scrap or restore?

[Alaskannewfarmer]

I’m brand new at this new passion.

I was in Mississippi visiting mom after military retirement and an old farmer said his brother was going to restore this Super A? A 1950 from serial number.

Anyway, he was taking it to the metal scrap yard for a little over $200. My brother in law said I could sell the wheel weights for 1/2 that so I gave $200 and could still scrap it. Plus, he also gave me a pile of cultivator plows spades and discs. Presently, it’s a cool lawn ornament at mom’s



Help me decide if it’s worth restoring:

It was outside with no muffler and a plastic tote over the hood with bricks on it. Manifold looks rusted away, tires flat and badly weather cracked, Starter missing Seat gone..probably a bar stool Looks like an extra hole in hood?

Rotted radiator hood

Rock arm repaired with bolt welded as patch in middle.

No pulley

No front steel rod for cultivators

No battery Box

No knob on shifter

Oil gauge broken

Radiator cap missing

Rear lift pieces missing?

Brake & clutch pedals have no resistance Mag or distributor looks bad Plug wires bad Engine condition unknown Front grill has rusted hole.

Switches & ignition bad, no battery.

What else do you see?

Is this one a bad one to try to restore, cost prohibiting? It has no family sentimental value. I can probably find a running one for $800-$2200 around the area.

Thoughts?

Would I be better removing the weights and recovering my $200 at the scrap yard? Seems a shame.

 

[Alaskannewfarmer]

one hole in hood is for the missing muffler, what is the other hole for?

 

[Geo-TH,In]

The one hole is for the muffler. Rain could have gotten in the engine and it could be full of water.
It's your money. If the tractor has no sentimental value or you can't use it as a parts tractor. RUN FOREST RUN

 

[NDIHC]

If the engine isn't rusted solid I'd take a run at it.

 

[Janicholson]

Pull the spark plugs and look at the cylinder walls. if they are rusted beyond recognition, I would scrap it. too many things on your list. Jim

 

[scootergmc]

I say it's not worth restoring. Very cost prohibitive even without a stuck engine. I'd put it up for sale as a parts tractor for $500, drop the price every couple weeks until it sells, take whatever you can get over scrap and be done with it.

 

[Turkeyfoot]

I’m brand new at this new passion.

I was in Mississippi visiting mom after military retirement and an old farmer said his brother was going to restore this Super A? A 1950 from serial number.

Anyway, he was taking it to the metal scrap yard for a little over $200. My brother in law said I could sell the wheel weights for 1/2 that so I gave $200 and could still scrap it. Plus, he also gave me a pile of cultivator plows spades and discs. Presently, it’s a cool lawn ornament at mom’s



Help me decide if it’s worth restoring:

It was outside with no muffler and a plastic tote over the hood with bricks on it. Manifold looks rusted away, tires flat and badly weather cracked, Starter missing Seat gone..probably a bar stool Looks like an extra hole in hood?

Rotted radiator hood

Rock arm repaired with bolt welded as patch in middle.

No pulley

No front steel rod for cultivators

No battery Box

No knob on shifter

Oil gauge broken

Radiator cap missing

Rear lift pieces missing?

Brake & clutch pedals have no resistance Mag or distributor looks bad Plug wires bad Engine condition unknown Front grill has rusted hole.

Switches & ignition bad, no battery.

What else do you see?

Is this one a bad one to try to restore, cost prohibiting? It has no family sentimental value. I can probably find a running one for $800-$2200 around the area.

Thoughts?

Would I be better removing the weights and recovering my $200 at the scrap yard? Seems a shame.

I'm in the market for cultivator parts for super A. I'd also take the wheels, weights, tires. In Kansas, wish I was closer.

 

[Mcrafty1]

One man's junk is another man's treasure.

 

[560Dennis]

well it going to take you awhile to get it going . What’s your budget ?
75 years old tractor has wear and tear on everything.
so my method is it going to cost 4x times as much for my budget , and 3 to 5 times as long.
don’t start and park it in a month ,dedicate to completion

 

[used red MN]

I say it's not worth restoring. Very cost prohibitive even without a stuck engine. I'd put it up for sale as a parts tractor for $500, drop the price every couple weeks until it sells, take whatever you can get over scrap and be done with it.

I would echo this, especially if the engine is locked. What does your user name have to do with Mississippi, if you live in Alaska and would have to take the tractor there, a double no! Part it out place listing on the YT classified. Basically old tractor restoration or rejuvenation only make a sense of you are extremely wealthy or the machine has sentimental value. I suppose 3rd if you really need a hobby you don’t mind dropping a couple grand in that you can’t get a pay back on.

 

[m16ty]

Just monetary wise, it's not worth restoring. You can almost always buy a restored tractor cheaper than you can restore one yourself.

Like me though, it's no fun buying already restored tractor. Half the fun is working on it and bringing it back to life. Having said that, it's up to you to decide if it's worth it. Personally I would pass on restoring it, maybe sell it for parts. The main reason I'd pass is it isn't a rare tractor, and if I was dead set on restoring a Super A, I would at least find one that runs. Engines can be a money pit on these smaller tractors, and you can find one that runs likely cheaper than you can just rebuild the engine on this one.

 

[moresmoke]

Not worth the effort and money to fix/restore, but you could definitely turn a couple bucks for parts if you want to spend a little time at it.

 

[KCTractors]

I’m brand new at this new passion.

I was in Mississippi visiting mom after military retirement and an old farmer said his brother was going to restore this Super A? A 1950 from serial number.

Anyway, he was taking it to the metal scrap yard for a little over $200. My brother in law said I could sell the wheel weights for 1/2 that so I gave $200 and could still scrap it. Plus, he also gave me a pile of cultivator plows spades and discs. Presently, it’s a cool lawn ornament at mom’s



Help me decide if it’s worth restoring:

It was outside with no muffler and a plastic tote over the hood with bricks on it. Manifold looks rusted away, tires flat and badly weather cracked, Starter missing Seat gone..probably a bar stool Looks like an extra hole in hood?

Rotted radiator hood

Rock arm repaired with bolt welded as patch in middle.

No pulley

No front steel rod for cultivators

No battery Box

No knob on shifter

Oil gauge broken

Radiator cap missing

Rear lift pieces missing?

Brake & clutch pedals have no resistance Mag or distributor looks bad Plug wires bad Engine condition unknown Front grill has rusted hole.

Switches & ignition bad, no battery.

What else do you see?

Is this one a bad one to try to restore, cost prohibiting? It has no family sentimental value. I can probably find a running one for $800-$2200 around the area.

Thoughts?

Would I be better removing the weights and recovering my $200 at the scrap yard? Seems a shame.

Looks like it still has the hydraulic system on it. That alone is worth at least four hundred dollars.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I’m brand new at this new passion.

I was in Mississippi visiting mom after military retirement and an old farmer said his brother was going to restore this Super A? A 1950 from serial number.

Anyway, he was taking it to the metal scrap yard for a little over $200. My brother in law said I could sell the wheel weights for 1/2 that so I gave $200 and could still scrap it. Plus, he also gave me a pile of cultivator plows spades and discs. Presently, it’s a cool lawn ornament at mom’s



Help me decide if it’s worth restoring:

It was outside with no muffler and a plastic tote over the hood with bricks on it. Manifold looks rusted away, tires flat and badly weather cracked, Starter missing Seat gone..probably a bar stool Looks like an extra hole in hood?

Rotted radiator hood

Rock arm repaired with bolt welded as patch in middle.

No pulley

No front steel rod for cultivators

No battery Box

No knob on shifter

Oil gauge broken

Radiator cap missing

Rear lift pieces missing?

Brake & clutch pedals have no resistance Mag or distributor looks bad Plug wires bad Engine condition unknown Front grill has rusted hole.

Switches & ignition bad, no battery.

What else do you see?

Is this one a bad one to try to restore, cost prohibiting? It has no family sentimental value. I can probably find a running one for $800-$2200 around the area.

Thoughts?

Would I be better removing the weights and recovering my $200 at the scrap yard? Seems a shame.

It would make a good $200 investment for anyone that needed a parts tractor. All mine run out well I don't need it, it would be mine for $200.

 

[jm.]

I’m brand new at this new passion.

I was in Mississippi visiting mom after military retirement and an old farmer said his brother was going to restore this Super A? A 1950 from serial number.

Anyway, he was taking it to the metal scrap yard for a little over $200. My brother in law said I could sell the wheel weights for 1/2 that so I gave $200 and could still scrap it. Plus, he also gave me a pile of cultivator plows spades and discs. Presently, it’s a cool lawn ornament at mom’s



Help me decide if it’s worth restoring:

It was outside with no muffler and a plastic tote over the hood with bricks on it. Manifold looks rusted away, tires flat and badly weather cracked, Starter missing Seat gone..probably a bar stool Looks like an extra hole in hood?

Rotted radiator hood

Rock arm repaired with bolt welded as patch in middle.

No pulley

No front steel rod for cultivators

No battery Box

No knob on shifter

Oil gauge broken

Radiator cap missing

Rear lift pieces missing?

Brake & clutch pedals have no resistance Mag or distributor looks bad Plug wires bad Engine condition unknown Front grill has rusted hole.

Switches & ignition bad, no battery.

What else do you see?

Is this one a bad one to try to restore, cost prohibiting? It has no family sentimental value. I can probably find a running one for $800-$2200 around the area.

Thoughts?

Would I be better removing the weights and recovering my $200 at the scrap yard? Seems a shame.

Yes get what you can and run, your will spend 2 thousand to 4 thousand and still have a 800 dollar tractor , just this 82 year old guy thoughts.

 

[grandpa Love]

I’m brand new at this new passion.

I was in Mississippi visiting mom after military retirement and an old farmer said his brother was going to restore this Super A? A 1950 from serial number.

Anyway, he was taking it to the metal scrap yard for a little over $200. My brother in law said I could sell the wheel weights for 1/2 that so I gave $200 and could still scrap it. Plus, he also gave me a pile of cultivator plows spades and discs. Presently, it’s a cool lawn ornament at mom’s



Help me decide if it’s worth restoring:

It was outside with no muffler and a plastic tote over the hood with bricks on it. Manifold looks rusted away, tires flat and badly weather cracked, Starter missing Seat gone..probably a bar stool Looks like an extra hole in hood?

Rotted radiator hood

Rock arm repaired with bolt welded as patch in middle.

No pulley

No front steel rod for cultivators

No battery Box

No knob on shifter

Oil gauge broken

Radiator cap missing

Rear lift pieces missing?

Brake & clutch pedals have no resistance Mag or distributor looks bad Plug wires bad Engine condition unknown Front grill has rusted hole.

Switches & ignition bad, no battery.

What else do you see?

Is this one a bad one to try to restore, cost prohibiting? It has no family sentimental value. I can probably find a running one for $800-$2200 around the area.

Thoughts?

Would I be better removing the weights and recovering my $200 at the scrap yard? Seems a shame.

Wow ......so the vast majority of folks are telling you to scrap it . My goodness, on an antique tractor forum. That's really sad,in my humble, useless opinion. We bought this '45 A ( no hydraulics , even more useless) for $300. Drove 300+ miles to get it home. Hadn't run in decades, motor was stuck from sitting. Got it home , pulled the head,pulled the pistons and sleeves. Got everything apart,honed the sleeves,new rings. Reassembled it and it's officially my favorite tractor. Gets used nearly every day. Oh ......we have a couple days of work in it and maybe, maybe $500 in parts ......but ,sure ,scrap yours ,haul it to the junk yard, part it out. Or fix it and run it. In Alabama or Mississippi a running,not pretty super A is $2000 ish. You won't have that in yours .

 

[Factotum]

From the pictures it looks to be in better shape than what's sold as a running antique tractor around here. If you want a fairly easy project, depending whether the engine and trans are able to run that is, it may be somethingyou would have fun doing. No or almost no money is made doing this, you got to do it for the enjoyment. I fixed up a '51 8n. I use it to plow snow. I know there are better options but it's a toy and something to tinker with. I wouldn't make any money selling it but I've enjoyed it for less than some other hobbies. It isn't restored, just fixed up enough to be "reliable"

 

[Mcrafty1]

It's really not about the money, it's all the fun you can have bringing it back from the dead.

 

[G1000VISTA]

Ain't no sound in the world like getting the first rumble out of an awakening dead engine!! If your not gonna fix it , I would part it out on ebay. MY brother has parted many of them out and there 's money to be made doing it. More then scrap price by a long shot.!! Just my 0.02.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Wow ......so the vast majority of folks are telling you to scrap it . My goodness, on an antique tractor forum. That's really sad,in my humble, useless opinion. We bought this '45 A ( no hydraulics , even more useless) for $300. Drove 300+ miles to get it home. Hadn't run in decades, motor was stuck from sitting. Got it home , pulled the head,pulled the pistons and sleeves. Got everything apart,honed the sleeves,new rings. Reassembled it and it's officially my favorite tractor. Gets used nearly every day. Oh ......we have a couple days of work in it and maybe, maybe $500 in parts ......but ,sure ,scrap yours ,haul it to the junk yard, part it out. Or fix it and run it. In Alabama or Mississippi a running,not pretty super A is $2000 ish. You won't have that in yours .

One day you will need "drum roll" something off a parts tractor. My 100 would still be dead if not for a "drum roll" parts tractor. Parts tractors have saved a many tractor. I will let a tractor set for years waiting on a deal for parts off a parts tractor. The hydraulic pump gear broke on my 100 it took out the timing gears it took 5 years till I found a deal on a hydraulic pump. Its one of my favorite tractors I am still not gonna wine and dine it with expensive parts.

Down the road I built the engine it was slap worn out I brought a 140 engine off ebay from a honest seller it came off his tractor. I used the good parts off it Head, cam, crank in my 100 block all this for $50. I have needed a front booster, rear bull gear assembly, fuel tank and associated cultivator parts all came off a parts tractor. This is tobacco country farmers did not buy them to look at. You can still go to big farms and find 5 to 20 farmall offsets so its not like they are extinct. I look at it a little different when you buy one local more than likely its had hard life.