buying a super a

[MattCinPa]

I just found three super a's in a man's garage. They were used in his nursery business for years to cultivate, plant, etc. Two are in pieces, one is together with cultivators on it. He said the one that is together ran, but they haven't touched it for years. The two in parts are all complete(he says). He is not trying to sell these tractors, I happened across them when my friend decided to stop in one day that I was along. I want to make an offer on them, but am not sure what to offer. I don't want to take advantage of the man, but i don't want to get ripped off either. Any ideas?? Thanks, Matt

 

[Al L. in Wisc.]

Walk out your door and hollar in a northerly direction to get Hugh MacKay's attention. He is Canadian and the resident off-set Farmall expert...and that is no far stretch! You will also have many a reader on this great forum droolin' with envy!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Matt:
Without any more information than what you have provided, I'd say $300 each for the disassembled tractors and $900 for the one which supposedly runs/ran. The total of $1,500 would be a VERY generous "top o' the world" offer. But, I ain't Hugh MacKay. And Hugh knows all there is to know about a Farmall Super A.
You see, when Hugh was born, nobody had even thought about replacing the horse, let alone conceptualized the idea of a tractor. So, he was sort of in on it from the very beginning. Hence, his thorough and complete knowledge of early Farmall tractors. mike durhan

 

[Anonymous-0]

I would guess that Mike is in the ball park for the condition of these. We will have to wait and see what Hugh thinks, he may still be riding that dozer.

 

[Anonymous-0]

$3-500 apiece for the disassembled ones would be a reasonable offer. In this part of the world (upper midwest) a Super A in decent (not great) shape will be priced around $2000 and the cultivators will add another $300. Plain ol' A's are priced at $1800 and up and some of those aren't anything to write home about. It might be different in your area, depending on how many are available and how much buyers value them.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'd have to question why the two in pieces are "in pieces". Without taking a close inventory of those pieces I would have to assume something is missing. Replacing what is missing may cost you as much as what you paid. $800 for the one together. $300 apiece for the ones in parts---tops.

 

[Hugh MacKay]

Matt: I don't know about born before the tractor was invented. Maybe he ment before Super A. I am 65 and drove my first tractor 59 years ago.

I think Mike is too low, Don is closer yet a wee bit high. The parts tractors if you can determine they are all there $500. each. The one I have trouble with is the together tractor with cultivator. Hasn't ran in years makes me nervous, and if it's not running, it's a parts tractor with cultivators $1,000.

Given what he told you these all obviously had cultivators at one time. If he sold two sets of cultivators, what else may he have sold, from the parts tractors. Look them over good, my price is based on having the pieces to assemble 3 tractors. Now, if the assembled tractor fires up and runs, that changes it's status, then I have to side with Don, 100%.