Maybe I'm bitter, but don't you peaple understand!!!

Joe Pro

Member
Why would someone part out a perfectly good running tractor??

I understand that some have to die for more to live, but when something is clean and useable with little to no effort why would you part it? The profit made from parting a tractor vs. selling it sure isn't enough to make new parts.

Come one guys, once they're gone that's it!
 
I fully agree with you Joe. Ive seen a few ads that way myself on ebay and craigslist. It might be more profitable for a few things but once those items are gone off of the tractor, which are usually the common sell parts, all you have is a "hopeful" sale or a pile of iron on what is left. I would rather save half a tractor in the hopes of restoring it rather than part what is left. I understand if something is mostly gone, but if it runs, sell it. Im afraid in the future there will be a pile of parts and no tractors to put them on because they have all been dismantled.
 

Yes Joe I agree with you , fix em don't scrap em . I pulled my 39 AC WC out of the bush and brought her back to life after sitting for 15 years . It's not a MM - sorry

Larry Ontario
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Still a part of history though. I think my grandpa had 1939 and 1941 WCs. That was the biggest tractor he ever owned.
 
I have several parts tractors that probably could go to scrap..... but with 30 MM's I need somewhere to get my parts. Many of the parts tractors are in the same condition as when I got them. I keep the internal parts covered. I have seen some parts yards where they remove one gear from the rearend and leave it open for everything else to rust. I know some people who drive through the country looking for tractors to scrap. My thought is if you don't want to use the tractor, why not leave it for someone who would put it to better use. Just my thoughts!!
 
I disagree with what you are saying here to a point. I have been collecting and salvaging MM's for over 20 years. I have parted out many of them over those years with no regrets. When I part a tractor out, I know that those parts are going to tractors that need parts. If tractors weren't parted out, parts would not be available for people to restore good tractors or keep tractors in usable condition. We would all have dozens of tractors laying around that all need parts. The parts that would be available would be so outrageous in price that we could none afford to fix our tractors. Just because a machine has paint or runs doesn't mean that its a good unit. There are dozens of things that could also be wrong that would be cost-prohibitive to fix. I jut parted out an M602 LP that ran great but the whole rear end housing was busted up. Of that tractor, I have the 3pt hitch left. The rest of the tractor went to make other ones survive.

Another thought is that when we fix these rough tractors that need more repairs than most, rather than parting them, we consume the minimal resources that we do have. This brand isn't like Green or Red where you can go to town and order every part that you need to fix your project. If we none parted out mediocre tractors, the cost of a cylinder head would at least triple, if you could even find one. It already costs at least $4,000 to OH a G-1000 Diesel, do we want it to be more yet?

A good friend of mine parted out a Complete UDLX back in the 80's. I asked him recently if he ever regretted that decision. He didn't think twice when he said NO. He said if he would not have parted it, then dozens of UDLX's in the country wouldn't be restored as they are today.

My last thought, All MM Salvagers that I know are first and foremost Collectors. If there is something truly worth saving, they will save it. I think we need to look at salvaging certain tractors as a way to better preserve what we have that is worth preserving.
 
Sometimes there isn't the demand for the whole tractor despite how clean it is. We need to face it, there are only X number of folks on the face of the earth that want a certain thing no matter how much we personally have a passion for whatever it is. It's simple supply and demand. Plus, sometimes the really good tractors need to go to get really good parts.

I've talked to a number of guys who part things out and what usually ends up happening is a guy starts to part out a nice tractor. Another guy complains that it's too nice to part out. The owner of the tractor goes well, you can buy the whole thing for $XYZ which is fair market value. The complainer then goes "oh, welllll I really can't...." and nothing happens.

Look at it this way too, if it wasn't parted out, then the next stop might have been scrap for the whole thing. Which is worse in your mind?
 
The demand is declining, and will probably get worse as our generation gets older. What are you going to do with them if no one wants to buy it.
 
Joe Pro and I have become friends due to our mutual love for MM tractors. He is in his 20's I'm in my mid 40's. He is building his collection and working his butt off to due so on a limited budget. He's doing what I wish I would have 20 years ago....but now have the time and money to do (I don't farm as a living). I understand Joe's frustration, and want to save all MM's, but I also understand some need to get sacrificed to let others live. Its just hard sometimes to watch nice tractors get parted, but since we aren't millionaires we can't save them all. I can say for his age Joe has dedicated himself to learning all things MM, and he is a wealth of knowledge. He has helped me a lot.
 
I'm more mixed on it then I may have came across. I see many adds where people say they have a good running tractor and if they cant sell it they will part it. Now I'm not saying tractors that have been in floods, fires, holes in the crankcase, busted transmissions should not be parted.

I'm saying that if you drove it to where you're going to part it, please don't!!

Things need to be parted to save others, but there are many parts tractors out there now and there isn't much that can't be found without a little looking. So why part more? There are so many parts out there if you look it's unreal.
 
I have bought many tractors for parts in the last three decades , never a running one though . I once felt the same way about a running tractor ,why part it out? but the real reality is if it isn't a super rare model there is no real point in saving them all, they are just tractors, in my opinion they serve no real purpose if they are restored and put on display only. Looking at 200 common restored tractors at a show impacts me as much as watching paint dry. I would much rather study an original unrestored tractor or one that is being used every day .
 
Several models were mass produced and only value is in parts. Example is the late 40's UTS. There is literally thousands sitting rotting away. I could buy any number for 200$ or less but no market at all. Have 3 ZAS. All were running and had decent 38 inch tires. No one would give any decent dollar so the motors will be pulled out and tires removed otherwise they will rot away.Can't save them all!
 
The flip side of the coin on this is 'I would rather see 200 common tractors at a show verses no tractors at all" Then history is lost. Common or not to you or I. Just my two cents.
 
There is kind of two sides to it. There are collectors who part ones out to save other ones, and a place the rest of us can go to for parts thankfully. There are a lot of certain models that were produced in vast numbers, R Z U and some Gs, but to me most anything, not all, after 1955 were less and less. The other side, the ones I was referring to are the people who aren't collectors and just buy tractors to part out figuring they are going to make a load of money on the parts, and at times don't even know what they are selling. A few years ago that was big business, kind of like hunting for iron to scrap. From what I have heard there are a few places like that on ebay, from people who don't collect, put parts from tractors they have dismantled up for sale on there and if it doesn't sell the first time around off it goes to the iron pile for scrap. That takes away tractors and parts from the rest of us. Those are the ones I have a problem with. It does get frustrating when you see something listed as engine runs good, tractor was in good condition before dismantling. That always makes you wonder why.
 
Last year I was in need of parts for 3 1550 Oliver's I own. I found a 1555 Oliver on CL close by that was locked up with the oil pan off for 3 years sitting outside and bought it. Once I got it home and was looking at real hard I just had to see if I could get it running again, Too much good on her to part it out. A couple weeks worth of work I had it running again. $200 in parts and 3 new tires and some elbow grease she was looking real good again. Not many 1555 were built and this one was headed back to the field and not the junk heap. I sold it after using it for a month and made a little money (not much) but to me it was worth more to me to see it running and looking good again and being used. I did take the money I made a bought parts to fix the other 3 Oliver's. I have parted a few out over the years but more were sent back to the field once they were home and got to look close at them. Some cant be saved but some can so I do understand. Bandit
PS That is the oil pan sitting on the front of the Oliver and ware it was sitting for 3 years just as you see it.
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My way to decompress, and relieve stress it to work on my MM's that are older than I am. Even if I only spend 5 minutes a day scraping some old grease off I feel better. When I get done restoring i sometimes find myself just sitting and staring at them. I never got to see many new (born in 69), so I feel by restoring them it lets those younger than me see what they looked like new. I enjoy unrestored too, but find my enjoyment in restoring. I use them too to bushhog, plow days, etc. they just don't get worked everyday. The only one that is just for parades and shows is the one I inherited from my Grandpa. 53 UB he bought in 54 and was worked almost everyday until 2005.
 

Hey Joe -

I agree with you, but think you are preaching to the choir for the most part... :(

I was buying pretty much everything I could find for a while, but have really slowed down... Just can't buy them all...

I was really discouraged at a large sale down south a year or so ago - he had 60-80 mostly fence row, but mostly complete & original of all types - and 3/4s went to the scrap dealer..

My friend & I hauled off 4 trailer loads of tractors and implements, but there were sure a lot of straight old tractors left...

I even tried buying some off my scrapper acquaintance the next day when I saw him loading some that I thought a kid had bought (come to find out he had different bidders bidding for him), but just laughed and said they had already run the two I was interested in through the crusher the night before... :(

One other discouraging thing to me - is I don't seem to see many "fence row" originals anymore... Now, more and more they are either beat-up, completely parted out junk, or a restoration of mixed quality...

So I'm just coming around to just being thankful for what I have saved, and try to preserve as many stories as I can, and try to get the kids interested in my collection...

Took the kids to Rollag MN steam show last year and we sure had a great time...

Howard
 
I understand where everyone is coming from on this topic. I am currently parting out the M5, 445, and R that are in the photo add. Yes, I have had all of them running. Believe me, running is a far cry from a good tractor. It seems more and more like some of the running ones have been essentially ran into the ground and used until nothing was left. People sure have interesting ways of fixing things on a budget. The M5 was probably the nicest. The engine was good. The fan had a misunderstanding with the radiator. The fan won. The ampli-torc slipped in low. Sheet metal is nothing great. It had a terrible repaint. The tie rods have been welded. It had a car seat on it. The PTO needed work. The 445 has a bad governor, bores are pitted (smoked really bad), 3 point arms, PTO, and draw bar are all missing, sheet metal has filler on it. Torc is bad. The R has no hood or fenders. The platform has been cobled along with the seat and back wheels. These tractors are perfect candidates to help a nicer one live. I cringe thinking of actually good tractors being parted. Hopefully, when someone has a nice one that only needs a few things mine can help with that. I save all transmission and rear end gears. I will not part out anything rare or in good condition. They always need far more work than they are worth. We have about 35 MM tractors and have parted out about 10 others to help keep our 35 going. I am doing what I can in the effort of conservation. I am 19 and do this with my dad and uncle. Sorry this got sort of long. I mean no offense to anyone in any form. Everyone please just use our limited resources wisely and MM tractors should always be around to enjoy. If it wasn't for parts tractors it would be very difficult to fix, restore, or use any of them. Its the circle of life so to speak. Happy collecting everyone!
 
When there is a tractor that needs some or a lot of repairs and the repairs would go over what the tractor would be worth when its fixed then the choice is sell parts off it or send it to the scrap yard.Thankfully many people sell parts as some scrapyards will not sell anything they take it just crush it all.I'm fortunate that I'm friends with the owners of a couple different scrapyards that
will set aside machines of all types and sell the machine whole or parts off them.As far as scrapping
good running tractors it happens but almost all the time there is a not so obvious expensive problem that makes it uneconomical to fix the tractor.Not all folks that own tractors 'love' them and are willing to put money into them that they'll never get back.Just the way it is and parting out is the best alternate route.
 
Well it is like this if you want GOOD parts then they need to come from a GOOD tractor . I went thru this for years as the salvage yards would pay more for a good tractor then i could , so they let me buy the ones in the DEAD ROW . I wanted a 1066 one day , a nice clean tractor open station with weights and duals a go to the field tractor it was bought by the buyer for a salvage yard to be hit in the head for parts and this one only had 2100 hrs. on it
 
I can see both sides. There's times i wanted or needed a part but the part used was wore so much I was better off buying new.Of course I'm the kind of guy where if you gave me a sickle section, I would want to rebuild the mower! lolThat said I'm attached to my tractors all 4 of them and like an old farmer i once worked for said ,"Dont get married to them". Good advice but that just isnt me! THere has been tractors i let go at auctions that belonged to friends of mine but they werent modern enought,etc for the big time farming i was hoping to do. Now i cant find them when i have money and time.One was a zb minnie with a ni # 20 picker. Ive been all around driving a semi but have never seen it. Saw a 65 with one of those pickers mounted on it and the farm is gone and its gone and never seen it advertised.I'm glad there is guys who can at least preserve them in parts row if not restored. At least some of us might see or hear about them sitting somewhere and get them bought back or finally give up on them.As long as they are not scrap iron.I know a lot of scrap yards dont like to sell stuff too as they are afraid stolen iron might be found. That has happened a few times .I appreciate what both sides are doing. THanks guys!
 

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