Allis Chalmers H4

So. Hi to all. New member here from Indiana. Well, about a year ago, my father in law died and left my wife as the executor of his estate. He had a 1968 (I think) H4 that neither my wife or her brother want, so we need to sell it to settle the estate. She has an approximately 5 foot bucket on the front and a 14 foot Mark V backhoe (according to the manual) on the back. She starts and runs, the bucket goes up, down and dumps, the backhoe moves side to side, and everything seems to function as it should. I couldn't tell you the condition of the undercarriage and I can't get anyone local, who might be able to tell me anything, to come look at her and give me any clues as to whether she's ship shape or old and worn out. If paperwork is to be believed, he "rebuilt" her in 1991, but I have no idea what he rebuilt. The tracks are pretty worn down, but with a charged up battery the old engine fires up and runs like a champ. I've had several people ask me to price her, but I have no clue where to start and they won't make me an offer. Without seeing her, and assuming she is pretty worn out, what would be a good starting price to ask for her? Yes, she's a lady and her name is Flossie. She lives in a barn and has a pretty easy life the last few years. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

I'll try to get some on here tomorrow around lunchtime. They're on my work computer. It's got a bigger hard drive than the one that I use at home, so I store a lot of my pics there.

There you go, folks. Flossie in all her glory. She's built roads, dug ditches, put in septic tanks, set mobile homes, she even helped set the rafters of the barn that she lives in. Lately she's just hung out in said barn, but I think she needs to find a loving owner who will use her for all she's worth. So, can anybody tell me what to check out so's I can tell people whether she's good to go? I've worked on trucks, cars, motorcycles, tractors, and everything else,so I know about mechanical stuff but I know nothing about dozers.

Grill guard is there, just removed. My father in law always said that you had to turn the crank over several times with a wrench before you tried to start her, and i just didn't put it back on. All of the fluids that I know how to check are fine, couldn't tell you when they were last changed. Yes, definitely, on the anti-freeze. What are the "rails" that need adjusted and might slip while pushing?
Thanks for the info. If it stays warm here, I'll get over there in the next few days and check her out.

Hey pipesetter13,

     Looks like a pretty nice machine, looking forward to the track measurements. Where are you located in Indiana? Thanks.

Bryan

Thanks, DMiller. That explains a lot. I haven't taken her out of the barn yet, because as soon as it leaves the barn, it's on the nice grass that my wife has been mowing, and if it get's torn up, which I know it will, she'll drill me a new you-know-what. I gotta wait until it dries out.

Hey pipester13,

     Just wondering if you had any luck firing it up yet? Thanks.

Bryan

Oh yeah. I had a local guy come and look at her, and he told me if she started, he'd pay $2500 for her. Then a guy e-mailed me from Washington State who offered $800. I politely told the Washington guy that I had a better offer, but would remember him if the deal fell through. Does $2500 sound pretty fair? I mean, she is almost 50 years old and parts are hard to come by, if I understand things correctly.

i think it is a fair deaL .  I looked at the pics you posted and thought running between 2000 and 3000 running.

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that the offer was accepted and Flossie went to her new home on Tuesday. The new owners came over in 38 degree weather while it was pouring rain. She wasn't afraid of the move, as she fired up quick and crawled(no pun intended) out of the barn, right up the hillside and onto the lowboy trailer. Now I'm wondering what I could buy to put in her empty spot in the barn...