Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

It never hurts to go look


huffy

Recommended Posts

After painting up a bunch of parts yesterday I was pretty much at a stand still with my resto project. I couldn't really start sanding or cleaning any other parts, because I didn't want to stir up any dust. So, I found myself literally just standing around watching paint dry, and was bored. I'd seen an ad on Craigslist by a gentleman claiming to have a "rare and antique" Simplicity tractor for the "rock bottom" price of $600, which he claimed was a "great deal for something of this vintage." There were no pictures posted, and he didn't identify the model. My gut told me it wasn't worth my time, but I figured what the heck, I'd at least give him a call. I asked the guy what model it was, to which he responded, "how would I know that?" I queried, "If you don't know what model or year it is, how do you know it's 'antique' and 'vintage'?" He said, "because it's old and rusty looking." I said, "does it run?" he said, "no, but I'm sure it just needs a tune up." I asked where he got it and why he was selling it. He said he'd picked it up at an estate sale because he was sure that something that old must be valuable. I was positive that it would be a waste of time to go look at it. But, since it was only about 5 minutes away and that paint hadn't started dancing or anything to make watching it dry more interesting, I figured what the heck I'd go take a look. I didn't think it was possible, but my outlook got even worse when I pulled up and saw the tractor. It was an old 101 Landlord, and the poor thing looked like it had been run over with a semi and then left sitting outside for at least 30 years. Everything on it was bent. The BGB was shot. The yoke tip on the axle was worn about 3/4 of the way through. The mowing deck had 2 broken spindles. The manual lift bar was broken. The mid PTO was broken. All 4 tires were so dry rotted that they would not hold air. The frame was severely cracked on both sides. And, it was gonna need more than just a tune up since the carburator was missing. About the only decent thing on the tractor was a set of wheel weights. When I started looking over everything, the guy kept asking what I was doing. I explained everything to him, as politely as I could, and as I went along he actually started to get really interested. I could tell he really knew nothing about tractors (from the looks of him, he worked in a bank or something and I suspect he hires a service to maintain his perfectly manicured lawn). After I'd explain each thing he'd just stare at the tractor and say, "oh, didn't know that." Anyway, when I got done I told him that I was sorry but that I just wasn't interested. I did, however, ask whether he'd be willing to sell me just the wheel weights. He asked what my offer would be, and I shot him a number that was literally pennies on the pound. He stared at the wheel weights for a second, then said, "I tell you what, since I obviously wasted your time with the tractor why don't you just go ahead and take them. The only problem is, though, that I don't know how to get them off, and besides I don't really own any tools." That, of course, was no problem because I always keep a set of tools in the truck for emergencies such as this, and though the bolts were severely rusted I had them popped off and in the back of my truck in just a few minutes. You should have seen how fascinated the guy was watching me take them off. He watched me unbolt the first one, and said "oh, wow, so they're just held on with those 2 screw thingies?" In any event, I guess the lesson that I learned is that even if a tractor seems like it's going to be a bust, if it's relatively close it never hurts to at least run over and look at it. btw, these are the weights that I got for a total cost of about 20 minutes of my time. I don't think they're original Simplicity's, but they'll definitely do the job and for what they cost I'll take 'em:


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite the story! Weights look hefty...heavier than the what the 101 would have worn from the dealer. Very nice, considering what any wheel weight is brining these days! :D
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Chris, Something else to add to the project, and paint! Here in Dutch Country there is a saying! "For free take; for buy waste time!" W
Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
Originally posted by GrincheyOne
Here in Dutch Country there is a saying! "For free take; for buy waste time!"
Here in da great white North we have our own saying, "Anything free is worth saving up for."
Link to comment
Share on other sites

$100 wheel weights for 20 mins of work...thats $300 per hr. you made. sm01 Well worth the time, congrats dOd
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice! I have a couple sets like that. Still unsure of the brand. I think they're around 50 lbs each.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I'm not sure what brand these are, as there's nothing that I've found etched on them except a non-descript number. They don't look like the Simplicity one's I've seen of the old round hood Landlord era. But that's okay, they're nice and heavy, and will look good painted orange.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yellow: Dude's still got it. He called me day before yesterday trying to get me to buy it for a lower price. He's still too high for a parts tractor, which wouldn't yield many useable parts, but if you really want a pic I'll go get you one!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...