What's it worth?

[TheSaturnV]

Originally Posted by Cubfan79

yeah I know. Its been there for quite some time so I'm thinking I'll offer 200 later on. I'm only 13, so this is my spring break and this is "cub week" at my house with me and my dad. Mom isn't exactly jumping up and down excited LOL

Send "mom" to our forums and let us help her see the light! Of all the things that my boys could have / might have gotten involved with over their teenage years, the good clean fun of hunting for an old garden tractor and dragging it home to tinker with would be at the very top of my list for them.

I get renewed hope in the next generation of our country every time I read a post from a kid like you. Sure, do your schoolwork first, but after that happy hunting on your first Cub Cadet. You can really learn a lot from this hobby, and once you've got your first tractor up and running, you'll end up with a useful machine. You might even make some money on the side with it by mowing, sweeping leaves or snow plowing for neighbors.

Good luck and keep us updated!

[IHcubcadet1]

They just keep getting younger and younger these days! I'm a year older than you Cuban. And I agree it is a fun hobby. Better than my eyes in a cell phone all day. My first cub is an original. With the 7 horse. It doesn't see a lot of work, but I do get it out and drive it on a nice day. They are fun little machines. Have fun. Where I live, there pretty hard to come by. I was lucky and I hope you are too.
Good luck,
Noah

[Cubfan79]

Hi guys,
This is Cubfan79's dad. I thought I'd get on here to give some more insight about this little guy that I'm so proud of.
He bought a cub cadet 123 for $50 with a worn out motor. He pulled the motor out, tore it down. I sent it to the machine shop, they bored, turned crank, new guides etc. He ordered a rebuild kit. I picked up the machined parts on my way home on a Friday. Sunday, he woke up and completely assembled the motor in the basement. The only thing I did was install valve springs and carry it out of the basement when he was done. He set the valve lash, set the points, torqued everything to specs with a torque wrench he asked for for Christmas.
We put the motor in and at 7:30 that evening , it fired up! Ran strong , broke it in over the coarse of the week, Retorqued head, rechecked lash, couple oil changes. Has about 10 hrs on it and runs smooth, smooth.
About a month ago ,he came to me with an idea. He said a friend had an old mower in his back yard that he wanted to pull home and get running. He wanted to give it to a fellow classmate that he heard couldn't afford a mower. His words to me were, "I can do this. It is how I can contribute."
He worked on it everyday for over a week from 5:30 a.m. until school and then after school. My wife asked me to tell him to stop working on it before school because he goes smelling like oil LOL. He got it running, got the deck on and functioning. Actually fabricated a new steering column as the old one had broken. He cut a piece of swing set tube that happened to be the exact diameter, cut it to fit, drilled holes to bolt in. He waxed it and delivered it. They offered him money and he said no, it's free.
He has gotten a reputation for working on small engines. Just last week, he was asked to get a cub cadet 1541 running that had been donated to the little league for dragging the baseball field. He towed it home with his 123 , tore it down and started the usual checking for fuel, spark. He found a rodent had climbed in, got caught in the flywheel/starter and died so it was locked. Once that was cleared , he found a wire that was bare, it happened to be the kill wire shorting out killing spark. He taped it up, it fired right up. He did a tuneup, changed fuel/oil filter, spark plug cleaned carb and returned to the Lions Club.
These are just a couple things in the last month. I could go on and on. We have friends who's children refer to him as "kind Sam" He's an extrodanary kid, not just because he's mine. Anyone who has spent just a little time with him walk away with the same opinion.
Thanks for advising him and encouraging him.
TheSaturnV, your video series on your 147 actually inspired him to tear down our 100 for a complete resto. We have alot done, powdercoated but a long way to go.
Those videos were awesome.

[Terry C]

Tell Sam to keep up the good work.
Saturns vids are quite good.

[Lanceskene]

Well thats a cool little story 'Dad', and you've every right to be proud. Its nice to see a young lad taking an interest in a hobby where he will learn some things of value, Good Job on both you and Sam

[C&O2-10-4]

We need more kids like that ! You are right to be proud !

C&O2-10-4

[Sam Mac]

Very cool story!

[zippy1]

Cool story, and good to see a young man getting grease under his fingernails.
You have a fine young man there in Sam.

[Cubfan79]

Thanks everyone for all the support! I'll keep everyone updated on my projects. I didn't know my dad had posted on here until yesterday and let me say it was great to read.

[john hall]

Keep up the good work, but I'm with your mom, don't go to school smelling like a mechanic, there's plenty of time for turning wrenches after school! Of course my dad would disagree, he had to go milk cows before going to school. (of course he had to walk a mile each way uphill to catch the bus also).

Great hobby you have!