Price Check Worth of a Ford 8N (that caught itself on fire)

[troynkaren]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have no offers yet but looks like I need to take into account what the tractor would be worth in a restored condition and what type of cost would be involved in getting it that way for the potential buyer. Then a fair $$$ amount for the buyer. I definitely would not like to see a piece of American heritage and history "scrapped" if at all possible. That's why I did not want to just give it away to someone else only interested in placing it in their front yard to rust away. Much more fun to see it go to someone who restores things like this!

 

[Soundguy]

A lot depends on just how hot the fire got.

DITTO.

Most burned units here have to go for scrap value.. ie. 250-350$ if it got hot.

Much of the value of a non running tractor comes from tin and tires. a new set of tires on a tractor can eat up 1000$ EASY on a common size and no name tires.

Here's the problem.

if the tin got too hot.. it sagged, and even if not sagged. it will rust like crazy.

rad is liekly a total loss.

I have seen fires hot enough to make the front axle sag.. all seals and gaskets will be subject to replacement.. meaning it will be a total -every bolt turned- rebuild job.. brakes.. axle seals.. etc.. etc..

Many times when the bat burns it ruins the back of the dash and battery box.

gas tank usually splits or pops deforming tin.. which on an N.. the hood and tank are designed integral.

what you hve left are some cast parts and internals for value.. again.. depending on heat. rims usually get soft and warp.. etc.etc.

A buyer takes plenty of risk on a burned unit.. the only thing you can guarantee is iron scrap weight value.

pictures may help evaluate it a lil better. If its a 'total burn' it's usually about 2-3x the cost to make one a full resto vs buying a good runner.

IE.. a 250$ burned hulk can cost an additional 3-4 grand to make into a 2000-2500$ tractor.

 

[Soundguy]

Then a fair $$$ amount for the buyer. I definitely would not like to see a piece of American heritage and history "scrapped" if at all possible. That's why I did not want to just give it away to someone else only interested in placing it in their front yard to rust away. Much more fun to see it go to someone who restores things like this!

then you are going to have to sell it cheap.

.. otherwise a restorer can just go buy a 1200$ leaker that actually runs, put 800$ into it and make it not leak, pressure wash it and shoot a coat of farm store paint on it and go.

 

[troynkaren]

Had a looker today. Engine still good, turned over, no compression though. Oil on dipstick = no burnt smell. All tires are trashed but only on spots on the rears so the wheels did not get too hot. Fronts are gone though. Sold for $300 and they plan to use the chassis to restore with other parts. Buyer is in a Ford Tractor club locally. By the way: I was wrong on the model. I thought I remember researching to an 8N several years ago when I did some mechanical work to the transmission, but in fact the buyer took a quick look at the SN and immediately assessed it was a 1940 9N.
That ends this thread, so thanks for the feedback even though I was wrong on the model.

 

[GManBart]

Sounds like it went to a good home!

 

[k0ua]

Sounds like it went to a good home!

Yep, you did good..

 

[Soundguy]

Had a looker today. Engine still good, turned over, no compression though. Oil on dipstick = no burnt smell. All tires are trashed but only on spots on the rears so the wheels did not get too hot. Fronts are gone though. Sold for $300 and they plan to use the chassis to restore with other parts. Buyer is in a Ford Tractor club locally. By the way: I was wrong on the model. I thought I remember researching to an 8N several years ago when I did some mechanical work to the transmission, but in fact the buyer took a quick look at the SN and immediately assessed it was a 1940 9N.
That ends this thread, so thanks for the feedback even though I was wrong on the model.

that was a fair price for a burned unit.

PS. you may have still been correct.

all 9n-2n-8n engines will fit ANY N chassis. thus a 9n engine COULD be setting on an 8n trans.

lastly. you will find many many parts that interchange between the 9n/2n and the 8n.. so not out of the realm of possibility you looked thru 8n parts to find one for the prior models.. etc.

 

[RickB]

Slightly off topic, but with stuff that they aren't making any more of, there is often value in them even when they're really bad.

If it had a correct GTO VIN, a clear title, and it was all present, it wasn't completely worthless. Even a worthless shell with the correct VIN has value because you can combine several beaters into one driver. If you know what you're doing, you can start with a bare shell that has a VIN, and build a complete car out of it that's worth a decent chunk of change. No, it won't be a numbers matching show car, but restomods have gotten very popular, and the prices can get crazy. People don't like cutting up an original car, but a burned shell is a perfect start for something totally custom.

Completely irrelevant when applied to a tractor that has a production run in the hundreds of thousands. The tractor is worth local scrap price, period.

 

[GManBart]

Completely irrelevant when applied to a tractor that has a production run in the hundreds of thousands. The tractor is worth local scrap price, period.

I'm not the one who brought up classic cars, but you're still wrong. Even with a production run in the hundreds of thousands there is still a strong demand for original parts.

You could easily part out that tractor for more than scrap value, and the OP actually did get more than scrap value for it whole.

8Ns weigh 2400lbs, and scrap steel is going for $.07/lb here....that would be $168. The OP got close to double that, and parting out almost always means more money.

 

[Soundguy]

parting a tractor is a TON of labor. then you have to find buyers.

I have about 1/2 of a parted 8n in my garage taking up floor space right now.

i used the front and rear tires. trans has good casting.. but has bearings out. most gears good.

still got 1 trumpet, 1 center.. etc..e tc.

it's not like you part one and all the stuff comes apart and all the parts are good, then a line forms at your door with people with handfulls of cash. you sell a piece here and there... amd most of it needs shipping. some parts are gheavy. many times you barely make any money.. then you get returns.. 1 too many rust spots.. etc.. etc. you usually eat that postage.. means you many times LOOSE money.

then there are the common fasteners.. you end up with a bucket of them. people rarely buy those. then the wear parts.

can't sell used brakes or worn out clutch.

ten you have the other worn out parts.

who buys a clapped out steering box. means you either have to spend money to rebuild it then keep it in INVENTORY till someone beats you out of it. or you sell the ballnut out of it and set on sector arms and gears and the housing forever.

parting a tractor is best left to large yards with hundreds or thousands of machines.

rick's right on top of the deal.