New guy seeking input

[farmall fred]

If you can get it for $100.00 and want a long term project to spend time and money on it when it is available I say go for it. When you are done with it you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you did it your self. Good luck with your decision what ever way you decide to go.

[DewDrop]

I think I will offer $100. I will have all winter to work on it.

[Cub Cadet 123]

Originally Posted by DewDrop

I think I will offer $100. I will have all winter to work on it.

Good plan. No one ever makes the right decision all of the time, so it is more about making the decision right for you. Sounds like you really want an older cub cadet and the 127 is a solid, versatile tractor to have. Yeah, it is going to be frustrating for you at times. Some of the fun comes in searching for parts, but so does some of the frustration. It will be a nice winter project for you, but the others are correct at putting $$$ into it. You can see from the fade in the paint that it did have an electric lift on it at one time. If that is the case, then I would not put another electric lift on it. They weren't that fast or reliable. A manual lift (Armstrong lift) will work just fine for many more years since age is still on your side. If you put it back to a manual lift, you will need a different rockshaft, too. That is the shaft that spans the width of the tractor frame and has an arm that connects to the lift arm.

Just be prepared for him to counter your $100 offer with $125. Have it in your mind what your limit is, before you go look at the tractor. You may have to be prepared to walk away from it if he holds firm. If that is the case, then it just wasn't meant to be and there will be others that come your way. The parts for that tractor are very plentiful, but you definitely want to get that starter generator and belt if he has it. A used S/G will cost you $65+ by the time you buy it and pay shipping.

BTW: My personal tops on the tractor would be $125.

Cub Cadet 123

[Gompers]

You can’t go too far wrong with anything for $100.

Location drives price on a lot of things too. You can pick up running driving mowing cubs for not much more than that around here.

If finding cubs is rare, finding parts locally probably will be too. Everything is findable for them, but you’re going to be spending money to get it shipped.

That series of tractor does have some things that are unique to that series. The sleeve hitch needs a special extra bracket and the electric lift off the top of my head.

It IS the only series cub that has storage built in under the seat!

Just beware 2 things:
They are almost never worth what you put into them when (if) you go to sell
Once you have one, you’re gonna want more.

[jbrewer]

Nobody has factored in the fun factor yet. $125-150 is not a lot of money for evenings and afternoons spent twisting wrenches learning about new machines. What better way to learn how Cubs are put together than by working on a cheap one.

I'd certainly not want to tear into a perfectly working , restored machine (or to be honest a working unrestored machine!) , but one that's not running is part of the joy of being a hobby mechanic (and in your case, a professional one).

I really don't get a huge amount of joy running my 782D. Its a great machine and it runs well, but I probably get more fun out of running the junkyard dogs I've gotten living again. Yeah, I've spent more money on some of them than makes sense, but hobbies don't have to make sense do they?

Whether it's 150, or 100$, it's cheap fun. Don't worry about it, and enjoy.

[DewDrop]

I was planning on a counter offer of $125, and I think I would be ok with that. We can’t take it with us right? I just get nervous about the lift arm being cut/ broken. I found a used one for $50 + $60 shipping, + $80 for the deck. I wonder if there is any way to make a new handle by welding a pipe of some sort, I’m not familiar how they work, but it must be hollow with a release that runs all the way down? This is of course AFTER getting it running. I’m so back and fourth about it.

[cooperino]

Originally Posted by DewDrop

I was planning on a counter offer of $125, and I think I would be ok with that. We can’t take it with us right? I just get nervous about the lift arm being cut/ broken. I found a used one for $50 + $60 shipping, + $80 for the deck. I wonder if there is any way to make a new handle by welding a pipe of some sort, I’m not familiar how they work, but it must be hollow with a release that runs all the way down? This is of course AFTER getting it running. I’m so back and fourth about it.

Dewdrop, Do you have any kids? Sons? Brother?. It will be a fun project. You have a good support group here to help get her runnin

[DewDrop]

Originally Posted by cooperino

Dewdrop, Do you have any kids? Sons? Brother?. It will be a fun project. You have a good support group here to help get her runnin

5 month old daughter.

[cooperino]

Originally Posted by DewDrop

5 month old daughter.

... well in couple years she would enjoy the first ride on your lap lol

[Gompers]

Originally Posted by DewDrop

I was planning on a counter offer of $125, and I think I would be ok with that. We can’t take it with us right? I just get nervous about the lift arm being cut/ broken. I found a used one for $50 + $60 shipping, + $80 for the deck. I wonder if there is any way to make a new handle by welding a pipe of some sort, I’m not familiar how they work, but it must be hollow with a release that runs all the way down? This is of course AFTER getting it running. I’m so back and fourth about it.

I think worst case, if you want to go back to manual, you'd just need the lift arm assembly. Those should be readily available for less than that. Check the sponsors at the top of the page. There are TONS of cubs on the east coast, just further south.

Provided that the PTO functions properly and the tractor runs, that would get you about 90% of the way to using it for something other than pulling things around.

That's what's referred to as a "narrow frame" so you'd need a subframe built for a narrow frame for any attachments.

You can put a 38, 42 or 48 deck on that one pretty easily. Sometimes referred to as "triangle" decks. You need both the deck and a subframe to hang it from. This usually comes with a mule drive as well. Around here, $25-$50 will get you both depending on condition. Everyone has opinions on things, but I think the 42" and 48" decks seem to do well. I mowed last year with a 42" and it did a really nice job. Have a 48" on the back burner in the garage. I haven't mowed with a 38" but haven't heard great things about them.

A 42" push blade is also pretty find-able. You'd need a narrow frame subframe for that too. These go for $75-$100 around here

You can run a QA-36/QA-36A or QA-42/QA-42A snow thrower on it as well. For those, they just attach to the Quick Attach mounts on the front of the tractor and there isn't really a subframe. These go for $75-$125 around these parts.

For both the blade and the blower you'd need a rod (you can fab your own if necessary) and the bracket that mounts to your lift arm.

There's also a tiller you can put on it, but you'll need a narrow frame 3 point (sometimes referred to incorrectly as a "sleeve hitch"). There's also a special bracket for the 1x6/7 series tractors. A good tiller and gearbox will usually sell for $250-$350 here, and a 3 point for a narrow frame usually between $75-$125.

Also, picking up the snowthrower and tiller is a workout with a manual lift with no spring assist. Spring assists can be found between $75-$100 as well.

You might need to be patient to find things at a good price. You can get things done fast if you are willing to throw money at it, but if you wait around long enough you can get things done a lot cheaper.

You can see how this can rapidly snowball.....