Buying Advice Ford 3550 Backhoe

[moreyel]

I'm looking at buying this hoe. It's about 1500 miles away, but the price is great, so I can afford to have it shipped. My questions are; Are parts still available for a machine this old? I believe it to be late 60's, early 70's. It has a 3 cyl diesel in it. The guy says the warmer it gets, the higher you have to rev for it to move.

The motor plate says; DONN6015J, Bucket; 7705325, Loader; Model 19-639 and serial D584865

Any help is appreciated.

 

[LD1]

It would have to be a killer deal for me to want to purchase a machine THAT old sight-unseen and have it shipped.

Yes, parts are still avaliable, new from dealer, new aftermarket, and used. But they are pricy. And a machine THAT old probabally has been welded and worked on numerious times, and still probabally isnt perfect.

I personally would look to find something a little closer to you so you can see what you are getting first hand before any money exchanges hands. Good deals on old equipment come up all of the time. Where I live, there is probabally no less than a dozen old backhoes within a 50 mile radius for under $5k.

And if it really were that killer of a deal, someone would probabally have snatched it up locally. So I have to wonder why it is still for sale?

 

[moreyel]

Thanks for the quick reply LD1. He wasnt out looking to sell it until a friend back there told me he might want to. So, I called and he said why not. How about $1000.00?

That's why I want it. The pictures look complete. He was honest enough to tell me about the run warm problem though.

 

[LD1]

Yea, I'd say thats a pretty good deal. It's worth that for scrap, so you arent really taking much gamble at that price. The only issue is the 1500miles.

I have never shipped anything that big, that far, but just a guess, you will probabally be doubling the cost of the backhoe, posibally more.

Get a shipping quote before you commit to buy

 

[DAY]

Thanks for the quick reply LD1. He wasnt out looking to sell it until a friend back there told me he might want to. So, I called and he said why not. How about $1000.00?

That's why I want it. The pictures look complete. He was honest enough to tell me about the run warm problem though.

I have a Ford 4500 (Yella Fella in the picture) that is about as old as the one you want. For its age (and mine) we get along.
If this $1000 TLB is such a great deal (and price wise it sounds like it is) I would STRONGLY advise you to go take a look at it. A plane ticket is cheap insurance. Remember, "too good to be true", and "no such thing as a free lunch".

 

[moreyel]

Your both right and I appreciate it. I'm figuring about $1500-2000 in freight. I've got freight quote requests out now.

ANyone have an idea what I'm facing on the run warm problem?

LD, I have seen hoes for 5K and can still do that because, as you say, they do come up. Ritchie Bros sold an older John Deere last week for 5K