Flipping tractors?

Jim Timber · Apr 5, 2015

Cherry 8N's with rustoleum restorations sell for under $2500-3K here. If there's that much demand for clean ones, get a volume rate worked out with the railroads and start moving them south.

Piston · Apr 5, 2015

I think there can be money made in flipping tractors, but not tractors like 8N's.

I think you'd really need to concentrate on buying the newer tractors like compacts and subcompacts that people buy, never use, and then want to get rid of. I think there are many times where you can find "deals" on these, and then just wash them, wax them, and resell for more.

GManBart · Apr 5, 2015

Unless you're getting them for free, you're not going to make money flipping 8Ns. Around here a really nice 8N goes for $2500, and beaters are still $1000-1500. Sure, you might make a couple hundred bucks per flip, but it's going to mean working for peanuts when you add up the hours.

Rock knocker · Apr 6, 2015

Make sure to get a TV deal too

pmsmechanic · Apr 6, 2015

I have a friend in Medicine Hat Alberta that does this for the fun of it. He buys mostly 80 - 150 hp John Deere's and has a lot of fun doing it. He buys tractors all over western Canada and his reputation is such that he has standing orders all the time. Standing orders = "If you find such and such a tractor in this $ range I'll buy it."

Tx Jim · Apr 6, 2015

With all the newer compact tractors available for sale with ""live hyd's and live pto(or built in over-running clutch)"" it continually amazes me that anyone would want an 8N(non live pto/hyd's) thats over 63 yrs old.

Gary Fowler · Apr 6, 2015

Tx Jim said:
With all the newer compact tractors available for sale with ""live hyd's and live pto(or built in over-running clutch)"" it continually amazes me that anyone would want an 8N(non live pto/hyd's) thats over 63 yrs old.

I agree. My BIL bought one recently( $250) in hopes of fixing it up because he always wanted one. I usually help him with projects, but I don't want anything to do with this one. It needs a starter, new tires, new paint, likely some hydraulic work as the reservoir was full of water as was the air cleaner, block has been welded up in one spot likely due to a freeze of coolant, radiator has been leaking and likely needs repair and of course paint and new gauges and that is just from a casual observation. $2500 might break him even on parts when it is restored but his labor will still be free.

GManBart · Apr 6, 2015

Tx Jim said:
With all the newer compact tractors available for sale with ""live hyd's and live pto(or built in over-running clutch)"" it continually amazes me that anyone would want an 8N(non live pto/hyd's) thats over 63 yrs old.

Around here they are very common (maybe because they were built about 40mi away) but most seem to be used by people with small, level lots for brush hogging. When I sold mine that's what it was going to be used for...something like a 2 acre lot that gets cleared a couple of times a year. When you consider how cheap they are, it makes sense....and they'll handle that sort of work for a long time without much trouble.

Jim Timber · Apr 6, 2015

It's hard to beat the capabilities of the old tractors for the money they cost around me. You can't buy an atv or truck worth owning around here for under 2K, but you can buy a tractor that's been cleaned up and is operational.

flusher · Apr 6, 2015

olivedrabflorida said:
So I've got an idea I thought I'd run by you guys to see if anyone does this and if it's a good idea. Still working out the numbers to see how profitable it would be, so here it is: buying rusty, non running 8n's off craigslist, restoring them, then selling the freshly restored 8n's on craigslist. Seems like a fun way to make money on the side. What do you guys think?

Most 8Ns that sell below $1K have nearly worn out engines, clutches and transmissions. Not worth restoring and flipping. You might do a rattle can restoration and see if you can find a tractor newby who will pay $2K or more.

Good luck