Buying Advice Buying from widowed family friend - Farmall 140 - 1960's

BeattyRoad · Jul 9, 2012

THE SHORT:
► Farmall 140 - 1960's
► From family friend, recently widowed
► Not currently starting
► Been sitting for 10 years in a barn
► How do I value it?

THE LONG:
I need some advise. I just purchased 7 acres and I'm in the process of creating a farmette. I'm a teacher so I have 2.5 months off a year and pretty short days so my dream is to supplement my income, or lack there of, with my hobby farm. I'm at that point where the riding mower is not able to handle the property as I reclaim parts that have been overgrown for 5+ years.

An old family friend's husband recently passed away and she has two tractors that have been sitting in her barn for at least 10 years. I am interested in the Farmall 140. I believe the serial number has it made sometime in the 1960's. I need to double check.

Ebay currently has one in working condition for $3400.

What do I need to do to value this tractor correctly and not rip off a family friend who is in need of some money at the same time not buy a total money pit of a tractor. What usually needs to go into a tractor that has been sitting for a decade? The only reason they stopped using it is because they stopped farming the land.

The tractor has been barn kept and from my total non-tractor background it looks good (not a lot of rust, pieces falling off, etc.). It's not currently starting so I will need to get someone out there to troubleshoot it eventually.

Any advice would be appreciated.

bullbreaker · Jul 9, 2012

Check these other ones out for sale : http://www.tractorhouse.com/list/li...1111&Manu=INTERNATIONAL&Mdltxt=140&mdlx=exact

TractorData.com Farmall 140 tractor information

If I where you I would try to buy for what's fair to both parties like you have stated.
Try to make sure if its a nice one no-ones buys it out from under you.
Also if it were me,I would make it my parade tractor or just a collection tractor and not my primary work tractor. Just my :2cents:

Boone

flusher · Jul 9, 2012

I bought a 1951 Farmall Super A a few years ago for $1300. It came with a 3 point hitch, a 5-ft wide rear blade and a mid-mount 7-ft sicklebar mower and is in good running condition. That 140 is a few horsepower larger than my Super A so that generally a plus. The minus is it's been sitting for 10 years. Plus is that it's been shedded. The only way you can put a price on that tractor is to try to get it started or figure out why it won't start. Put the tractor in 1st gear and push back and forth on the rear wheels to see if you can get the tractor to roll a little bit. If it doesn't move, the engine may be siezed. You should probably walk if this is the case. Otherwise, drain the gas tank and add fresh gas. Hook up a working battery and try to get it to start.

DutchHenryBrown · Jul 9, 2012

WELCOME, good luck with your tractor hunt.

MIKE R · Jul 9, 2012

You can look at the average sale prices based on condition on Yesterdays Tractors website to help you get a general price range for a tractor in its condition.

2458n · Jul 9, 2012

This is a tough fix to be in. If you buy from a friend and pay to much for a bunch of junk it is hard to remain friendly with your thoughts. This is entirely the wrong way to look at it but it still happens. And to make matters worse there is always a family friend trying to buy the tractor at the poor guys funeral. A friend - I will call Phil, Often buys Items like this and just goes about fixing them up. Never complains just buys what he wants and goes on with it. I really admire him for that ability. Number one question. What is the other tractor?

joshuabardwell · Jul 10, 2012

flusher said:
I bought a 1951 Farmall Super A a few years ago for $1300. It came with a 3 point hitch, a 5-ft wide rear blade and a mid-mount 7-ft sicklebar mower and is in good running condition.

Sounds like you bought two implements and got a tractor near for free. :thumbsup:

some zilch · Jul 10, 2012

i buy and resell alot of tractors. i mostly buy non-runners, make them runners and useable, and dump them. a buddy of mine just bought a running useable 140 last weekend with a full set of cultivators, a corn planter, a potato digger, and a snowplow. he paid $2000.

i usually buy non-runners in the $400-600 range, though that flucuates because the tractors are worth so much as scrap right now. i just bought a non-running, but good shape super-m for $600.

i wouldnt pay much more than $500 for a non running 140, and wouldnt pay $3400 for any 140

Soundguy · Jul 10, 2012

here's the deal.

sad fact is.. a non running tractor is worth scrap value plus the value of any for-sure good parts.

ie a non runner with excelent tins and good tires may have 850$ of value in just tires and tins.. and another 250-350 value in metal at a scrapper.

one with rusty tins and no tires? 250$ maybee.

the non running issue is the hard part.

If you want to give them a fare price, and have the time.. you could go get it running and then buy it.. sounds strange.. but I've done it before.

seen a tractor I wanted.. didn't want to steal it for 300$ scrap value as I know they needed cash.. but didn't want to pay 800$ for something that may have a seized engine and rusty trans.

open fill plugs and look inside to see proper oil, and not dry dusty rust gears.

see if she will roll.. brakes not locked.. clutch not stuck.. pull plugs out and see if engine will roll over by hand with clutch blocked. see if stack was covered.. if not? after 10ys.. water has almost assuredly made it into SOME open valve.

a hot battery, start fluid jump cables, and some atf fluid.. perhaps a spare oil pressure gauge are some of the diagnostic revivification tools you can take over. that and a bit of 800 or 1000 paper to clean up points with.

if engine is free.. add some atf to cyls and roll over by hand.

check oil in crankcase.

check water in cooling system.

clean points and run paper thru them after light sanding. yes.. sanding ruins them.. but this sounds like a project..

next comes roll over thumb test.. roll over starter and blow oil out the cyls.. stand back.. then thumb test them.. each cyl should be making compression and vacume.. if one don't.. valve issues usually..

if they do, then clean plugs.. and check spark.

if you got SOME compression and spark.. you can try a start test. either rig a ful supply to carb or just try short bursts of start fluid into the carb mouth as you crank her.. you can leave the oil line loose if running on start fluid.. as you want to see oil spitting. if on gas.. hook gauge up to see pressure.

with a spinning engine.. you can test the rest of her. heck.. even starter can test drivetrain on a limited basis.

I've loded non runners on a trailer usignthe starter.. letting it rest.. then cranking a few feet.. then resting.. then more cranking.. etc..

post back if you have questions.. adn good luck.

i got a farmall C last year for 800 $ no battery.. bad gauges.. but with about the smae amount of work I just told you.. i got it to run .. HAND cranking it no less!.

it poured oil from the front main.. but it ran. I probably got a total of 1000$ in it after tearing the front end off for the crank seal and pulley.. gaskets.. belts and hoses.. gooey stuff for the innards and shiney red stuff on the outside.

neat lil tractor..

soundguy