A chance at a Super C

[Smokeycub]

I found a '54 Super C for sale nearby, looks real nice in the picture, original paint, wide front, decent tires, a fast hitch with a home made 3 point, and has the cultivator frames on it, and "runs well". Supposedly all it needs is a battery. I haven't seen it yet but I would like to know, there's no hard and fast rule here, what is something like that worth?

[havoc1482]

Well depends on that whole "runs well" part, $2000-$3000 id wanna say? I mean around here I've never seen one go over $3000 unless it was an absolutely top-not perfect condition.

[rexxon]

I bought one last week, but need the weather to cooperate to get it home. It is fast hitch with a mid mount factory blade-- decent condition I gave $2000 maybe a little much but around here fast hitch Super "C"s are getting hard to find and 200 and 230 are seldom seen. Beside I like the man I bought it from a lot, one of the finest men I have known and he is a Farmall C fanatic and I wanted one of his tractors.

[Smokeycub]

Hmmm - Well thanks guys. I guess I'd better call the guy and go check it out!! The asking price is somewhat less than 2000.

[VinceD]

If it does indeed run well, and with the equipment you describe, I would say between 2k and 3k. Post some pictures if you get a chance.

[tmays]

Take a battery with you!

[Boss Hog]

$1000 to $1200 here , but SC and C do not sell well here

[Smokeycub]

Well guys, I pulled the trigger and brought it home today. We got it started, had to jump it. It has a 12 volt system with an alternator (it shows it's charging at about 14 volts). Drove it around, tried all the gears, clutch works nice and the driveline is nice an quiet, the brakes work well too. Hydraulics work nice including the rear cylinder. We even lifted the back of the tractor off the ground with it, we had to move the rear wheels in to get it on my trailer, the trailer has an 82" clear width between the fenders, the wheels were at about 88". The tin is all straight except for a bit of damage on the grill and no rust anywhere except one rear rim is pretty rough. I got it for a few hundred less than the asking price. It's not without issues though, the carb needs some attention, maybe a float. It definitely needs a new battery, the head lights and work light are gone. It's had some welding done on the front axle (wide front). The latches on the fast hitch that keep the attachments in place are missing and has been jury rigged to keep the existing tool bar/draw bar in place, and the leveling links are missing. It has the front cultivator frames on it but no cultivators. All considered, I'm pretty happy with it, so far.

The picture the seller posted

Super C.jpg (43.85 KiB) Viewed 1029 times

I'll post some more pictures when I get them.

[Barnyard]

Nice looking tractor Ray. I'd like to find one sometime. Check this link to see if there is anything you need. I saw this posted some time ago and I see it has been reposted. I don't know the seller but the area is about 15 miles from me.

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/grd/4360863863.html

[havoc1482]

Looks like you got a good deal! Keep us posted!

[rexxon]

Good deal, It starts, runs, holds good oil pressure, and does not run hot====looks like the rest of what needs to be done is complete gravy. Congrats

[Denny Clayton]

Nice acquisition Ray.

[Super A]

I like the C/Super C/200/230 tractor. Nimble, and powerful for its size.

Al

[Smokeycub]

It definitely needs a new battery

Somewhat incredibly, I was able to bring the battery back to life. The P/O said was only about a year old so I figured I'd see what I could do with it before I bought a new one. After adding water to the battery I charged it at 10 amps for about a half hour and two cells weren't responding, and the amp gauge on the charger was showing no charge rate. I bumped the charger up to 40 amps and the same results. I cranked it up to 200 amps and voila - the two cells began to respond and the charger began to show it was taking a charge. I left it on 200 amps for about 20 minutes until it was charging at 40 amps on the gauge, then kicked the charger back to 40 amps and let it run for another 90 minutes. The next morning I checked the voltage and the battery measured 12.8 volts and the individual cells were between 2.3 and 2 volts. Later that day I put it in the tractor and it cranked like a new battery. I was pretty stoked! Years ago, when I worked at an auto parts house we would do this regularly to "defective" batteries. The success rate was 50% or higher. This process de-sulfates the plates in the battery. There are special devices to do this as well. Here's a link- http://www.janwp.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?S ... MgodDkAAsw

**disclaimer** Be very, very careful if you try this, vapors and gases created while charging batteries are very explosive!! Any sort of ignition source (even disconnecting a live charger cable) can blow up a battery in this situation!! BTDT - Got the T-shirt.