Old Gray Fergy

[andmel]

I recently bought a 1986 Kubota L2850 to replace my 1950 Ferguson TO20 when it developed a knock and showed no oil pressure. Mechanic determined that a connector rod bearing was bad, the gear driving the oil pump was spinning on the shaft, and worst of all, the crank and mains would need to be replaced ($600-700 in parts). Needless to say I was sick at heart. When I rebuilt the engine ~10 years ago I had the crank cut down and used .060" over mains, the thickest mains you can get w/out having to replace the crank. I sunk nearly $4K in restoring that ol' girl and she looked awesome. New 'skin' parts, seals, shims, gaskets, rims, tires, including sanding down to metal, degrease, and paint - down to the last nut and bolt. OK, enough of that. Anyway, with a family now, and a recently purchased Kubota, I don't have time or money to rebuild her again. Need to sell as is and mechanic thinks he has a buyer but I don't know what to ask. I don't have a picture to post of the ol' girl as she's in the repair shop. But washed up, she's a 'beaut' (tractor-wise). She will run (not seized).

Is there an equivalent to KBB or NADA for tractors? Any knowledge of what these old tractors bring albeit with a bad motor. Just trying to get what she's worth and fight back the 'sentimentality'.

 

[85Hokie]

I recently bought a 1986 Kubota L2850 to replace my 1950 Ferguson TO20 when it developed a knock and showed no oil pressure. Mechanic determined that a connector rod bearing was bad, the gear driving the oil pump was spinning on the shaft, and worst of all, the crank and mains would need to be replaced ($600-700 in parts). Needless to say I was sick at heart. When I rebuilt the engine ~10 years ago I had the crank cut down and used .060" over mains, the thickest mains you can get w/out having to replace the crank. I sunk nearly $4K in restoring that ol' girl and she looked awesome. New 'skin' parts, seals, shims, gaskets, rims, tires, including sanding down to metal, degrease, and paint - down to the last nut and bolt. OK, enough of that. Anyway, with a family now, and a recently purchased Kubota, I don't have time or money to rebuild her again. Need to sell as is and mechanic thinks he has a buyer but I don't know what to ask. I don't have a picture to post of the ol' girl as she's in the repair shop. But washed up, she's a 'beaut' (tractor-wise). She will run (not seized).

Is there an equivalent to KBB or NADA for tractors? Any knowledge of what these old tractors bring albeit with a bad motor. Just trying to get what she's worth and fight back the 'sentimentality'.

There are places like that but.....they really will not help you in this case.
YOURs is a little different, I too had an oldie but goodie - 53 Jubilee - only 74,000 were made and it was in nice shape - not as nice as yours. But is ran and ran strong, bought it for $2700 and sold it for $3000 and had it for 5 years..........

If you need to sell it then you will take a beating - I will bet someone WILL NOT give you much over $1000........New tires and rims on that girl are worth that !

BUT - if the outside is in great shape, then KEEP IT!!! Find another TO-20 and find one that has a "good" engine, do the swap yourself, it would not be that hard for you. Then you will have a nice tractor that will get you closer to 3k then sell the old tractor for scrap and so on.....or sell it for parts, Royal PITA but you will get a bigger bang for your buck, but it too will take time.

I know all that work and time are two things you dont have, I too hated to sell mine at the time !! AND it was running .....but the Kubota made me feel so much better.....so a year later I bought another Kubota!

Find a picture, they were made well and are sharp looking !

 

[D2Cat]

If you weren't so far away I'd work out some kind of deal to trade a working tractor for a non-working tractor. I need another project!!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

andmel,
Here is a sad reality to those tractors they are not worth a whole lot.
In mint condition with everything perfect and every option you might get $4000, But with a bad motor the same tractor can go for as low as $950.

Average price for a bad motored Ferguson TO20 seams to be in the under 1K range.

 

[andmel]

Yep, that's true Wolf. Mr. Ford and Mr. Ferguson, bless their hardheaded souls, meant well when they mass produced those little tractors so the average farmer could afford it. Parts are still widely available and priced reasonably. Without it being rare, I can't demand much in price and I can't seem to find a remanufacture Z120 engine for sale anywhere without I buy another tractor to go with the motor.

She was a joy ridin', log pullin', ground plowin', field mowin', road scrapin', snow movin' mamma for the last ~10 yrs. An old neighbor of mine gave her to me just to get the thing out of his back yard. Been sittin' for 15 yrs. A little oil on top of the pistons, carb cleaner and fresh gas and she started right up. Funny thing is, after driving it from his house to mine, when I took off the valve covers and released tension on the rocker springs, they all but broke into pieces!

I'll start at $1K and see how far I get. Anybody know how to play 'taps'.

 

[Diydave]

Fill her with heavy oil, and send her to an auction, in the spring. sometimes you get lucky...

 

[andmel]

Got a $1K for her! Fellow had one with good motor but bad hydraulics. Old Grey Fergy lives to plow another day!!!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I would say you did great and you also helped someone else!

 

[Diydave]

Got a $1K for her! Fellow had one with good motor but bad hydraulics. Old Grey Fergy lives to plow another day!!!

If everybody is happy, it was a good deal...