I have had my '79-80 580c on craigslist for a while now with no real interest locally. I'm thinking I need to list it on a site that's more specific, like an equipment trader. I was listing it for $8500 since I just paid 3500 to have the motor rebuilt. The brakes do need work, and the hyd lines to the 3pt hitch should be replaced, but other than that it's good to work. I also was going to list it for sale or trade for a UTV like a Kawasaki Teryx 750, Rhino 700, or similar. I need one to pull a brush cutter and hold a water tank for smaller jobs.
Not trying to sh.t in your mess kit but just pointing out what you are up against. I think you are going to be scratching to find someone in northern Wisconsin or Minnesota that is willing to spend $8,500 on that old of a machine without a backhoe on it. The fact that you spent $3500 for a new engine doesn't mean much to most folks looking at a machine that old. If a machine runs decent they are satisfied. A machine like yours is only going to be sought after by hobbyists doing low hour per year work. Most people will see it as a $8500 machine needing work. Brakes and hoses. You are in a difficult manufacturing time frame as it is to old for contractors and to new for collectors. Good Luck.
Bummer! That's not what I wanted to hear. But thanks for the input. I've seen some with a hoe for 12k ish so I figured mnie with the 3pt hitch and PTO it would be worth at least 8. I would sure think someone would pay more for a 580 with a fresh engine vs a tired motor that might **** the bed at any time. Ha. The hydraulics up front are solid tho, so it's plenty workable.
You may list it as a loader/landscaper also. Does it have a PTO, that is the other selling option that people look for the most on a machine with the hyd three point hitch. You may want to look for a 35 hoe to go on it and find a buyer for the 3 point hook up. People that do site work (slabs)(grading) and landscaping contractors that need a good heavy duty machine, with a heavy duty front axle, and industrial strength loader not like a farm mount loaders found on agg tractors. You will need to be creative to get your return back unless you find a person that wants it. Other option is to remove the 3 point and install a weight block, list it as a skip loader, then find a buyer for the 3 point. That 3 point would make a person that has a B/C/d/E backhoe a nice attachment, even better on a D/E that's a 4 wheel drive machine. Just thinking !
Thanks Sheepfoot! Good suggestions. I appreciate it! It does have the PTO yes. Although the valve to shut it off is missing. It just spins when the machine is on. I take it that's not normal? ?
Does your machine still have the tachometer for the pto to tell the rpm of the pto? Does it still read the rpm's. You are correct that it's not normal to not be able to cut it off and on.
It's got a Motorola tachometer but it isn't reading, no.
I read about people actually selling something on Craigslist, but from my experience, if you list it at about half of what it's worth, then it'll sell. It's bargain hunters only on CL. If they can't steal it, they don't want it. I think it's mainly people buying it cheap and then relisting that buys. And they have a deal that sells stuff; financing! Back before CL, it was end users that where buying, now with nobody having money, it's the Buy Here, Pay Here, retail operation. I'd do some research and find out what similar machines are selling for and then try one of the Equipment catalogues.
Thanks for the input guys. I guess I just put a little too much money into this machine. I wouldn't be looking at selling it, but the funding fell thru that we were counting on to buy a truck and trailer to haul the 580. It's plenty fun to play with, I just can't haul it anywhere to earn money with it as planned. Oh well.
How far were you planning on hauling it to work it. They roll right along. Stick a slow moving sign and a couple of flashers for a bit more safety and drive it. The State Highway Dept. here think nothing of driving them 20 miles to do patching.