What was the cost of a new cub?
 

So, a buddy of mine and I were talking this afternoon about restoring tractors and I showed him what I had done to my 1250. Then we got onto the topic of the price of them brand new.......does anyone know? Is there data somewhere on this site that shows how much they cost brand new back in the 60's and 70's?

Thanks

:beerchug:

I think your looking for these:
http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=30401

I'm not sure exactly how much they were but a friend of mine told me hos FIL and 5 other guys went in together and bought 6 1200's all at once just to get them cheaper and they were still like $1,500. Just think if they were all consecutive serial #'s!

This was exactly what I was looking for!!! Thank you.

That would be pretty cool if they were. I'd tell my friends not to get rid of them until someone bought them all...that's too cool!

According to a website I visited, $2,871 in 1978 → $10,774.29 in 2014. Allowing for MSRP to be 12% high, that makes the price for a 1650 in 1978 about $9,481.00 in 2014 dollars.

Often times, referring to these old machines, people say "they don't make them like this anymore." IMO this statement is not true. I believe you can buy a very good garden tractor today, if you're willing to spend close to $10K.

I also believe it's well worth it to buy an old Cub Cadet, say for $400, and then invest $1000 restoring it for a total of $1,400 total investment. That restored $1,400 tractor will be far superior to anything you can buy today for that price.

This is why I am not afraid to buy parts and make repairs to keep my Cubs running at peak performance.

Couldn't agree more Sharky. Some folks get hung up over spending money on these old tractors, but if you really need a garden tractor for your property, spending $1200 on new tires, fresh paint and an engine rebuild still puts you far ahead of what's available in a brand new model.

My father bought his 1200 brand new from our local dealer.

He still has the original bill of sale tucked away in his owners manual. It was right around $2600 with a 50" mower deck.

Here it is now at a show over the summer.

Your father, or you if its yours now, has a nice looking tractor. I wish my dad still had the receipt from when he bought, what is now my tractor.

Sharky - I couldn't agree with your more. Its well worth the investment to do it right and to spend the money.

I can't agree more about these old machines. Back in 2006 I had a Husqvarna Tractor that was a year old that I used to cut my Mothers acre yard. My biggest problem it was not meant to cut a rougher yard with roots and such and would get stuck in the mud if it were too wet in the low area. And to top it off, it would hardly tow my Agri-Fab yard vac full of leaves. I had enough of that and purchased a 1 owner 1250 to replace it with for $700. Since then I have rebuilt the engine, added hydro lift and headlights within the first year. Today it works perfect with a total investment of $1600!
And this year I let loose of my Cub LT1042 with 80 hours and am using a nice 109 for my 1/3 acre subdivision yard. Only reservation is that it doesn't turn sharp enough like the LT1042. Also I am in the middle of restoring my Dads 149 that he purchased new and sold in the mid 80's. Can't wait to see it done!! I have the original sales receipt for $1650 in 1972 when my Dad purchased it.

$1,650 in 1972 → $9,355.98 in 2014

$2,600 in 1976 → $10,917.61 in 2014

Thanks Sharky for pointing out that the dollar value has changed over the years. I have heard of farmers getting a free cub with the purchase of a combine back in the day and no doubt the dealer made up some of the money for the tractor from the sell of the combine. I used to try to convince people of the value of how strong and solid these machines are, but it seemed to fall upon deaf ears as they opt for the box store brands, so anymore I don't waste my time. Just smile with a little grin and thinking all the while, "If you only knew." I think I saw that a cub 100 sold for about $635 in 1965....not for sure though.

Cub Cadet 123

We paid $1500 in 1979 for a used 1973 108 with a 42 inch mower deck from the local IH dealer. It was a LOT of money at the time. I'm still using that same 108 weekly to cut grass. I can still remember seeing the "new" red cub cadet tractors in the showroom, but we couldn't afford any of them. Wife and I were only a couple years out of college and had just bought our first house and had an acre and a half of grass to cut...It's second from left in my sig pic below.

I also believe it's well worth it to buy an old Cub Cadet, say for $400, and then invest $1000 restoring it for a total of $1,400 total investment. That restored $1,400 tractor will be far superior to anything you can buy today for that price.

man I sure hope so......would make the wife somewhat easier to convince...:biggrin2:

its crazy to think how the value of money changed over the years, in 1952 you could buy a brand new ford 8n farm tractor for $1400 but come the 70s you couldnt even get a garden tractor for that.

I'm only 35 years old, but even at this age....looking back just 15 years ago and seeing how the price of gas has gone from .95cents a gallon (when I graduated high school in June of 98') to well over $3 a gallon just 6 months ago. I can relate to how the price of a garden tractor has gone up.....

But sadly, as the prices have gone up, the reliability has gone down.

I remember pricing a new 108 Cub in I believe 1972. I think with the 42" mower the price was about $1400 (I still have the quote here somewhere). Anyway, I didn't think I could afford it so I passed and continued to use my little Wheel Horse.

About a year later, my cousin bought a house and it came complete with two garden tractors. A Sears and a one year old 108 Cub Cadet that looked like it was still brand new. He offered the Cub to me for $1000 and I jumped on it.

I also remember thinking there was quite a lot of difference in pricing between successively more expensive tractors. 108 to 128, 128 to 129, etc. Keeping in mind that back then $100 was a LOT of money.

:Morning: I must have got one he77 of a deal, when I bought my 149 several years ago. For 725$, it came with a snow blade. tiller, snow blower and deck. Also 26 lb wheel weights and chains. This was from a CC dealer. I always wondered what cost in 1975 would have been, with all these attachments? :American Flag 1:

Not only are LT's and GT's exponentially more expensive today.....
But how come it takes so much more horsepower today to do what was done in the 60's, 70's and 80's ?

Is the grass tougher now?
Is the dirt more dense?
Is snow heavier now?

149. 1746.00
blade 98.00
thrower 307.00
tiller 329.00
42"deck 233.00
ww's 20.00
chains 7.95

Look around online, I believe there is a fairly simple mod to improve the turn radius on these older Cubs.

HP compared to torque. The old Kohler single cylinder cast iron engines had loads of low RPM torque (load carrying ability). The newer engines lean more toward high RPM performance (another reason why manufactures and dealers promote WOT operation). Just as older automobiles (muscle cars) in the 60s and 70s were under rated, to get by some regulations.
Really doesn't really matter, as long as they get'r done!

:Morning: Thank you, my deck is 48", so I guess I can add a few more dollars. I will just around it out to 2500$. :American Flag 1: