ANYONE IN THE TRACTOR RESTORATION BUSINESS?
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Category: Allis Chalmers
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URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=43251
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Topic: ANYONE IN THE TRACTOR RESTORATION BUSINESS?
Posted By: mark vaughn
Subject: ANYONE IN THE TRACTOR RESTORATION BUSINESS?
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 9:33pm
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What would be a reasonable price to totally restore a wd 45 tractor, sanding, sand blasting, painting, ext.... material and labor? Just curious. Mark
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Replies:
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 9:41pm
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If your paying to have it done, you will spend more than the tractor is worth... if thats important. Paint can be $200. plus thinner plus primer, plus sandpaer/ tape, etc. YOu can easily have $400 in supplies. How long do you think it would take to clean the tractor, and sand it ? A week ? 40 hours ? 60 hours ? Depends on what your paying-- $20 hour ? $30 ? You can easily spend over $2000 for a clean and paint. ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: MNLonnie
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 9:50pm
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And it's still not restored, it's just painted. ------------- Waukesha B, B, IB, G, styled WF, D15, 615 backhoe, 2-Oliver OC3's, 4 Ford Model T's, 3 Model A Fords, AV8 Coupe, AV8 Roadster, 1933 Ford Wrecker |
Posted By: Dale H. ECIL
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 9:57pm
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You have to use a little common scenes when restoring any antique tractor. I know of some people who find a B, C, WC or WD in a fence row pay $200.00 - $300.00 for it then hire someone to restore it and have $4,000.00 to $5,000.00 in a tractor that will never be worth more than $2,000.00 to $3,000.00. On the other hand it is possible to pay say $800.00 to $1000.00 for a dissent tractor and do the work themselves and have a restored tractor that is worth more than they have invested in it. The only tractors, in my opinion, that are worth putting a lot of money in are very rare tractors which hold their value. ------------- Allis Chalmers Museum, Paris, Il.http:// www.allischalmersmuseum.com 217-275-3428 |
Posted By: GBACBFan
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 10:07pm
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I would put any family tractors in the category of those worth restoring, not for the monitary value but for the sentimental value. ------------- "The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine." - Mark Twain |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 10:13pm
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If you take it to somebody that just cleans and paints it, you could have 4k or more into just the paint job. I don't know where Steve lives, but around here guys get 50-60/hour not 20/30. :( If you did a total restoration, you might be looking at 7-8K with a rebuild and clean and inspect everything else. ------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: Dale H. ECIL
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 10:21pm
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I do agree with GBACBFan on the family tractor being in the "RARE" category list. I have the first AC tractor my Dad bought new, a 1955 WD45, it is priceless.
------------- Allis Chalmers Museum, Paris, Il.http:// www.allischalmersmuseum.com 217-275-3428 |
Posted By: HagerAC
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 10:29pm
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When I do a paint job I make sure everything is in tip top shape and original condition before any cleaning or painting is done. I will not do restorations for those wanting a cheap quick paint job because it can give you a bad reputation to others seeking a high quality restoration. I am not a full time restoration shop, just do them in my spare time, and I don't plan to get rich while doing them. However I do explain to my customers why it is important to spend a little extra money on things such as authentic decals to get them that quality restoration they are striving for. A quality paint job on a WD-45 should be able to be done for $1500-2000. ------------- 30+ A-Cs ranging from a 1928 20-35, to a 1984 8070FWA, Gleaner R52 |
Posted By: John (C-IL)
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 10:48pm
| One of the local guys restores only red tractors, Last I heard $8000 will get you a like new Super M that is a stem to stern rebuild, nothing spared, no corners cut and he has a 2 year waiting list, employs 2 to 3 guys and his work is top drawer stuff. |
Posted By: ILGLEANER
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2012 at 11:44pm
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John is his name Fearday ?
IG ------------- Education doesn't make you smart, it makes you educated. |
Posted By: Larry(OH)
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 5:28am
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There is an amish tractor restorer in my area (Mt Hope Tractor) and I asked him one day about it. He charges $6500.00 JUST FOR THE PAINT JOB on most tractors. The price goes up with the bigger tractors. He tears completely apart and leaves nothing untouched. For my 45, he said I would be around the 9500.00 range plus the parts I buy for it so it depends on how much more it needs. He said the most expensive one he did was a MF 95 and it was 14000.00 for everything. I'll keep doing my own ------------- '40 WC puller,'50 WD puller,'50 M puller '65 770 Ollie *ALLIS EXPRESS contact* I can explain it to you, BUT I cannot understand it for you!! |
Posted By: Steve in NJ
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 6:25am
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To give an estimate on what a Tractor would cost to restore really is based on how nice a condition the Tractor is in to start off with. Especially if you're paying someone to do the resto for you. It amounts to T&M. Obviously, if the Tractor is in rough shape where it would need sheetmetal/sheetmetal work or a lot of mechanical repairs due to a hard life of usage, expect to spend big bucks if you want a pro job done. All good things take time, and the more work that's needed, the more time it takes to do the job if done the correct way. Time is money. If you find someone that does it as a hobby to make a few bucks for themselves and just enjoy restoring Tractors, (not to many of them around) you may spend a lot less. I also agree with the family aireloom or rare low production Tractor thing. Something that's been in the family since new to me would get a top notch job and I wouldn't care what I had in it. It would never be for sale. But that's just me. Soooo, as I said, it really depends on condition, the individual and what they want for an end result from their investment. Keep in mind also, there are a lot of different views of "restoration". Could mean anything from just a clean-up and paint job, to a REAL professional "tear-down" rebuild everything restoration. If you do restorations for a living, that's how its done by the pro's. The correct way. I used to build/restore Antique and Custom cars years ago for my customers. It was done by T&M. Depending on what the customer wanted, depended on how long it took me. Full blown resto's could take a couple years with automobiles in some cases... JMOHO
mailto:ago..Steve@B&B - Steve@B&B
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Posted By: Fred in Pa
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 6:58am
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Tonight I will post pictures of one I am doing right now .And it is a total restore .Bill will be knowen at the end ( I do monthly billing when doing these job's ).This tractor is a late Wd was bought by the owner's Dad new.They bought it BTW from Bill Long's Dad at the Md. Fair. This tractor was used very hard. I only do tractor's this way and not just for anyone .As tractor is apart and going back together I edge out behind sides rails etc. so when the tractor goes to paint job ,(witch I send out to where the Customer want's to get it painted .)This tractor gets all differant sheet metal ,witch all gets fitted to trtactor before it is painted .When tractor comes back to me I finish putting it back together .Before getting painted I do tractor check for everything working after putting back together ,Etc. Etc. Once you get into the tractor get it all apart ,then you can get a ideal what cost's are going to be . If someone just wants paint blowed on they go to someone that will do just that for them .Then later they can pay us to mess up the bad paint job to fix leaks ETC.ETC. My 3 cents for the day . |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 7:33am
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Let's see about 20 cans of Krylon will set you back maybe $100. That would be the low end of the scale. Several thousand dollars for the other end of the scale for just the sand and paint. My ferguson is going to be in the $1500 range for just the paint/primer/sanding and misc other paint related supplies and me doing all the labor. ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Posted By: Steve Bright
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 7:58am
| We do 3 or 4 a year, Range from $2,500 to $6,000 depending on what kind of a restoration you want and the condition of the tractor when we start. 5 years ago we did my father WD45 and spent over $3,000 and the tractor was in really good condition when we started. |
Posted By: B26240
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 8:06am
| And as for me when looking to buy one of these old tractors I'd much rather buy one in "work clothes" than one that has had a poor paint job over dirt and grease that the owner now thinks is "restored" |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 8:09am
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Something like $38,000 for a 190Xt gasser in my area. Almost a complete restore. Engine, clutch, sheet metal work and paint. I don't think the tranny was touched but can't quite remember right now. That was done at Waltham MN. There were a couple little things that it still needed like 3-point parts but a line was drawn. ------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: Butch(OH)
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 8:21am
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"restore" has been bastardized in today's lingo to the point the term is just about meaningless. This is why we now need the new age terms, "totaly restored" "cosmeticaly restored" "mechanicaly restored" etc etc. Half restored is like being half pregnant, a tractor is either restored or it is not in my opinion and only about 1 in a 1000 are indeed worthy of the name,,, including none of mine.
All that being said I think everybody knows he meant, repainted,, I think?
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Posted By: Bolivar Boy
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 9:22am
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a number of serious collector type guys here in wooster,ohio region use steve martin. many of his finished pieces are done with clear coat paint. |
Posted By: Gary in da UP
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 10:39am
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Butch pretty much nailed it, the word restoration has been abused and overused to the point of being nearly meaningless. I much prefer the term refurbished, it describes more accuratly what has been done in most cases. A restoration done right is beyond the reach of most, a refinish with new guages, wireing and seatcover is not restored, IMO it has been refurbished.
And just because someone applied a clearcoat on a tractor, doesn't make it a better finish than a single stage paint. Clearcoats came into common use because they reduced the amount of pigment ,base and binder which pleased the EPA . A base / clear finish is no more durable, and and in most cases less durable .As far as appearence, it comes in a distant second to a well prepared and applied acrylic urathane single stage paint where the true color is what you see and will see, not color viewed thru a clear turning cloudy with age.
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Posted By: wbecker
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 11:09am
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Butch and Gary are right on.
I have done several total restorations, it usually comes out around $4000 just for parts and pain, my free labor.
Bill B ------------- Allis B, IB, Low B, G, D10, JD M, 8KCAB, C152 |
Posted By: Don(MI)
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 11:13am
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There are 365 ways to restore a tractor and days in a year, and every day someone is doing there own 'version'. ------------- Galatians 5:22-24 "I got a pig at home in a pen and corn to feed him on, All I need is a pretty little girl to feed him when I'm gone!" |
Posted By: John (C-IL)
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 11:46am
Mark Wood, Mark's IH Tractors, Gifford, IL.
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ILGLEANER wrote:Posted By: AndrewGubbels
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 4:21pm
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This restoration was around $3300 with all supplies, paint and parts. Included in this bill was rod and main bearings and complete governor rebuild, and the head gone through.
I hope this helps. This was also 2 years ago at $27 an hour.
andy
    ------------- Andrew Gubbels Gubbels Restoration |
Posted By: TMiller/NC
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 4:55pm
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I currently have a '39B under going a some what refurbish, overhaul type rebuilding, that has been in process for way too long. When I started it was to be an oil pump repair and maybe clutch. So after the oil pump repair and clutch rebuild there was a couple of other things.........crankshaft regrind, engine kit, head rebuild, including rocker arm replacement, manifold, radiator, water pump, brake shoes, front rims and tires, and it is waiting for seat, rear tire, paint and probably some other surprises. I don't consider this to be a restoration as that would be to return it to the same specs as it left the factory. |
Posted By: JimD
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 6:16pm
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I try real hard not to give a final price. I ask what they want done, and I price that piece of the job. There are so many things that can be uncovered when a restoration starts and I do like Fred and bill as I go. There's a few tractors out back that are now salvage because the owner thought it would be an inexpensive job, and later we found larger problems. D14 came in with a knock. I tried to convince customer to think real hard but he insisted we move ahead on rebuilding the engine. So after tearing down and discovering a cracked crank, bad clutch, and unknown transmission I totaled up what he owed if we stopped. He asked what the tractor was worth as it sat, and I told about $200 less than what he owed me for teardown and machine work. Never saw him again. We would have had $10,000 in that tractor by the time we finished a real restoration. On the other hand, I've charged $2000 for a B that was all but paint, and I felt very good about it being restored. Everything was like new (or new) when it left and should give a very long service life for him. JimD ------------- Owner of http://www.OKtractor.com" rel="nofollow - OKtractor.com PM for an instant response on parts. Open M-F 9-6 Central. We have new and used parts. 877-378-6543 |
Posted By: Steve in NJ
Date Posted: 05 Jan 2012 at 8:21pm
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Andrew, You do a beautiful job! At $27 an hour, I'll bring my Tractors to you to do!! Steve@B&B |
Posted By: David Maddux
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2012 at 7:35am
| At one time I thought that I would start doing restorations for others. After I figured a price on a WD45, the owner insulted me after finding out that it would be more than it would be worth. Now I just tell them that they can't afford me. |
Posted By: Fred in Pa
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2012 at 7:55am
| Dave the big kicker ,have a guy that has he own business ,not tractor related.He ask me being it is a old tractor and just his hobby is it going to be my regular shop rate .I ask him being this is my hobby showroom is my pumping bill going to be any cheaper. He said Hell no I have to make a living not support YOUR Hobby. If a guy dose it on the side ,side jobs soon become full time !!!!! |
Posted By: Don(MI)
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2012 at 9:24am
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Given that the economy is still on the downhill side, are you guys that restore for a buisness, seeing a decrease in jobs? Or are there still a few out there paying for a quality restore on old tractors?
I have seen a couple post in the last few days of nice tractors restored for other owners. ------------- Galatians 5:22-24 "I got a pig at home in a pen and corn to feed him on, All I need is a pretty little girl to feed him when I'm gone!" |
Posted By: TomYaz
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2012 at 9:56am
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As for how much one should put into a piece of old machinery, it all "depends"...
I am rebuilding an allcrop for a customer who is paying $12K to have it done. And at
12K Im not making anything, (but learning quite a bit).
Now when done the fellow probably wouldnt get his 12K back if he decided to sell it, but that is not why he is doing it.
He is getting it done because the allcrop is very much valued for the specialty threshing he is doing. This machine will be used to make money, not to be resold. And he doesnt want to be always fixing the thing. ------------- If its not an All-Crop, it all crap! |
Posted By: mark vaughn
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2012 at 8:35pm
| I want to thank all of you men for the posts of information and your personal comments you have shared on this subject. Thanks. Mark |
Posted By: cornbinder
Date Posted: 06 Jan 2012 at 9:12pm
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yeah mark, alot of good points made bye people on this topic. i painted a ford 8-n, and did some basic maintennance on it last year, the guy wanted cheap so that's what he got. you get what you pay for. if someone is gonna charge $3000-$5,000 for a paint job on a tractor it should be automobile quality (not maaco either) with very little dust or dirt in the finish and should be buffed out and detailed when finished, then again there are many variables that play out here with pricing. that's where i go back to you get what you pay for. ------------- D-19 gas w/f-sold 185-d yr round cab 95 mustang gt 5.0 86 mustang 5.0 coupe 3 99 f-250 7.3 4x4's 96 f-250 7.3 4x4 |
Posted By: Brampton 02 gt
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2012 at 7:29pm
I agree! This is what I keep telling myself - restoring our old WD45. Thousands in and thousands to go (paint and tires) |