oliver 77 orchard

[Nick m]

I know where my grandpas old 77 orchard sits and i contemplating trying to buy it. The problem is it's ready for the scrap yard. What sheet metal is left is junk, the engine is in pieces, rims and everything else, shot. I would guess I could come up with everything I need except sheet metal. Is it possible to get reproduction metal for these? How many of these did they make? My last problem is how do I get this guy to sell it? He's one of those guys that won't sell anything, even though its sat in a fence row for 25 years .
 

[BobinMi.]

Buying it is the easy part and the cheapest. Most men that leave a tractor sitting in a fence row means something to him. It may have been a problem tractor and he wants to watch it sit and rust down to the axles. It maybe that he has an attachment to that tractor, your job is to find out what it is. Does he have more Oliver 77's hence the need for parts. Don't bs they guy, if you have any family pictures of the Oliver Orchard take a couple with you. If not does this man know who you are, if not introduce yourself.

If you are honest with him and offer a little more than scrap (tractordata.com has the weight)you may get it. Yes the parts are out there to restore this tractor and the sheet metal is being reproduced. Please understand that if you need to hire someone to restore it your looking at 15,000.00-20,000.00. Hope you were a Boy Scout...Be Prepared.

I restore Orchards and am working on a 70 orchard now along with 2 0-6 IH. If you get the tractor and need more info you can email me at 4bobclark@gmail.com .

Best of luck and don't give up.
 

[Nick m]

Thanks for the pointers. I know this guy, not well but i do know him. He also knows it was my grandpas tractor. He bought it from him sometime in the 70's. He is one of those guys that buys a tractor, uses it until it breaks, parks it, and buys another one. Then he won't sell any of the junk ones. I bet he has 8-10 farmalls sitting around he won't part with. I'm gonna stop by in the next couple weeks and try it though. The worst he can say is no.
 

[jordan hackman]

bob brought up some good points but i have to say do what ever you can to get that 77 orchard. those are some rare pieces these days and it does have some sentimental value to it to.
 

[gordey]

The new sheet metal will run close to 5 grand, there are lots of parts unique to the orchard that would be very hard to find. But if you have the money, time and skill, it is a very worth while project.
 

[Nick m]

I don't really have any time, money or skill. I think I might try it anyway.
 

[Eric The Red]

I posted awhile back about my Great Grandfather's tractor that had the rear end seize up in the early 70's and sat in the fence row. My parents tried to buy it from my grandfather and he would not part with it. My mom bought it at the estate sale in 1990 and just had it restored as it had been a dream of hers to have done. A driving force was that her brothers said at the auction you will never see that run which I guess is right as they have passed away. If you can get it and do not have the money to restore it but a place to store it then try and get it. Life circumstances can change and you might have the money some day.


 

[scadam]

Will the reproduction sheet metal bring value down any? I can get my hands on a 77 orchard myself but just dont wanna sink a fortune in one and not be able to get my money back if i decided to sell it one day