I think your assessment of the price is right on the nose if the combine and heads are field ready. I would bid them $500 but be prepared to pay up to $1,000.
we had a 1965 55. it was in perfect condition. it was shedded since it came off the lot. it was waxed almost every year. it had a 14 ft header. we sold it last year for $500. it was worth much more. they are very dependable. $500-$1000 is a reasonable price.
I'll have to pass on that one. I already wax two 6600's, a 7720, a 4440, a 4755, and three wheat trucks every year. It may not sound worth it, but it makes a world of difference. We can notice it when it comes time to trade in equipment.
Please don't make fun of people waxing combines. I finally got a 4400 of my very own a couple of years ago. It was a mess when I got it home. It was put in the shed with the reclean all plugged up and coon manure was all over the place. I had to clean the windows to see to drive it home. I was so glad to get it I wanted to sleep in it the first night I had it but the wife wouldn't let me. I'd put alot of work into it and even waxed it. I couldn't beleive how much better it looked. Now comes the scarey part. The first day I combined fescue seed with it, it caught on fire. There was a short in the main wiring harness from the cab to the engine. I was able to save it and was running again in 2 hours after splicing 10 of the 18 wires in that harness. I'm glad I said a prayer that day before I started running.
I wasn't making fun of him just could not believe anyone had that much time. I guess if I had a 16yo kid to do it my stuff would be waxed up nice and pretty too! Those 4400s are famous for burning up. Several BIG fire extinguishers bolted to the side of that thing are a good idea. My 4400 has caught fire five times in the 20 years that we have had it. Twice the alternator has shorted out and I looked over and saw flames coming out of the vents on top of the engine box. One time the air conditioner compressor clutch came apart and started sparking and lit the bean dust in the floor of the engine box on fire. One time the bulb burned out in the warning light for the parking brake, so the warning light was not flashing. Dad had been running the machine, all morning and stopped for lunch. I went back to run it after lunch and did not realize he had put the brake on since it was in a perfectly flat field. I started down the field with it. Then I smelled something burning so I stopped and checked. The brakes had gotten hot enough that dust on the final drives was smoldering The last time was this year while harvesting beans the bearing in A_C clutch that I put on it 10 years ago after the last fire siezed up and set the belt on fire causing a minor conflagration in the engine box. I put all of the fires in short order, before they did any damage with the fire extinguishers I have mounted on the machine.