Value of burned ac's

D-14 weighs in about 3500# from what I recall, 500# WAS tires ! If local scrap is $200 per ton, only worth $300-350. I'd offer that, max out at $400 , and be smiling all the way home if I got it for $400.Great source of parts,if not rebuildable,'easy' to sell off the good stuff.Remeber though , times are tough, and ther's more 'scrap haulers' now than ever, so they will NOT last long! I'd grab the D-14 if I was closer !!

I had a VAO Case that burned right after filling the tank. It burned the tires off, all the fuel burned, it looked like scap. Nothing was hurt internaly, just needed cleaning, new tank, paint, and all the wires.

It depends on how long it was in the fire. If the seals inside didn't burn up, it is probably cosmetic, wires and tires.

Make sure when your working on them to leave the cover alls in the shop. That burn smell will carry in to the house in them and is very hard to get out!

The owner called back this morning, wanted $800 for both.  I said OK.  Took my hook lift bed and trailer over, her SIL is supposed to take the farmhand loader off and load them for me.  The D14 is the worst, it was at the back of the barn behind the D17.  The aluminum on the engine all melted, plugs even broke, probably from the water the fire dept sprayed on them.  I've got a D14 with a bad 3d gear, hopefully this one will be better. Rims may be ok but they aren't PA.  Hard to say about much of the rest but the castings should be ok.  The D 17 fared better, although the tires are burned off it the front of the tractor is much better, the engine doesn't look bad, dash is burned but I'm thinking the insides of the transmission are ok. Oil looked alright. I'll look them over a lot more when I get them home but at this point I'm thinking the D14 is parts at best but the D17 might be restore-able. I'll take more pics and MAYBE figure out how to get my computer to post them.  Thanks for all your advice, I may have paid a bit too much but at least they won't be on a slow boat to China in the near future at least. 

By the way, I may have to pay you a visit next year.  My niece is getting married in Denver next August and we're gonna make a road trip out there for the wedding.  

Edited by JohnCO - 20 Mar 2011 at 10:42pm

Just my thot if they burned inside a building they are junk if they were outsid then you may have a rebuildable tractor.

Judging by the thin quantity and distribution of charred debris, it looks like there wasn't much barn to burn... probably worst thing goin' was the tractor tires and whatever fuel was still in the tank.  Oftentimes, if there's a rubber hose in the fuel line, that'll burn through, and burn under the tractor... that's when it's a good thing to have the fuel petcock shut off, or an empty fuel tank.

If there's still oil in the sumps, it didn't get that hot... and it didn't get that close.  It takes lots of heat, and a LONG exposure time, to get the heavy iron castings so hot that the oil burns out.

Lookie that sheet metal- the Allis-Chalmers emblem is still visible through!   That's one awesome loader... wonder what the upper lift limit is... gotta be pretty darned tall.

Rule of thumb on burned,  if there is oil in the sumps, then its probably ok internally.  If they are boiled dry, pure iron bacuse of the temper of the metal.  this is from an old time salvage dealer years ago and I would say it holds true today.   Good luck John.

John are you sure that is a D-17? Could not make out shifter lever on tranny. Straight or curved.Seat may be in the way and I cannot see.
I am supposed to be going Elk hunting up by Fort Collins area in late Oct. Are you anywhere near?

Edited by Pat the Plumber CIL - 21 Mar 2011 at 10:51pm

I would think if just the tires got it, and didn't completely burn off, you should be ok. ..