[AT] Observation

[John Hall]

If the paint job cost a fortune, normally new tires go along with it around 
here. Can't say I disagree. To me, great paint + bad tires= bad restoration. 
New tires on a not so perfect cosmetic restoration just make it look field 
ready and respectable.

As for me, I'll stick with full steel when possible.

John Hall

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Francis Robinson" <robinson at svs.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 9:53 AM
Subject: [AT] Observation


>    We were at the Conner Prairie living history museum Country Fair event
> last weekend. It has become our most important event of the year for
> demonstrations / educational displays. The tractor show part of it is a
> fairly small show but it has a totally different flavor to it than any 
> other
> show. The crowd is largely families with lots of very interested kids, all
> anxious to be involved. We were crowded for time this year but we did have
> Son Scott's MM sheller there powered by My MM-R. We also had my Allis C
> running my old buzz saw with a long flat-belt. We still had our old hand
> sheller mounted on a box where we allowed kids to shell an ear and then 
> take
> the cob with them. I'm always amazed at how excited those kids get about
> getting to keep the cob. There is always a few international tourist there
> and many of them (adults) also shell an ear and keep the cob.   :-)   Last
> year I had an old swing frame there with two block & tackle setups where
> guest could pull ropes and see the difference in effort required to lift
> identical weights (a couple of big old hog oiler half balls) using first a
> single pulley then a double pulley setup. This year I did the same but 
> made
> two tripod stands using some 3" x 8' saplings for a more rustic look. I 
> also
> had two levers with identical barbell weights but with the weights 
> suspended
> at different points on the lever so they could lift first one then the 
> other
> to feel the difference. Next to that I had my #$%& CUB sitting with a 
> large
> heavy jack stand a few inches behind the right side of the drawbar and a
> large pry bar sitting in its saddle where you could easily lift the back 
> of
> the tractor with one hand using easy pressure. On the other side of the
> drawbar I had one of my loading ramps sitting with the upper end resting 
> on
> the drawbar where I could easily roll a heavy cast iron wheel from an old
> horse drawn sickle bar mower up the ramp to show how a load that was very
> heavy to lift could be raised easily by using the ramp (inclined plane). I
> also had a bunch of misc. "old stuff" around to look at. It all went over
> quite well.
>    I guess one reason I love this event is that most of the crowd is not
> farm savvy and is extremely hungry for information as opposed to the usual
> collection of old farts that want to play correct police or just want to
> walk around knocking everything they see. Just a whole different 
> attitude...
> I always like to look at old tractors with ATIS folks since they have a 
> good
> attitude about showing, being very tolerant of different folks approach to
> shows. The museum folks are really a great bunch and treat us very nice.
> They set up tents with tables and chairs for folks to gather and sit and
> talk to help encourage the display folks to stick around rather than just
> park tractors and leave. We also have a great pitch-in dinner on Saturday
> night. All exhibitors are free to visit all parts of the museum both 
> indoors
> and out. There are two reconstructed villages with folks in costume doing
> things, one set in 1836 and the other in 1886 as well as the main museum
> structures.
>
>    Now for the observation... There were maybe 100 tractors there along
> with maybe 25 stationary engines, several Model T's and a very old (teens 
> or
> 20's) Buick and 5 or 6 steam engines. I was very surprised at how many new
> tires were there on tractors. I had noticed that trend at some other shows
> too. Either tractor collectors are getting more wealthy than they were a 
> few
> years ago or more people with money to spend are getting into the hobby. I
> well recall us talking here some years ago about creative patching of
> rotting or damaged old tractor tires on show tractors especially on 
> odd-ball
> sized tires. Bolt in or wired in patches were fairly common just a few 
> years
> ago. I suspect that the new tire rate was close to 90% at this last show.
> Ten years ago on many tractors at shows anything where you could not see 
> the
> air in the tire was OK...   ;-)   After a fair number of years my MM-R is
> still running the "low traction" tires That George Willer gave me that he
> had taken off of his SC Case (Thanks again George).
>
>
> --
> "farmer"
>
> Francis Robinson
> Central Indiana, USA
> robinson at svs.net
>
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