What's your opininion

[cubs-n-bxrs]

I don't care at the end of the day all it's still a garden tractor no more no less. I would much rather see one in work clothes than something that's stored in the back of your garage lookin real purdy under a blanket.

[ambrola]

Originally Posted by olds45512

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while and in your case you found a nut with 2k burning a hole in his pocket, I don't think you'll be getting that lucky again.

You are 100% correct Tim. I just had it on CL for a couple weeks and this guy text me and next thing I knew he was counting out 20, 100 dollar bills. I also sold the 4 digit a couple weeks ago for 1600.00. Now I have the recoil machine to tear down and get back togeather. The fun of all this for me is working on them and learning. Once it's all done, sell?

[Terry C]

Originally Posted by ambrola

You are 100% correct Tim. I just had it on CL for a couple weeks and this guy text me and next thing I knew he was counting out 20, 100 dollar bills. I also sold the 4 digit a couple weeks ago for 1600.00. Now I have the recoil machine to tear down and get back togeather. The fun of all this for me is working on them and learning. Once it's all done, sell?

That's pretty good money. Now gather up your money and find a M&W 9speed original. That's the ultimate I'm my book for an O.

[john hall]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

IH stamped bolts and original hardware doesn’t affect beans on a tractor.... or any piece of equipment. When you dig an old machine out of the woods with the hoods rotted off, trees growing up through it, engine and rear full of water..... then you have to make from scratch all the parts to restore it, so almost nothing but the cast housings are original... it's worth the same price as any other restored machine. Right now the hot ticket is original, non-restored and in good condition. A slightly rusted, or paint faded machine that leaks oil will bring as much or more than a restored piece. Even if the restoration was perfect with all the original hardware. But I promise, few.... very few people who restore old iron are interested in original fasteners. Besides, after it's all painted, you can't tell one way or the other. A lot of truly restored tractors I've worked on had so many coats of paint on it, it didn't matter if the hardware was marked or not, the paint was so thick you would never know it. It matters only to select few, and commands no more of a price tag.

I will have to respectfully disagree, somewhat. I own a 1926 Farmall Regular, a 1936 T20 McCormick Crawler, a 1923 crossmount Case 12-20, and a 1920 Titan 10-20. Modern hardware sticks out on those like a sore thumb, especially the Case and the Titan. When I was doing the mechanic work on the Titan, I salvaged all the hardware I could, then I bought boxes of square bolts and heavy hex nuts from McMaster. I am one of the few folks that notice original IH or WP bolts in IH machines. Now all our Cadets are workers, so when I turn wrenches on them, I act like a mechanic and grab new hardware from the bin without a second thought. On a nice original condition machine or a correctly restored one, the hardware should be as close to period correct as possible. Personally if the machine is restored correctly, you need as close to correct of a battery as possible--in other words it better not say Wally World on it. Now one other thing, all these "improvements" all of us here love to do, well they shouldn't be on a perfect machine either. In other words, no heavy duty clutches/6 pin drivers, not ball bearing upgrades, no tire tread patterns that weren't factory options, no weird seats. In other words, you can't be picky about one thing and let something else slide. That's probably why I have ZERO interest in having a perfectly restored machine--even my antique tractors (those I just get pretty darn close).

[drcjv]

My original question was not so much about hardware since I think most Cubs where made in modern time with modern hardware. I mean more like parts such as steering wheel cap emblems, nos decals and nos battery cover for the diesels. These parts command big money due to being very scarce. Can that cost be passed on if selling the entire tractor. I would guess it depends on what the buyer wants to do with the tractor. Only one of my tractors is a worker. My goal is have my tractors as close to showroom as possible without restoration. All original or nos parts and minor paint touch up. I don't think it would make sense to put these high money parts on a worker just to get messed up. I guess I broke my own rule because I replaced most of my hardware with stainless steel.

[zippy1]

Charles, I think it's the one guy out of ten, that cares if all parts are original, or NOS. And that one guy wants originality, and nothing else.
I think, you would never recoup your money, if you "had" to buy NOS parts to put something back the way it was. You lost.
I don't think our hobby will ever get as picky about originality as with vehicles. Check out what they are getting for numbers matching cars now days. And if it's not numbers matching, at the very least it has to be date code CORRECT, and we'll never see that kind of "need/want". Don't have a crystal ball, but it's unlikely.
As for hardware. I know you never asked, but line two identical tractors side by side, one with the IH bolts, and one with plain bolts. I'll bet, no one will look at the plain ones and say something like, Wow, that's cool, check out the plain bolts.
But, I have had people that weren't familiar with Cub Cadets that saw the IH stamped bolts, and said, "WOW..." And those that are familiar with Cubs, remark how good the bolts look.
Different strokes for different folks.

[johncub7172]

Originally Posted by drcjv

My original question was not so much about hardware since I think most Cubs where made in modern time with modern hardware. I mean more like parts such as steering wheel cap emblems, nos decals and nos battery cover for the diesels. These parts command big money due to being very scarce. Can that cost be passed on if selling the entire tractor. I would guess it depends on what the buyer wants to do with the tractor. Only one of my tractors is a worker. My goal is have my tractors as close to showroom as possible without restoration. All original or nos parts and minor paint touch up. I don't think it would make sense to put these high money parts on a worker just to get messed up. I guess I broke my own rule because I replaced most of my hardware with stainless steel.

For me, the IH monogram bolts ARE a/an important piece of value and uniqueness of the IH Cub Cadet, along with all the other specific identities of the garden tractor. There is nothing worse than replacing good carbon bolts NEEDLESSLY with new, non-original cap screws and what have you.

I would personally pay more money for an untouched, all original condition IH Cub Cadet. That's your best, most experienced answer that has been given yet!

[Terry C]

Originally Posted by johncub7172

For me, the IH monogram bolts ARE a/an important piece of value and uniqueness of the IH Cub Cadet, along with all the other specific identities of the garden tractor. There is nothing worse than replacing good carbon bolts NEEDLESSLY with new, non-original cap screws and what have you.

I would personally pay more money for an untouched, all original condition IH Cub Cadet. That's your best, most experienced answer that has been given yet!

That last paragraph says it all. I look for ones that have no wear on places that take abuse. I want low hr, well treated machine and I don't care much about cosmetics . Now to answer the OP question, if a NOS item helps create the illusion of it being well cared for then it might help.

[drcjv]

My tractors never had IH bolts since they are CCC. If I had them I guess I would keep them. For me the fun was in the hunt. My goal was to get a good example of all 4 72 series supers. It took me about eight years and over 27 tractors to get there. The last parts I was searching for was the original battery covers for the diesels and I just got them. So now what. I only take them out once a year for plow day. I recently debated selling or keeping and decided to keep them but now I am thinking sell and start a new project. I think if I parted them out I would make a small fortune but it would be sad to destroy such nice and complete machines. All have under 1000 hrs.

[finsruskw]

I have 2 big tins of bolts on my work bench all the time.
One marked IH bolts and the other marked WP bolts.
When I run across either, they get the vinegar and wire brush treatment and a shot of light oil and tossed in the tin. And I often find myself with them dumped on the counter searching for one to mount a voltage regulator or whatnot on a Cub.

On another note, some cubs I have run across have a mixture of both IH and WP bolts. Case in point, the 104 I finished this spring just in time for RPRU, and yes, I know, it has the wrong front axle!!

Plain hardware store variety bolts jump out at me when looking at so called "restored" tractors, just like red, green and yellow batteries in 1950's cars do at a show as well as all kinds of hop up crap under the hood. one glance at cars like that and I just keep on walking.