JD 450C

[AndyVT]

 A good friend is selling this dozer. He wants $20k. Hours unknown but condition is excellent for the year.
All of the problem areas associated with these machines have either never been a problem or have been remedied.
It has wet steering clutches, undercarriage is practically new, factory winch w/arch, canopy and limb risers.
I have owned a few JD's over the years: 420. 1010, 450B so I am pretty familiar with them.
I know smaller crawlers are hard to find and the price of everything is way up but just wanted some feedback from the forum crew.

[mike_belben]

$20k is the new $10k.  The question is does it stay that way, go up or go down.  

Hard to say without a crystal ball.  

How bad do you need it, how soon do you need it?

[tacks Y]

Thinking a late 70s? 20k would be on the high end around here but with a good bottom might be worth a look.

[AndyVT]

I was a little disconcerted when he mentioned the price. 
I had $10k in my mind when I went to visit him and see the machine. 

[mike_belben]

Youre 3-5 years too late for that.  Now the UC parts are 10k and labor is 2 or 4.


With high inflation the best time to spend is in the past.  Once in the thick of inflation its tough to know whether it will persist for 10 more years or crash in 1.  I see it in land sale price records all the time. A 40 yr span often looks like this:

15k
65k
140k
35k
60k

Its all speculation. Youve got to decide what its worth to you. There are no nice $10k ready to work dozers right now.  The winches are $7500.  Future is anyones guess.  I say sharp trend reversal by summer but could be wrong.

[Log-it-up]

The price is in the eye of the beholder I think it might be a little steep in todays market but knowing recent history and back history of the machine is worth something and assuming you know how it was run and treated when it was being worked is good knowledge too 

[Firewoodjoe]

I give up on my dozer search. And I don't believe things will get cheap again. First is everything else would have to drop. Like the parts tires and new equipment prices. Second that old stuff just isn't around anymore. Around here it's been scrapped that was prolly our biggest effect on classic cars and trucks. Now it's equipment. That 20,000 may go down to 15,000 but not 10,000 ever again. Heck it may go up. That old mechanical machine will still be around for many years to come. A working utv cost 10 grand! Let alone iron that could make or save a guy money rather than just cost for a hobby. Time will tell but I've sold almost all my not needed stuff for a good profit🤷‍♂️

[snowstorm]

price is to high. i can find ya one cheaper than that

[AndyVT]

price is to high. i can find ya one cheaper than that

If you can find one similarly maintained let me know.

[AndyVT]

Update: I went over to his place today and offered to buy it...he is ok with it but wants to run it past his father anyway just to get his feedback.
I hope to have pics soon

[beenthere]

Talking about your $10k offer ?

Or his $20k asking price?

[AndyVT]

Talking about your $10k offer ?

Or his $20k asking price?

$10k was a pie in the sky. 
I did not even make an offer as they know they could sell it in a minute to the next guy who showed up

[moodnacreek]

To bad the hours are not known. An old good running crawler with a recent bottom represents some money spent that is hard for the seller to get back. Final drives; axels, bearings pounded into the housings could be right around the corner but it cost money to operate one way or the other especially crawler tractors. I would say buy it if you need it as there is no easy way.

[OldTimbercutter]

They are good dozers. I bought a 450c in 96. Put a deere winch and arch on it. And ran it for 25 years . Logged lots of timber and built many a road. Only maintenance,  a head gasket, radiator leaks, stripped shaft for hydraulic pump. One set of sprockets and chain. Motor finally quit.  And she is pretty wore all over . But has been the best piece of equipment I have owned .Its parked in the boneyard, replaced it with an 850c case.