strantor
Platinum Member
I've been driving past this derelict machine in a pasture off the side of the road every day since I moved here 3 years ago. It wasn't until I drove past it on the tractor going a whopping 16mph that I had time to notice the sun-bleached For Sale sign on it. I stopped to look, and immediately wrote it off as a piece of scrap that a few potentially useful hydraulic cylinders on it. Particularly the cylinders on the wheel arms, which would make a nice hydraulic top link, and a pump which I assumed would make a good PTO pump. I enquired with the owner, an old lady, who said it has been parked there nearly a decade and I was the first person in years to Express any interest in it. I told her it had a few parts on it that I was willing to give $200 for and she said she wasn't interested in having it torn apart on-site and that if I wanted anything off of it, I would have to take the whole machine. But she said I could have the whole thing for $200 because she just wanted it gone. OK I said. But the ground was too wet to do anything.
That was a few weeks ago. I just went and got it yesterday. I might be fatally naive, but during the long and arduous process of loading it (wheels wouldn't turn and mast was frozen all the way down against the ground), and upon inspection back at my place, I begin to see some restoration potential in it. It looks like crap. Not a single square inch of it is rust-free. But it's mostly surface rust, and everything that matters, shows hope. It was parked with all the cylinders 90%-100% retracted, and those rod ends which were exposed, aren't bad off; they're chrome plated. As I look at it, I get the impression it wasn't that old when parked. I can't find any data plate to see the year of MFG or the brand or model or capacity or anything, but it's got a big Kohler engine that looks just like the ones they still sell.
At a minimum it will need all new tires, hoses, paint, gas tank & carb cleanout. Not sure what else to expect. Not sure if it's worth the effort. What say you?
I can't find any information on the company. As I said I don't know the model number or anything. I only know it's a "Spyder" brand from Google image searches. I can't find any company website for Spyder. Any info on the company or the machine is appreciated.
That was a few weeks ago. I just went and got it yesterday. I might be fatally naive, but during the long and arduous process of loading it (wheels wouldn't turn and mast was frozen all the way down against the ground), and upon inspection back at my place, I begin to see some restoration potential in it. It looks like crap. Not a single square inch of it is rust-free. But it's mostly surface rust, and everything that matters, shows hope. It was parked with all the cylinders 90%-100% retracted, and those rod ends which were exposed, aren't bad off; they're chrome plated. As I look at it, I get the impression it wasn't that old when parked. I can't find any data plate to see the year of MFG or the brand or model or capacity or anything, but it's got a big Kohler engine that looks just like the ones they still sell.
At a minimum it will need all new tires, hoses, paint, gas tank & carb cleanout. Not sure what else to expect. Not sure if it's worth the effort. What say you?
I can't find any information on the company. As I said I don't know the model number or anything. I only know it's a "Spyder" brand from Google image searches. I can't find any company website for Spyder. Any info on the company or the machine is appreciated.
