JUSS10 250 #1 Posted June 15, 2010 well after driving for a total of 6 hours, got at least one horse to show for it. got a very nice 854. so the story goes. been watching a few tractors on CL and found two that were near(ish) to each other. hooked up the trailer and drove 2.5 hours east to the first place. could see it in the driveway when we pulled in. its an 854. the previous owner didn't know much about it. was pretty excited when we loaded that on the trailer. out of the two i was going to get, i thought that was the gamble as i didn't know as much about it and it was last minute. so we headed to the next place with our hopes high of bringing two horses home. well needless to say this last one was a bust. i guess what really bothered me was in the title on CL it read "mint condition, complete tractor" and in the picture it looked great. So i had called the guy up and talked to him for a while. "oh its great, body is perfect, 8hp kohler, two nice sets of tires, everything is there and ready to go" well lets just say when i walked out back i was crushed. it was a pile of parts, rigged beyond belief, tires were shot, body looked like it was in a hail storm. craigslist can be great sometimes but other times you get burned. i guess i just believe all people are inherently good and honest, but i guess talking over the phone and looking at pictures doesn't always mean its a good buy. man am i glad that 854 popped up, otherwise that would have been quite a haul with nothing to show. Anyway, now that my rant is done (i tried to keep it in so i didn't go to crazy) here is a picture of the 854. its complete minus the parking brake lever and side cover. one cool surprise was the mower deck. it appears to be a fabricated replica of a wheel horse 36" deck. its all one piece welded and made out of a much thicker steel than the stock one was. unless this is something wheel horse did and i just didn't know. hope to fire her up tomorrow. got a battery on trickle charge. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimD 3,347 #2 Posted June 15, 2010 It's in nice shape, great find! :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horsefeathers 15 #3 Posted June 15, 2010 Real nice 854, Guess you should have quit while you were ahead hey? I can't understand why folks misrepresent adds. Guess they think if you come you'll just buy there junk! You did hook the 854 thats gotta make ya' smile! HORSEFEATHERS! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy w h 5 #4 Posted June 15, 2010 Great find on the 854 !!!! So ....... What was the other horse ???? Indy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dgoyette 12 #5 Posted June 15, 2010 Looks great - congrats and glad the 854 worked out. Great tractor!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
perry 82 #6 Posted June 15, 2010 854 looks good . what town did you get that 854 from ?. and where was the other junk one at so we know ?. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suburban 550 28 #7 Posted June 15, 2010 Nice one. Well worth the trip. :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,189 #8 Posted June 15, 2010 Nice 854. Don't feel bad about the other one, you have shown the ability to close your eyes and walk away from a bad deal. That is a good thing. :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duff 206 #9 Posted June 15, 2010 Great acquisition, and well worth the drive! Sorry about tehs econd machine, but this one more than makes up for it! Congrats! Duff :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #10 Posted June 15, 2010 thanks everyone. the 854 was from Clio michigan. great guy, just had no interest in older tractors. the other was what appeared to be a 753. that one is in Port Huron. he started going off on how great it was, really wish i took a picture just to show how rough it was. he like "its got a great running 8hp" i take a look and its a 7hp and he said well i was told it was an 8 (take a look next time, the tag is right on the motor) i mean i understand if you want to sell something but don't act like 1) its a rare antique in mint condition for its age and 2) don't act like you know what you are talking about if you really don't. here is the listing: http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/grd/1788510459.html i offered $100 just cause it did have a motor but everything else was missing or shot and i'm kind of glad he didn't sell it even for that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #11 Posted June 15, 2010 oh and the 854 was listed for $275, i threw out 200 and he said go for it, so i think i did pretty good again. was just hoping to get two cause one was going to be my dads fathers day present, but no worries, a few pop up every week :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tuscybuck 0 #12 Posted June 15, 2010 A great find!! like those alot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickv1957 75 #13 Posted June 15, 2010 Good find on the 854!!,Rick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lawn Ranger kid 14 #14 Posted June 15, 2010 Great find! Josh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,411 #15 Posted June 15, 2010 Pile of parts or not, I think I would have at least made an offer on the other. Round hoods in the wild are getting scarcer and scarcer by the day, and there look to be plenty of good usable parts there. You don't have to save them all... you need some to be parts donors. I'd have shot him a price... worst he could have said was no, and you'd be in the same position you are now. Nice 854 though... would like to see more pictures of that deck from all sides if you take it off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #16 Posted June 15, 2010 i offered $100 just cause it did have a motor but everything else was missing or shot i did make an offer, he said no so i walked away Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #17 Posted June 15, 2010 well i checked the oil. it was low, below the dipstick low but i did see oil in there. so i added a bit to the point where the dipstick was half way. threw a battery and turned the key. nothing ugh, well i assumed it was a bad switch, sure enough, jumped the positive to the top of the generator and it cranked, a few seconds later she fired right up. it smokes, not awful, but it smokes. do i assume the worse that it needs a ring job or just because it for almost a year, maybe it needs to just clean its self out? well here are a few more pictures of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #18 Posted June 15, 2010 oh and I'll drop the deck on my noon hour today and snap some pictures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,411 #19 Posted June 15, 2010 i offered $100 just cause it did have a motor but everything else was missing or shot i did make an offer, he said no so i walked away oops... Sorry...must have missed that line when I followed the link to look at the picture! Congrats on getting the 854 fired up. :USA: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linen beige 15 #20 Posted June 15, 2010 :D Now you have a mounting platform for an HY-3 lift system! Nice find. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #21 Posted June 15, 2010 indeed i do, now i just need someone give me a crazy good deal on one :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fabricator2009 48 #22 Posted June 15, 2010 :D Well done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
H8 TO WORK 0 #24 Posted June 16, 2010 LOL! I saw that sand paddle tire in one pic and thought, WOW this guys building one bad a$$ pulling tractor!!! then saw the rest of the pics, Nice looking sand rail there! :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUSS10 250 #25 Posted June 16, 2010 thanks H8. i have a pic of the rail in another post. though i've become side tracked by the wheel horse bug and tend work more on my tractors than the sandrail haha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
