Farm Equipment - 1939 AC B buying

1939 AC B buying

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Topic: 1939 AC B buying

Posted By: beaglejoe
Subject: 1939 AC B buying
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2011 at 3:28pm

I was looking at a 1939 AC B. Crank Start. Excellent tin, seat is good and there appears no cracks in the engine block. Brand new rear tire and the front tires are good. But the engine is froze. The owner thinks it just might be "rusted" and can be easily soaked and freed up. He is in his 80s and just wants to part with his collection. He want $900 for it. Just wondering it this sounds right. A couple of questions? Can I install working hydraluics? Can I install an electric start?

Replies:

Posted By: DonDittmar
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2011 at 4:06pm

For me 900 is to much for a tractor with a siezed motor, more like 500. Electric start can be installed if you change the torque tube to one with the start hole, will also have to change the flywheel or add a ring gear. Hydraulics can be installed, either the actually b hydraulics or you could set up a live pump driven from the crank

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Experience is a fancy name for past mistakes. "Great moments are born from great opportunity"

1968 D15D,1962 D19D
Also 1965 Cub Loboy and 1958 JD 720 Diesel Pony Start

Posted By: Ted in NE-OH
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2011 at 4:07pm

A non-running B is worth about $300-$400 in my opinion. It may be a money pit.

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CA, WD, C, 3 Bs, 2 Gs, WC, I-400, 914

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2011 at 4:18pm

and that should be the high end since it has no electric starter and that will cost another $2-300 to install. Personally since the motor is locked i think you looking at $225 for a ton of steel (scrap) or an extra $100. if you want to be generous. TIres and wheels ??

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: GlenninPA
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2011 at 5:45pm

If you want electric start and hydraulics, you are better off finding another tractor to buy.

Posted By: ChuckLuedtkeSEWI
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2011 at 5:58pm

You can luck out and get it freed up with various different methods, but you are assuming that is the only thing wrong with it. I just got a tight WD45 engine on the stand. I think they stopped running it due to noise in the top end. Found out the end of the rocker arm shaft is broken off and the last rocker arm fell off as I was dissassembling. Should be able to free it up.

Sorry, getting off track. If it's a 39, the pto box on the back probably is the old style without a hole in it for the hydraulic pump, so that whole assembly will have to be found with the hydraulic pump. Or like someone else said a front mounted pump would work.

The entire torque tube will have to be changed out to put electric start on it, as it probably doesn't have a hole in it for a starter. Ring gear will have to be added for starting as well. And then you have to deal with putting a generator on it, battery box, and wiring. I don't remember exactly, but your engine (if original) probably won't have the bolt holes on the side of the engine for generator/or alternator mounts. So you will have to make an adapter plate to mount that as well.

Now, if the mag is set up right, and the engine runs good, electric start is not really necessary, depending on what you want to do with the B. Mine has electric start, but I never use it. In fact I got a rebuilt starter and wiring sitting on the shelf for it, but I haven't ever installed it, as with two cranks it's running whether it's 0 or 90 degrees outside.

In general, the price is high for a stuck non running tractor. I paid 1000 for two B's both 1940's with electric start. One ran, the other didn't and engine was tight, sleeve busted, the whole nine yards. The most I paid for a nonrunning one was a loose C that didn't run, but it came with rear wheel weights, a plow, a set of cultivators, and a #3 sickle mower.

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1955 WD45 diesel 203322 was my dad's tractor, 1966 D15 23530, 1961 HD3 Crawler 1918, 1966 D17 IV 83495, 1937 WC 41255, 1962 D19 6221

Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2011 at 10:03pm

I doubt if I would pay $900 for such a tractor but if it is in good condition and ran it seems like it should be worth $750. Personally if it hasn't been beat up, I wouldn't want to change it as it is kind of rare. For around $900 there are lots of running tractors with Hydraulics and electric start.

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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
Allis Express participant

Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2011 at 11:08pm

If it has brand new rear tires, you have a 2-300 dollar tractor with $500 worth of tire on it. That equals $700 on my calculator. I bought a running 38 B with a belly mount finish mower for $750. One rear rim was shot and the mower mount was cobbled up, but it starts like Chucks, on the second quarter turn of the crank.

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Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF