A Horse Finally Comes Home....

[chesbaycruiser 83]

Today was a great day, and I'm pretty sure it was karma.

If you read a lot of posts on this forum, you may have read my recent post describing a great deal I got on a 520-H, that I in turn resold a few days later for a tidy profit. What you don't know is about a week after I sold the tractor, the new owner called to tell me he wanted to give me back the tractor, and wanted his money back due to low compression in the rear cylinder. I won't bore you with the whole sad story, but suffice to say that while I was not prepared to take it back, I didn't feel right about making out like a bandit while the new owner, a nice young man, poured money into it. So while more than a few folks told me I was nuts, on Monday I gave him back a considerable amount of his cash so he could get the problem resolved. I gave up my cash profit, but I'm OK with it, because, after all, it's really just about about liking the guy staring back out of the mirror.

And, If you read a lot of posts on this forum, you may have also heard me talk about my Grandfather's '73 Model 10-8. He purchased it new in 1973, and kept it until he passed away in 1993. Much to my dismay, my mother (his only child) sold it to one of his neighbors for next to nothing after he died.

What do these two things have to do with one another you ask? Fair question.

Today, I tracked down that old neighbor and inquired about the tractor, or it's remains. And without missing a beat, he took me to a pole shed at the back of his property, and there, looking a little worse-for-wear, sat the Model 10. Words cannot express what I felt seeing that tractor for the first time in 17 years.

Of course, I asked if he was interested in parting with it and so began a price negotiation. Now I'll admit I was a little frustrated here, because this gentleman is a nice man that I've know since I was a child, but his memory is sometimes a little sketchy. So while I know full well that my mom sold him the tractor for $200 in 1993, he recalled paying $600, and was "negotiating" accordingly. Nothing rude or nasty, but all business.

And then karma stepped in.

His wife happened along during all of this and just said "Larry" (not his real name), "Don't you think you've gotten your use out of it? Why don't you just GIVE it to him?!" And so, after I assured him I had NO intention of getting it to resell, we concluded the transaction with a handshake, and now, after dreaming of owning it since I was a child, it is finally mine. And tonight, I couldn't give a damn about the 520-H or the money I gave back.

The old girl has worked hard, and she shows it. Her glossy red paint is gone, and there instead is a dull reddish-brown patina. The deck is still there, but having lived all its life in sandy soil, it's going to need some repair. The engine is not running, but it does turn over. It also looks like it might be leaking some oil, but right now it's really too dirty to tell. She looks rough, but she seems basically solid and straight. My grandfather replaced the seat years ago with a folding boat seat, so I'll need to scrounge up a "real" one. But overall, it still looks beautiful to me. It is, in my eyes, the Holy Grail of tractors.

Unfortunately, I don't have room in my garage for a new project until I get my current 312-8 finished, so for now the Model 10 waits its turn down at the river house. The upside is that I now am HIGHLY motivated to get the 312 project completed! I am chomping at the bit to get the 10 torn down and cleaned up.

So was it karma? Maybe not, but would you be surprised to know that on Tuesday, a lady who's grass I've been cutting for the last two years gave me a running Trac Vac 580. It's true, but that's another story!

Apologies for yet another long post!

Thanks for reading, and heeeeerrrre's the photos.....

As it was...

[mavfreak 11]

wow! Congratulations

[horsefeathers 15]

Cbay, I furmly belive in Karma! And the art of lawn mower maintance! Congrats on gettin' yer grandpa's You woln't let this one get away will you! Good deads don't go unoticed, you did the right thing! Now the rewards are yours! Good for you! Enjoy yer tractor 'n keep it inthe family! Grandpa would be proud! HORSEFEATHERS!

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

Now that's a heart warming story.

I firmly believe what goes around comes around.

In all aspects, you did the right thing and you are rewarded well.

Enjoy your victory! :D

[tgranthamfd 29]

Cool story, looks like someone took the mirror off of the hood over the years. :D

[dgoyette 12]

Great story - enjoyed reading it. Congrats on getting the model 10 and I like the then and now photos.

[Gene_S 93]

chesbaycruiser that was a great story and I also enjoyed reading it! Thats a great memory to hold onto and with the photo even better! Good luck on getting her back up and running!

[KeithB 6]

great story, it's called sowing and reaping :D

[dclarke 4,082]

great story, be sure to keep us posted as you rebuild it. projects like this are really interesting to follow. good luck with it.

[Raider12 13]

That is just crazy kind of awsume. To have grandpa's old horse and photos of him on it. No amount of money can buy this. Good for you :USA:

[Ken B 3,189]

That is the find of all finds and if I were you I would keep that tractor for the rest of your life, which I'm sure you will. :D

[whfan74 2,071]

Cbay..........thanks so much for sharing the story with all of us. Not only did you do the right thing, but you formed a bond with the new owner of the 520-H. As a Wheel Horse collector you have given a good name to the rest of the Wheel Horse community and showed him what we are all about.

Congratulations on finding your tractor.........I had a story close to yours. I missed out on the tractor that was displayed in the family business by a couple of months and the previous owner couldn't remember who and where it went to. I am glad you were able to find your holy grail.

[tbbahner 28]

Great story. Glad to here its back in the family.

Tom B

[rickv1957 74]

Great story there,nice tractor!,Rick

[Operator 7]

Great story Now you have a few projects with Grandpas, 520H, which one first

Keep us posted.

Randy

[chesbaycruiser 83]

Thanks for all the kind words.

tgranthamfd -- Yes, the last owner removed the mirror, saving me the trouble. My grandfather used that because as a child, he had polio and it affected one of his legs & hip. As an adult, he had arms like Popeye, but it was difficult for him to swivel in the seat when he was backing up with a trailer. It wasn't particularly pretty, but it got the job done. I like to say he could make, build or fix anything, he just wasn't a "craftsman"!

whfan74 -- Thanks....I hope you find eventually your "family" tractor

As to the 520 story....I hope the new owner feels like he did OK. I think he did from my perspective, but I'm not the one who has do deal with the repairs. I'm not really sure he is convinced that I was not aware of the problem with the tractor when I sold it (I was not), and for all he knows I'm a con artist. I get that. But I thought he was a nice guy, and I hope that at the end of the day, once the dust settles and he has it running smoothly, and his neighbors enviously watch him mowing, pushing snow, tilling, or whatever, he feels like it was worth it.

I will be posting progress photos of the Model 10 rebuild, but the 312 photos will come first. I haven't posted any yet because my progress has been so slow and personally, when I look at "work in progress" posts, I want to see shiny red parts!!! I've done a lot of stripping, but until recently, no painting. I'll be spraying my first Red today, so photos will be coming soon in a new thread.

Thanks again...

[jpmcleod 4]

Maybe the new owner of the 520 jumps on this sit as a new owner. He then would read your post and know you are an "all right guy". I always fear selling somehing nbecause if something goes wrong, the buyer always thinks you knew it was going to happen. I think you went out of your way to make him whole.

I am glad you found your family tractor. I hope you take a photo of you on it and one day your son/granson can show that to others.

[piecrazy4 0]

Glad you found it !

[Shuboxlover 481]

Ches......GREAT STORY.....one question,

In the last picture, is that the same tailor your grandpa has hooked up as the one that's in the second to last picture in your garage?

[bo dawg 518]

That truely was a warm hearted story, and a good read. You should be a writer, if you're not already, I think you would be good at it.

The 520 deal was excellent something like that tells a lot about a man's ethics and where his heart is at.

:wh:

[Operator 7]

Ches......GREAT STORY.....one question,

In the last picture, is that the same tailor your grandpa has hooked up as the one that's in the second to last picture in your garage?

I see that too! Double great if it is!

I had to reread on the 520 deal, I thought you bought tractor back. Now I understand you just gave up a few bucks. Honorable

Randy

[scifi4all 6]

I can only agree with everyone else. Congrats on the '73 and doing the right thing with the 520. It really does come around!

Thanks for sharing.

[mnWHfan 47]

That was a great story and I liked the way that you wrote it. It is always nice to recapture a piece of history from your youth.

[chesbaycruiser 83]

In the last picture, is that the same tailor your grandpa has hooked up as the one that's in the second to last picture in your garage?

Shoeboxlover/Operator,

Good eyes...yes, it is the very same utility cart. It's quite a bit larger and heavier duty than the one I currently have here, so when the 10 comes home, I'll probably switch out the carts too!

(Guess I better tell mom about that one! )

[kloe0699 12]

Great story! Glad you have a nice piece of your childhood back. :D