[AT] Tractor Hunting

[Dennis Johnson]

I saw an old backhoe for sale on Facebook Marketplace, and I could not resist going to check it out. It was listed for $350 near Victoria Texas which seemed like a bargain. I have wanting a backhoe for years and once had a small import (Yanmar) one that ended up with a broke head when I got it to fire. I sold it because I was not able to find a reasonable cost replacement head.
I drove there to check it out before i hooked up my trailer, etc. What I found was a Case 320 W series tractor with a front loader and a Massy Ferguson hoe (may you 6226 model)  installed on the rear. The adaptation looked reasonable at first. It had been sitting several years so the extended cylinders had rods badly rusted. One rear tire looked original as a 1300 x 24 that was flat and rotten, but the other rear tire was a 15 x 22.5 truck tire with a mug grip style tread and rim welded to a plate with original center section. The hoe was extended out where the overall length was 28 feet, and my gooseneck is only 22 feet. The hoe was bolted to the tractor, so I thought OK, i cab just unbolt it, buy then i looked closer and found the joints were also welded in place. I looked a bit more and doing the hoe had another joint to unbolt, in the center, but that would make it very unstable where it could fall sideways.
After thinking a bit more I decided it would take $2000 to $3000 to fix cylinders and rear tires, plus whatever the engine would take to get running, plus $1000 to rehouse. I told them it was more of a project than I wanted at this time. I already have several project tractors, and soon to get another one.
It anyone wants pictures i gave some, but some of them ended up as a video instead of a picture so i did not attach one here. I also have contact info.

Dennis

Sent from my iPad


Sent from my iPad