I've got an old 1978 Oliver OC-4 dozer that I'm looking to sell and I tried looking around but I couldn't find another one for sale so I'm not really sure how much I should ask for it. It might not be completely mint but mechanically it works fine and the only problems with it are a couple rips on the armrest, the headlights don't work (probly just needs bulbs) and the cable for the choke is broken but the choke still works just gotta reach around and move it manually. Anyone know a good price I should ask or a place like blue book that I could look to find a price?
Check out www.cletrac.org Nice looking tractor...might be worth $2000-4000.
78 is pretty new for that class of small, relatively cheap dozer. I'd guess around $5k, that is it would sell almost immediately at $3,500, and a lot longer at 10k. The hours and the condition of the undercarriage are big factors. You could look at comparable size, age and condition JD's and figure a 20% discount for a gas Oliver?
For this machine , its hard to put a dollar figure on. Most people restore these or collectors come into play. That's a nice looking unit. I use to have several oliver tractors. Basically its worth what one is willing to pay.
Well I don't know how many hours it has but it can't be a whole lot judging by the condition. So going off what you guys are saying I'll probably clean it up nice and start off asking like $7000 and hope a collector sees it, then lower the price little by little until someone takes it. Thanks for the help everybody
Post a pic of the undercarriage and sprocket, if it's nearly new then 10 might not be a bad place to start. It's a little of an oddball, but what can you find in that condition and age for that much money? Yes you can find a Case or Deere for less, but the parts and labor add up FAST, that is perfect for somebody that needs/wants one around and wants to work with the machine more than work on it.
I probably wouldn't call it brand new, but it's definitely in good shape other than the dirt all over it right now from using it.
As a collector I would say that $10,000 is a big dream. This machine, while a nice looking rig, is in between being new enough for serious work, and is to new for a collector to pay much for it. Collectors that are willing to shell out the bigger dollars want machines that are rare and complete as original. If you get five thousand for that little gas burner I think you will have a real fair deal. Good Luck. They are a great little machine. Why not clean it up, paint it, and go play at the shows. Enjoy the good life and soon you will want 10 more, all a bit different.
I think you may have the wrong model year on that machine. I read on a tractor forum, not long ago, that the last Oliver/Cletrac OC-4 dozers were built about 1965. Quite a nice old dozer. I don't even think Oliver was still in business in 1978.
Yeah I think they were bought by White Motor in about '74.
Not anywhere close to 1978. I'd agree $5000 would be the upper limit for a collector. As far as a work machine, a skid steer would likely do circles around it unless it was soft ground.
Maybe 10 is dreaming, but I never thought it was a collector. Yes a skid steer would do circles around it, but can you own a skid steer for less than this thing? and what if you want to work in the woods or swamps? Your ideal buyer is someone who wants to do some work around their homestead for less than the cost of owning a skid steer or mini excavator, not a collector who already owns the entire 50's Cat line. I imagine Old Iron Habit is like me, he got a deal on everything but he pays full price for labor.
Yeah I think I did have the wrong year, not sure where I got 78 I thought that's what it said on the data plate. So I took the model and serial numbers off the data plate and looked it up using this list: http://cletrac.org/media/Cletrac_Oliver_SN.pdf and I think it's a 1959
That sound more like it. Whatever year it is, I like it. It is a good thing you are not closer to me. If you were, it would probably be in my yard, and my wife would definitely be mad.
1978 Oliver Dozer Oliver stopped the manufacture of dozers in 1964 however they were sold through 1965. The dozers were great little machines but since the White truck division was bleeding the decision to drop production was made. When White bougth Oliver, MM and Cockshutt these great tractors were doomed. Your machine is a 60-62 model with 3 cylinder Hercules engine. In 63 there were sheet metal changes and a cast iron grill was added and they became OC4-B models. I sold a 1964 OC4B with 4 way blade in 2003 for $5000. It had been overhauled, painted and decaled .