2025 Build-Off General Discussions

Initiating the 2025 Build-Off Discussion topic as we are now less than a month away from the new year!


The ruleset has become static, as it has undergone only minor modifications over the years. You can access it by clicking the "Build-Off" button located in the top right blue navbar and navigating to the Announcements section, where it is listed as a "Pinned Topic."

I plan on entering "Obsidian" a 1998 Murray Garden Tractor this year.

My biggest obstacle this year may be $$$.  With my company's strikes, furloughs, and layoffs, I've been lucky, but I am not sure where the company stands with raises or profit bonuses this year if any.  My only saving grace has been my division was the only profitable part of the company.

Good luck to all that enter this year!

2024 has been a GREAT YEAR for the build-off!

I suppose I’ll probably have something to throw in. Maybe two things, we’ll see

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

I suppose I’ll probably have something to throw in. Maybe two things, we’ll see

Fantastic! This year, I'll pace myself, so it's not quickly forgotten. LOL

I've got my plan in my head at the moment.  An old Sears with some new parts!!! Or a Wheelhorse.  I've got some options.

@Brianator, any chance the "Silver Bullet" will get a 3rd chance in the B/O.  I was evaluating where you left off and I would consider it still just under 50%.

It's way too soon to know but I have thought about it and I appreciate you considering it, I'd agree it should be under 50% especially right now seeing as how it's in a hundred pieces, don't even have a motor together (also in pieces, 2 of them!) and will also have a bunch of rust to tackle now! Lol. I definitely wouldn't jump the gun and enter it until I feel confident I could complete it. It might even be a better candidate for a regular build so I can take my time to build it the way I have envisioned it even if it takes 2-3 years, I think my eyes are bigger than my plate with this one but perhaps I could cut some corners that I could add later? I'll put more thought into it.

I actually scored a 1972 MTD Eight Hundred mostly for the cutting deck (32" and in excellent shape!) and 8hp B&S with starter generator for my 1967/68 MTD Seven Hundred to bring it back to life and thought that this Eight Hundred is so beat that it would be a great candidate for an offroader, it might be a better possible entry to be honest but again I won't be jumping the gun, life has been happening to me alot for the last couple of years.

Is it too late to enter my Sears Custom? I was just reading the rules for the first time this morning. I hadn't planned on entering but now that I've got a profile on here, I figure why not? I see Jan 1st is the official start date. Am I understanding the rules correctly in that an entry cannot be more than 50% done prior to Jan 1st? I'd say it's conservatively 10-15 % started. I mounted a transmission to the frame and fit the engine to the front. It still needs: Steering, Brakes, Foot boards, tree kickers, front axle (attempted suspension) , seat, gear shift gate, hood mods, engine mods, reinforcement of the frame, belt/ clutch setup, paint, wiring, etc.

I also will be building a Craftsman LT4000, which is my son's, but he will be there helping and doing some of the work. He's going to be 16 tomorrow so maybe he just needs his own profile to enter that?

Either way, I will have a build post on the Sears in the applicable forum section. Ethan took a bunch of photos the other day, so I'll have material to post and describe.

Hearing what you have planned on that tractor, i’d say you’re well below 50%. Mightyraze will have to give the final say on that one though.

Also, i think i was about 13 when i joined this forum. Your boy can certainly join up and have his own buildoff thread.

@TNMTHomestead, @RichieRichOverdrive is right.  You are nowhere near the 50% mark where your last video left off.  Knowing how much you did on your 214, you still have a long way to go.  If you can hold out 2 weeks to continue, I'll have the password posted to start the build-off for next year.

Ethan is more than welcome as is Steffen.  Our rule for "CYA" is the basic 13 years old to join.  (I might go couple years earlier if there is adult member supervision) If you don't put in a birthday, I can't really tell.  (Happy birthdays.)
 


Hope that is what you want to hear!  That custom is going to be insane!

@MightyRaze @RichieRichOverdrive
Thanks gentlemen, I appreciate ya’ll! I will absolutely wait a couple weeks before doing any more work to it.
I need to gather parts and steel and things anyway. I’m excited about this build and I’ve got more ideas for it.
With that, this is my official entry request! Do I need to post a picture of it?

I’ll talk with my wife and make sure she’s ok with the boys having an account but I don’t see a problem with it,

Thanks guys!

Excellent, I have 3-5 people already interested in the '25 B/O.

Me
Tennessee Mountain Homested
Ethan (possible new member)
Redzz02
RichieRichOverdrive
torgo

*giddy voice*  This is going to be EXCITING!

Im gonna build a new rig with rear suspension guaranteed I stole this idea from a Farris mower

Also @MightyRaze I will be now be guaranteed entering the 2025 BO as well!

I don't want to jump the gun as I already stated but I wanted to build that 1972 MTD I showed above into an offroader so I can sell it. I don't want to scrap it and also don't want to sell it for peanuts the way it is so I'm thinking it will be a good canidate as long as I feel I can do it on the cheap so I can at least gey my money back out of it, I do have lots of parts and materials to work with

@Brianator that MTD looks pretty sweet.

Brianator wrote:

I don't want to jump the gun as I already stated but I wanted to build that 1972 MTD I showed above into an offroader so I can sell it. I don't want to scrap it and also don't want to sell it for peanuts the way it is so I'm thinking it will be a good canidate as long as I feel I can do it on the cheap so I can at least gey my money back out of it, I do have lots of parts and materials to work with

Hey i have one of those!


Dont know what i’m gonna do with it yet. I really just wanted it for the peerless 1200.

Love it @RichieRichOverdrive.  

OK guys... how do you guys feel about me throwing the '25 Build-Off Password out there for Christmas!?  You can start then if you like or you can start Jan 1.... heck you can wait till Sept 30.  It's all good.  I know some of you guys may be iching to start your tractor, and some of you may get new toys to play on said tractor.

SO.... I plan on posting the PASSWORD (password is not the password) sometime between 12AM and 11:59PM Central Time on Christmas Day.  Maybe Santa will drop the password off.


 

To show that I'm not naughty, but nice. I will be entering the build-off and I already know the password.
I snapped this picture just a few minutes ago to show that I haven't started yet. Only the hood and grill have been removed. Click the picture to open servimg and wade through all its annoying ads to see the metadata on the image.

Thinking I may throw my hat in the ring if I'm eligible. Gonna be re doing the entire front half of my current offroad, "Saber". Will be gutting the old LT front axle and steering box, and upgrading to a beefy GT front axle, with a rack and pinion, and bigger atv tires, on hubs. Would also be swapping the engine to a freshly rebuilt v twin I have. I do have another hood I'd like to add to it for a different look aswell. Gonna need a new front bumper aswell to clear my new front tires. Im sure there will be some other odds and ends.



How it looked prior to being taken apart. Front axle was really bent and had lots of play from about 50hrs of hard run time. Steering box was soft aswell, damn plastic bits.


How it currently sits, I did pull the engine since this photo

@Brianator and  @RichieRichOverdrive
You think Craftsman Mudder's build meets the 50%?  I think it barely does as it sits.  Thoughts?

I think i agree with you there, it just meets 50% by his description.

That's a tough one, feels a little light but considering it's a pretty reasonable goal I have a feeling @CRAFTSMAN MUDDER will get bored once that stuff is done, won't want to stop there and throw some more tricks at 'er!

I really love the copper paint it looks killer!

CRAFTSMAN MUDDER wrote:

Thinking I may throw my hat in the ring if I'm eligible. Gonna be re doing the entire front half of my current offroad, "Saber". Will be gutting the old LT front axle and steering box, and upgrading to a beefy GT front axle, with a rack and pinion, and bigger atv tires, on hubs. Would also be swapping the engine to a freshly rebuilt v twin I have. I do have another hood I'd like to add to it for a different look aswell. Gonna need a new front bumper aswell to clear my new front tires. Im sure there will be some other odds and ends.



How it looked prior to being taken apart. Front axle was really bent and had lots of play from about 50hrs of hard run time. Steering box was soft aswell, damn plastic bits.


How it currently sits, I did pull the engine since this photo

I'd say enter it when the contest opens and if there are any other plans with it, let us know.  I know personally redoing steering alone can be a chore.

MightyRaze wrote:

SO.... I plan on posting the PASSWORD (password is not the password) sometime between 12AM and 11:59PM Central Time on Christmas Day.  Maybe Santa will drop the password off.


 

Santa said wait till morning (*at earliest).  He is running late to my house.

Sounds good. Ultimately it is up to you guys, but I will probley have lots of other little stuff to upgrade or replace. Thought of adding a winch possibly
@Brianator thanks! I painted it with a HVLP gun, turned out good enough for a offroad mower! Went to a local paint shop, looking for a mix that someone else had mixed up, but never picked up (mainly cause it would be much cheaper) and came up with this. It's a ford ranger color, called "Saber"