Greg,
As you well know, I call them as I see them.
Whomever buys your tractor basket case will be well on their way to ending up with a really fine unit when he completes what you started.
He will have a tractor with a totally rebuilt engine, a new hydraulic pump and a heavy duty upgraded front axle that is well suited for someone intending to add a loader at some point. With a brand new coil, ammeter, ignition switch, starter solenoid, starter motor and regulator, the electrical system is as good as it gets.
The Buyer will get a $400.00 3 point hitch and a $200.00 holding valve kit. So if you subtract the $600.00 value of these two items from your $1800.00 asking price, the balance is $1200.00. I estimate that you have over $200.00 in brand new electrical components and that brings us down to $1000.00. It is a well established fact that it costs very close to $1000.00 for the machine shop work and parts to rebuild an Onan.
It's beginning to look like the Buyer will be getting a free tractor that is partially restored plus the upgraded front axle tossed in. Oh.....and I almost forgot the free hydraulic pump that must have cost you at least $200.00 not to mention the extra hood and the 646 foot pedal parts.
On one hand, a person could spend $2500.00 at Lowe's and leave with a stamped steel and plastic lawn tractor with a warranty but they would end up throwing that one away within ten years. Say good-bye to the $2500.00 Naturally, you could not successfully put a loader on that LT nor could you pull a turning plow, disc harrows or add a rototiller because it is just a cheap-ass lawn tractor.
On the other hand, a person could spend the same amount of money (or less) by purchasing your tractor and finishing it. When it was done, he would have a true garden tractor that is capable of all the ground-engaging work that the LT could not handle and it would last 20 to 30 years. Even then, it would still have a high value compared to the LT.
Alas...it would not come with a warranty.
