I Dont Know What He's Smoking But.....

I sure do want some cause is must be some dang good stuff to be asking that kind of money with a straight face! First time I have ever seen a "barn find" with a tree growing through it. Guess it still counts if they have to pull whats left of the barn off the tractor before they can pull the tractor out of the barn.
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Yes, he might have caught a whiff of something funny, but the Hart Parr tractors have some value to them, probably just not what he is asking.
He might also start high and slowly work is way down until somebody bites on his bait.

If it really was the third built it may be the oldest know existing one. Still probably ain't going to bring that much.

It would be the third 18-28 not the third Oliver.

The Oliver Farm Equipment Company only came into existence in 1929, so this would be number 3 of the new line of tractors. There would have been a number 3 of the 28-44, too. They might even have still been selling the last of the true Hart Parrs between the formation of the company and marketing the new lines of tractor?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Farm_Equipment_Company

There was also a # 3 of the row crop tractors as well and I have seen Row crop #5 which is older than 18-28 # 3. Also the early 28-44 tractors built were know as model A tractors. Rich, I hope you are well.

Even with being the third 18-28, I just have a hard time fathoming 8 grand for the poor old girl. It cant claim the title of the third Oliver because of the chilled plow tractors built before it and you would have to go back and check build records to see which of the Oliver Hart Parr models rolled out first, was it the 18-27's, 18-28's, 28-44's? There could have been an entire run of a different model before the first batch of 18-28's rolled off the line. Calling it the third Oliver ever built is just a pretty bold statement for someone to make in my opinion. Dont get me wrong its a really cool find and I hope somebody saves it and brings it back to life but I cant see him getting more than maybe a grand out of it. I dont know what its like in other parts of the country but around here any of the older Oliver Hart Parrs like that just dont seem to bring any money. This one being number three does make it special but with the condition its in ide be willing to bet a guy could get at least 20 grand wrapped up in a full resto on that tractor to do it right like it deserves to be done. Kinda hard to swallow that number when a guy around here could probably buy a decent running and operating 18-28 for around $1500.

Model A tractors (28-44) and Row crop tractors were built before the 18-28. Also remember cross motor Hart Parr tractors were also built in 1930 yet.

I'm surprised R Lund hasn't chimed in as this appears to be a rare tri-directional model. Hence the asking price. The Princeton address looks familiar to this site as well as C-list. He seems to have a good reputation and I guess buying something in this condition shouldn't bring you any surprises. Time will tell.