Help A Friend Help A Friend

Bryce Frazier · Sep 17, 2013

Hi guys. I have found my self in a bit of a problem, what should I do? Here is the situation: A buddy of mine, Joey, 14, has been trying to find a JD 40 to restore for over a year. A man in the tractor club bought a 40 from his neighbor for $400 and is trying to sell it to Joey for $400. It is a 1954, 40U with a JD Front loader on it, trip bucket. Stuck engine, and bad tires all the way around. Well, Joey has a little bit saved up and has a source of income and they were working on a deal. Two days after this guy even told Joey about the tractor, he is down his throat pressuring him to pay him the $400 and get it out of their fast. Joey called me and asked me what I would. Here's what I said: If you are truly set on the tractor, then try to work on it, if you have the slightest doubt about it, walk away. What would you do? Thanks, Bryce

FrankDDavis · Sep 17, 2013

Tell Joey to walk away. There are more 40's out there. At 14 he has plenty of time.

Frank

Ted in NE-OH · Sep 17, 2013

Tires are very expensive. Price them our for Joey

Royse · Sep 17, 2013

The price seems good for my neck of the woods.
An adult pressuring a 14 year old on money and time is not.
Anywhere.
It would make me think the guy wants it gone before Joey
changes his mind because there's something more wrong with it.
I can't tell Joey what I would tell the guy.
It wouldn't be age appropriate!
He can find another tractor without the hassle.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 17, 2013

Front the $ 400 for him, it you can afford it. You might change his life!

uncle henry · Sep 17, 2013

walk away nobody should be pressured into buying anything

M Nut · Sep 17, 2013

Well, I'd think $400 is a pretty good deal, so I'd borrow Joey the balance of the money he needs and help him get the tractor out of there. Have him repay me as he can and help him along the way with what I could.

Lou from Wi. · Sep 17, 2013

Bryce,All the information posted is correct in my opinion. Something ROTTON IN DENMARK if you were to ask me. Fronting the kid for the $400,00 is in itself a great bond with him. Something you won't regret even if the money isn't or cant be returned to you.Explain he cost of tires ect. JMHO. Regards LOU.

Paul from MI · Sep 17, 2013

Unless Joey has had quite a bit of mechanical experience, which he likely doesn't at age 14, this is not the tractor for him. A stuck engine probably is only the start of problems, and problems mean money. $400 is a good price for a complete JD 40, you can probably part it and make money, especially if the rims & sheet metal are good. But it quite likely will be a money pit if you try to restore it. Bearings, seals, gaskets, gears, etc. all add up quick, let alone engine machine work & tires. I'd look for a tractor that needs a lot less work.

Bryce Frazier · Sep 17, 2013

Well, I had another talk with him and we discussed it. He said that he wasn't really sure he wanted standard type tractor, and that it sounds like it is too big of a project for him. I told him that if it wasn't the tractor he dreams about, that he shouldn't go for it, and he said that he would rather save his funds for a 40 T with a normal narrow front, so, I think that I did the best a 15 year old could do, and that was just some good advice between friends, I would have fronted him the money, but I just can't afford it. Thanks guys, Bryce

retired farmer · Sep 17, 2013

Back in the seventies I bought a 49 John Deere B with bad tires and a stuck engine for $250. Spent six years restoring it. Time I got done I had over $7200 in it. Put three hundred and fifty hours on it and sold it at my sale for $1500. Would never restore another one.

Tony in Mass. · Sep 17, 2013

High pressure salesmanship on a kid is..???? suspicious? at best. I agree with the guys who think this is a Jonah tractor. Unless there is enough obviously good 40 parts worth 4 bills in future projects, walk away from this deal.

El Toro · Sep 18, 2013

I would walk away. Hal

bison · Sep 18, 2013

(quoted from post at 19:14:06 09/17/13) Back in the seventies I bought a 49 John Deere B with bad tires and a stuck engine for $250. Spent six years restoring it. Time I got done I had over $7200 in it. Put three hundred and fifty hours on it and sold it at my sale for $1500. Would never restore another one.

ack in the sixties when i was a 12 yr old i bought a 48 Allis B with a stuck engine for $100.I tore it all apart and put it back together re-using everything incl the headgasket.
I never spend a buck( like i had any :roll

but on new oil and a filter. it ran on our farm for some years and then it sat again till i sold it for $100 to another kid that was interested in it.
I never lost or made a buck on it but it was a great learning experience and set me on the road to self reliance in maintaining and repairing my own equipment up till today.

To the OP, $400 is to much to potentially waste on an old hunk of iron that may never run again without putting the dollars in.
I would tel the boy the ins and outs on restoring and costs but let him make up his own mind.
I would not front any money either,..it is bound to backfire.

Help A Friend Help A Friend

Bryce Frazier

Well-known Member

FrankDDavis

Member

Ted in NE-OH

Well-known Member

Royse

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

uncle henry

Member

M Nut

Well-known Member

Lou from Wi.

Well-known Member

Paul from MI

Well-known Member

Bryce Frazier

Well-known Member

retired farmer

Well-known Member

Tony in Mass.

Well-known Member

El Toro

Well-known Member

bison

Well-known Member

Similar threads