Lake City FL, Hawthorne Tractor

[Recovry4x4]

Heres the place I got my wrecker. Click on the link for a few pics.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v460/Recovry4x4/
Click on the Henry Hawthorn album.

 

[Desert Rat]

Does he have any other pieces for sale Kenny? I'm looking at the 4X4 forklifts and drooling!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Everything is for sale. Theres another 20 acres or so out back that I didn't have time to see. They don't do the internet but doo answer the phone.

 

[Desert Rat]

Doo? PM me the number!

 

[Wyattearp]

Uh oh Kenny, i think you just got DR back on his fix LOL... ..... But thats okay.. shhhh im hooked to..

 

[hndrsonj]

We just drove by a week ago. It was impressive. They look to be getting rid of most of the stuff in the back several acres (dumpsters everywhere). We passed on a sunday and they were closed. Plan on heading back to orlando in october and will try to plan a stop. they had stuff from WW2 and up. The sheetmetal seemed to have alot of rust (looking through the fence). Probably could spend days searching though.

 

[hndrsonj]

Finally make it back during the week. They have a ton of stuff but it's very expensive. The stuff I asked about: dropside tail gate-250$, engine in can 3400$, Gamma goat 15,000$!

 

[clinto]

dropside tail gate-250$, engine in can 3400$, Gamma goat 15,000$!

You should have told them you wanted to know his asking price, not what the gummint originally paid.....

 

[M35lover]

Do you think you could pm me with information on these:


whether they are in running/moving condition and prices? PM me with details

 

[mangus580]

M35lover, could you please size those images down, and/or post them using the attachment feature?

 

[Mark_Ellis]

Just thought I would offer my experiences with Mr. Hawthorne. I got a few parts from down there, I found him to be somewhat difficult to deal with. He wouldn't quote a price on the phone for parts, he said it depended on the condition when the parts were removed from salvage trucks. He said he would have parts ready when I came through on travel and he didn't. He did that on two different occasions to me and I ended up getting the parts but with much delay and agravation. Both on the return leg of my trips... when I was pushed for time but in both instances I had to actually go out with them to get it off the salvage trucks and paid NOS prices for rusty very well used parts. Changed my travel plans both time because of this...... His son is a great guy, dad was hard to deal with.

FWIW
Mark

 

[hndrsonj]

I was not sure who the younger guy was. You are correct, the son was very knowledgeable and fair minded; however the dad followed us in a kawasaki mule around the yard and kept raising the prices at every chance he could. I believe the son knew the prices were way too high but there was nothing he could do about them. We arrived in the back lot and the son quoted 200$ for the tail gate, the father showed up a minute later and said it was in too good of shape and they needed $250 for it. Then he said the chains are not included. The son told him "dad they are welded to the tail gate", and the father relented that they could be sold with it finally. (however, still too expensive)

 

[Mark_Ellis]

It was a frustrating experience to see all the parts etc. that was laying around in the backs of trucks or just laying around.... good stuff that had just been let lay in the rain and rot. Just sorta sickening, but it is his stuff. I guess there is a reason why the elder still has all that stuff.... is cause he is just so hard to deal with. I know people buy from him but after my experiences.... all I can say is I am not kissing anyones butt for parts. Customer Service is a word that would not be in his vocabulary. The last time I was there was when I got the spare tire holder and the son couldn't give me a price till his dad got home... mind you this is like a 35-37 yr old son. I had already talked to the elder on the phone at least four times before I got there... and it wasn't pulled from a salvage truck so the son and I went and got one. I should have gotten a repro from Toim at Snakeriver 4x4 but I don't think he had them in production then and I was anxious to get something to mount my spare on. While we waited for the price on the spare holder the son and I talked and he seemed like a great guy but I guess pretty much has his hands tied. It has been a year or two since I was there and the elder wasn't getting around too well then. I hate to say it but it seems he will keep most what he has till he can't manage it.... I think his son will be a real fair person to deal with .... when it is his time to do so.
One thing that made me just at least temporarily give up on trying to deal with him was I needed a drivers front fender and asked him what one might be worth... he never would answer with a price, and I knew the hot place I went through to get the canvas frame and a spare holder so I didn't relish jumping into another transaction with him. He did tell me that he already had a set of fenders removed....... we rode his cart to them and the only way I could convince him that the fenders were not for a M37 (was for a WC or something) was to hold it up beside a M37 parked nearby and he begrudgingly said.... well may have been an earlier model....lol I just said yeah... I guess. I wasn't up for the game of trying to get a fender out of him..... I got one later from another source at I am sure a much better price.
There will be some good deals come out of that yard one day.

JMO
Mark

 

[Recovry4x4]

I dealt with Mike (the son) when I bought the M108. He had to consult several times with the elder but we finally struck a deal. They were asking $4800 for the truck and I was going to pay that if I had to. Ended up getting it for $4300 but since they are a dealer I had to pay tax and they took care of the title work. On a side note I tried to discuss price several times on the phone and they just said "Bring enough to buy it." It's a 6 hr ride in a deuce and I was getting close in time and called them to say I might be 10 minutes late. They said they close at 5PM and thats it. Well I made it, closed the deal and Mike even stayed 45 minutes late helping me rig the truck for the ride home. All in all I'd say difficult a bit but I got what I wanted at what I consider a fair price. I doubt that I have $5000 in the thing now thanks to bartering. Multifuel M108 in working condition isn't that plentiful.

 

[Mark_Ellis]

Kenneth,
I think it was great that you were able to get your truck from him. I would love to see that whole yard get sold to keep those trucks from just wasting away. I saw a considerable number of complete trucks that looked like you could get them running in a day or two with minimal work. I hate to see them rotting in the Fla rain. When I was there that last time, I sat and talked a long time with Mike then later to his dad and I think Mike had mentioned to his dad that I was gettin jerked around for the second time by having to go pull a part and having to wait on the price and all that. We talked a good while and it made me late but I had hoped it may help in future transactions.... They were interested about my travels in the military and such. His dad took me on a ride out back to show me some of his stuff....., he usually won't take anyone back there. Not sure if he still does but at that point he had a Texas long horn bull in a back lot more or less guarding a whole bunch of 715's and 37's and deuces that he had gotten at some auction... they were real nice and most had fiberglass tops and such and looked like they had recently been in service. I would think most are still sitting right where they had parked them then.
I wish business trips still took me through that area but I haven't been in some time, a patient man may have his day there eventually.

FWIW
Mark