2020 - Volume #44, Issue #5, Page #35
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They Resell Allis Chalmers Parts, Equipment
“My dad farmed with Allis equipment, and so did I,” says Lad Benes. “When I quit farming, I had some older Allis tractors that I planned to restore, but never did. Laddy suggested we part them out instead.”
Still in high school, Laddy turned his role in the business into an FFA project. After attending a few swap meets and tractor shows, the two began expanding their supply, buying parts and equipment.
“People started bringing parts to me at swap meets, and I started getting calls from people,” says Benes. “They or their dad had been Allis Chalmers dealers and had boxes of new parts.”
Today L&L Parts gets most of their supply within a 5-state area surrounding Minnesota. However, they have travelled as far as Texas.
Buyers find out about them at meets and shows or through word of mouth. New customers also arrive via the L&L Parts Facebook page.
“Laddy posts equipment for resale or to be parted out as soon as we get it,” says Benes. “He also uses Craigslist, but Facebook has been an important source of new business as well.”
The Benes concentrate on used OEM parts, avoiding aftermarket parts, with the exception of some suppliers, such as tractor cab parts from Hiniker, Stopler, Year-A-Round and Full Vision. They have started remanufacturing some rare parts. They concentrate on older equipment through the 8000 Series.
“We stick with orange equipment,” says Benes. “We don’t work with the really old equipment that was painted green.”
While most of their parts are for tractors and implements, they do carry some for Gleaner combines and early corn and bean heads. What they have depends on what they have been able to source.
“The most unusual items we’ve sold so far were Allis Chalmers toy chainsaws,” says Benes. “A man had 6 of them he wanted to sell. We bought them and had no problem reselling them.”
While they respond quickly to email and inquiries on Facebook, both Lad and Laddy have off-farm jobs. Phone calls are most likely answered and voice mails responded to after 8 p.m. Central time.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, L&L Parts, 10537 State Hwy. 22, Wells, Minn. 56097 (ph 952 290-1063; llacparts@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/LLParts/).
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