Comparing Collecting Prefrences

Some tractor collectors like their tractors perfectly restored, and shinier than they ever were new. Meanwhile others are happy with a simple repaint or a tractor in its work clothes, perfection is not required. There are also those who prefer their tractors to be clean and as factory original as possible.

I would like to make a comparison of opinions, so I have a question.

What do you prefer for collecting, originals, working tractors or full restorations and why?

For collecting, I prefer nice clean original tractors that still have nice factory paint and decals. The more original and proper the tractor, the better I like it. However, that does not necessarily mean I look for low hours. Five or 5000 hrs, it doesn’t matter; I worry primarily about the cosmetics because most of them will see very limited use, and I can repair most mechanical issues. Of course, I collect tractors primarily from the ‘60s, so this is easier for me than it is for those who collect older vintages. I will make an exception for something that’s exceptionally rare or desirable. Also, I don’t expect a nice original to be perfect, and the older it is the more flaws I will accept and still consider it to be a nice original tractor. I feel a tractor is only original once, but you can restore one many times, so original is always better to me.

Nancy and I started out with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hE0aYK64LI">"Old John"</a> her 48A that belonged to her father.

It is a working tractor that was "spruced up" back in 1994.

As some of us have figured out, one tractor leads to another.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/John%20Deere%20Equipment/All%20Tractors/?action=view&current=IMG_0071.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>

We now have several working tractors in various stages of mechanical repair and cosmetic appearance.

All of our tractors are working tractors that we use for different jobs on our farm.

I grew up farming with my father and all we had were pre-1960 JD and IH tractors and equip., with a 2N thrown in for good measure!
We stopped collecting (18) when we ran out of room to store them. Dad always followed 3 rules when buying .
1 - Tractor must be mechanically sound
2 - Tin shouldn't have any rusted out areas
3 - Paint it like original, keep it clean.
He is finally restoring the family 46 JD "A", and remembers it at age 17 when bought new. It looked good and worked hard
(that one bothers the neighbor who love a mirror shine!)
All of the tractors have their own jobs now and don't get worked like they used to.

Looks like you were going "green" before it became a fad James!
Nice collection!

Although it's very nice to see a perfect restoration, I prefer tractors in their working clothes. We love to plow and use them, and it's hard to worry about scratching them when you have spent the time and money to really fix one up. Bob

I think there are 2 sides to this, you have them in good mechanical condition and as aesthetically correct or pleasing can be, yet they are actively used for work, kind of like Allan in NE, maybe not all of those are done from the ground up, but he sure takes pride in 2 things, mechanical and the cosemetics, all in tune with the the way they came from the factory, though the M ( think's its that one or that model) he has has some nice added features, that may be aftermarket or may not appease a purist, the thing looks great and is a working tractor.

The other side is the ground up, total dis assembly, whereas it's been rebuilt and all components checked/repaired for factory tolerance or condition. When done, correctly painted and finished off, factory or slightly off, is what I would call restored, though some purists may get into the nitty gritty, there is nothing nicer to look at then someones hard work to restore one, even if something is slightly off or different.

I guess the other scenario that appeals to me is the ones you find in good or reasonable condition where you check em over and repair anything that it needs and it's field ready, say something with low to medium original hours, or one with higher hours that has been well taken care of. Whether one of these has new paint or not, being mechanically sound and ready for use like they were built for, nothing wrong with that.

The meticulous restored tractor where as described above has taken place, yet the owner has gone to great length to make it 100% correct, sure has it's place, show or museum etc. though some may still work one in that condition, hard not to appreciate the work that went into it no matter how it is used when done, I think all of the above is good, I just don't like when someone makes something out to be something it is not, just tell em like it is and what has been done or what you may suspect needs repair or attention, so often that is not the case.

Thanks for the compliment on the tractors.

We enjoy using each one them.

As mentioned above, we started with Nancy's 48A.

She named it "Old John" because it was our first.

All of the old tractors I have are users, but if I did have any collector tractors they would be restored right down to the last nit-pickin bolt, and they would have a better than new paint job.

But I don't hold other people to any standards. We're all put together different and the beauty of this hobby, or addiction, is we have the right to do as we darned well please.

A month ago I was lined up in the staging area for a parade and across the parking lot I saw a person I barely knew standing beside a freshly painted tractor. I had some time so I went over there to visit. He was a real nice gentleman, but the tractor looked like it had been painted with a broom, litteraly. The throttle lever had been broken off and welded back on with a chunk of reinforcement on the side, and some other stuff was bent, but he was proud of it. That's all that matters.

To answer you question, most of the old tractors that are collected are made to look decently good from a distance and sound nice but that's about as far as they go.Jim

I demand one thing and one thing only "RELIABILITY". Of course I would prefer a nice clean tractor, but sometimes the budget wont allow that Nuf said CC

I would prefer to have 1 or 2 nicely restored (but not perfect) tractors, in as close to original condition as possible with new paint, tires, etc., and then the remainder of my collection in their work clothes. I can't STAND perfectly restored tractors that spend their lives on the trailer or sitting at shows. I would much rather have a nice, reliable, useable tractor that I'm not afraid to take out and get dirty

I pay little attention to the visually glareing display tractors only a Paint freak could love. My ideal is a 30 year old tractor, running good as it was when earning it"s keep.I prefer AC"s but a good solid Oliver or 50"s style DC Case will get my attention real quick,although a MM "U" or "R" I will take a break to just stand and look at.Got to be in their work clothes. These are all Tractors I grew up with or used when I farmed.What really turns me off in an instant is a tractor with a Chrome Plated Straight Pipe for an exhaust system.That is disgusting. Give me a Wd45 under power plowing sod with a Nelson Muffler glowing red as the sun sets.Man am I a dreamer or what? I"ve worn Oshkosh and Lee or Carhart Bibs all my life so you know where I have been and am coming from now.JH

I like my tractors to look as original as possible with standard or factory optional equipment. I want my paint jobs equal the original or better and I take great pains to have the sheet metal clean and the serious dents taken out, the grill screens in good shape and decent looking if not new rims and correct sized tires. As a final touch I make every effort to have the correct decals properly applied. Super paint jobs without attention to orginality do not impress me even a little bit...more often than not there are glaring errors in the details and that shows the restorer was more interested in glitter than authenticity. Chrome stacks do not make a tractor look better, sound better, or pull better, they remind me of the imitation Rolls-Royce style grills a certain ethnic group of people used to put on their cars.

I like em like Jame's And Allan's.

Good workable good running "barn broke" "Not leaking on floor" With minimal battle scars.

I agree about the chrome stacks. Any one who puts chrome any where close to a tractor hood is not planing on use'n it on a sunny day. I bought a tractor that had auto style fog lights on the front of the hood for head lights, the back part was chrome. First long day use'n it to break the tobacco patch every time I turned with the sun to my back it was like some one was holding a mirror in my eyse. Took two passes for me to take the things off.

Dave

James and Nancy,
First thing I want to say is I love Yall. I have read your posts for some time and communicated with the both of you and perceive that you are really nice people. But there are a few things yall need to consider. One "Hoarding" a form of OCD. Second did you ever think that every tractor you have keeps someone else from having one? I'm thinkin the best therapy would be for me to come over to Tx and haul away some of those tractors. I feel sure it would make you both feel a whole lot better. Just a thought. One other thing somebody needs to cut the grass. Yall have a nice day.
Ron