following like the 9020 powermax... I am impressed with the beautiful craftsmanship that I see on some of your restorations and home-built plows and lifts etc.. It takes more than a good mechanic to build something or adapt something from the ground up. It takes a love of machines and satisfaction from building something well. I love big tractors... not 10 ton machines ...I mean the largest garden tractors, and many of the compact tractors.. hyd lift / 4 wheel drive machines that are maybe 1200-2500 pounds. I have a small lot but quite a bit of garage and workshop space.. I am trying to figure out what project that I would like to end up with after the deutz allis is either repaired or sold. I like simple things, but a bit bigger .. my sunstar needed a couple electrical issues fixed and I did so easily because I am an electrical enginner. It was not exactly quality time in the garage however if you know what I mean. I would like to know how you select projects, and maybe what kinds of things that I should look at before I pick a " next " tractor. I like the big cubs... I like the ford 1210 and similar sized kubota tractors... I really like the way that simplicty products work and are built. I love the new conquest , but can't afford brand new stuff. I am a decent wrench, have replaced clutches / brakes / exhaust and rebuilt a few engines and done a bunch of steering / suspension parts in my time... but still have a lot to learn about transmissions / hydro systems / valves pumps etc... and don't have a lot of understanding about small engines other than fixing my snowblowers and push lawnmowers.. etc.. Let me know how you think about projects... and maybe what I should consider on future purchases.. Thanks Scott
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This doesn't exactly answer your question but I've only come across less than a half dozen tractors locally for sale and have purchased 2 of them. I have given up looking for anything specific here in the tractor sparse Southwest.
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I seem to collect alot of stuff, big tractors, little tractors, toys, plows ect. and my wife collects dolls. If your looking for personal satisfaction than buy what you like!!! It dosen't matter what color it is if you look at something and say OH WOW then thats what you should look for. If your buying for resale then it matters what color you buy, what year it is and how much it costs to repair. I like to collect tractor pulling trophies because you don't buy them.LOL Good luck and take a look at a Massey Harris Pony some time it sounds like it would be right up your alley, as for me I'm really thinking I should have a M274 Army Mule they just look perfect for ice fishing. Like I need another project.
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If wanting to end up with a sub-compact or compact tractor is what your intention is then look around on e-bay, this sight, garden tractor sights etc. then decide what you want. Don't worry about buying the first thing you see. It might not be a deal. Let the deal come to you. One thing to remeber is not every tractor is a fixer upper. Sometimes one must be sacrificed to fix several others. I like to watch for package deals to gain parts and attachments. The good thing is once you find what you want, you can ussually spot them easier than blind comparisons. Compare brands, size, attachments availability of parts and what you'll ened up with when it's all over. Then you can pick something and take off. Sounds like your looking for a powermax size or bigger. But don't under estimate the large frame tractors by Simp/ A-C. They are capable of much more than most would give them credit for.Good luck with your search.
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I have many ideas floating in my head all the time. Ask Rob and my wife, they usually hear all of them. lol I seem to find projects like a bird finds worm!!! Again, just ask my wife!!! As far as finding tractor, well my eyes are always open, and I do have a few other eyes looking out for some. This site have brought me a bunch. Ebay is another, as well as local papers. I need to close all the eyes for a bit, I drowning over here!!! lol Elon
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Since I am very limited in space here in this subdivision, I have concentrated only on large frame Simplicity and AC tractors. Not many to be found in this area. I have 4, but only two came from the state of VA. Other two came from MD. Snowblower from NY, sicklebar from TN, etc. Most of my projects are my own creations. I come up with an idea, and eventually dig up everything I need to make it happen. Like Elon said, there are always a bunch of ideas running around in my head. My projects either come from a need, or just something I want to prove to myself that I can do. I always have many more projects in mind than I have either time or money to complete. Either that, or I am waiting for a deal somewhere on that special piece that I have been looking for. Sometimes I just pick up parts because I get a good deal on them. I got the GM window motor 20 years ago for free. At that time I was going to motorize the rear vent on a van that I had. Never did that one. Now, I am going to use it to build a spout rotater.
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I'm always looking for certain tractors/attachments and then great deals on anything else. I am lucky in one way and that is where I work, a service station on a main road, play with a tractor at lunch are whenever and you would be surprised at the deals and side jobs I come up with. Come spring I'll probably be drowning in them again.
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Always looking and only know of three Simplicity or A/C,s I have YET to get my hands on. Other brands I'll pick up cheap if they have a cast iron briggs or S/G on them. Good buy on any brand with a loader WILL follow me home.. Other projects, like building things to use on the tractors, largely fueled by desire to do something and lack of huntting grounds up here to find attachment. Shipping is often more then the attachment I could pick-up here on the site.
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I've often found projects, other times they find me. I have about 40 too many! Only recently learning to resist.
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Projects seem to jump on me like a plague! Last year at this time, I had no idea that this winter's project was working on anything other than my tan, down here in the sunny south, where it is 34 degrees and sleeting/snowing right now. For years, the winter project has been something that literally jumped out at me. Found a Harley once that ran on only one of the two available cylinders, with other problems too numerous to mention. Rides great! Found clocks, toys, cars, trucks, tools, tractors.....And when I say find, they are usually a bargain or free, but have potential!
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Im getin ready to paint the B10 I picked up form a local member that I met here. But I'm have second thoughts now about doing a strech on it, adding maybe 4 to 8 ". Also befor my tractor fund gets exosted I had hoped to build a bigger trailer to pull my lawn mowing equipment around this summer (16'). All ready have the axels and a plan. Right now im finishing up a pull behind I built last fall,rebuilding a golf cart,picked up more parts for the mower/vack/bager unit I need for next year to mow the condemed/abandoned propery I mow. And Im retired with a summer mowing bussines and suppost to be off in the winters.
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My projects come to me in a variety of ways, and not always tractors. I bought my 2010 from Jeff Nemes because the Broadmoor I owned could not handle the snow on my property. The last three just sort of wandered into my life. I found the 7016 sitting outside someones house while driving by. Knocked on the door and the owner gave me such a cheap price I couldn't NOT buy it. The Cub came as a suprise. I was buying parts for my 1953 Ford and the guy had the Cub just sitting there. It was in good shape, running and dirt cheap, so I took it home too! I have an 1960's Sears coming that is in great shape for free- my wifes cousin just does not want it anymore.
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They find me...some of you gearheads will appreciate this...Last year I decided I'd restore an old car. I owned a 72 Buick Skylark once and loved it, and found another. Went to get it and tow dolly disntegrated on way home. No tag, but I drove the car. In Jersey. Yikes! The engine blew just getting into Maryland. On I-95, Memorial Day. Drove back to NC with friend, got a tow bar, and towed it with my Toyota the rest of the way, averaging 39 mph. It has not moved since. Then I decided to try my luck with a Toyota Land Cruiser. Found one and bought it, but it's going to take forever to get it street legal. So that's one bay in the garage taken up. Mower was getting goofy, so I thought I'd buy a small tractor. Bought a Simplicity 700 and joined this site. Then found a B-1 parts tractor to donate to the project, but found it was actually in better shape than the 700, so it's getting restored. And I had been noticing the Power King tractors, mid-sized units built by Economy, and I really liked them, so I bought one when I sold my business. So now I have 3 tractors and a car to work on, and I'm scratching my head wondering how the h*** did all this junk get in the garage? Wife is not happy, but I'm looking forward to warm weather so I can start getting these babies together. They find me, and my bottom line is this...the tractor or car or whatever it is has to just GRAB me on some level, to the point where I have a vision of how it will look, and I go from there.
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I just looked at a 4040 powermax tractor. The price was ok, but the thing needed a lot of work and money to get it close to where I would want it. I will keep shopping and keep my eyes open. I really liked the size of the 4040, but think that a front blade / bucket would be a better configuration instead of a big mower / big snowblower which this one had with it. A GTHL thru- sunstar is also a nice size range, I currently love my sunstar and would love one with the two speed rear end. I am not sure if fixing a powermax is earier or more difficult based on the size of the parts... The 4040 is sure an impressive piece of machinery... I have yet to see a 9020 or 4041 in person to know all the differences.. I understand that the front axle on the 9020 is much stronger. The front end on the 4040 did not seem much bigger than the parts on my sunstar when you factor in the additional weight of the machine and the attachments you could use with that machine.
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