[AJD] too many? what to keep and why?

[Brandon Knapp]

Greg pretty well got it. Think about your goals, what you really want...and 
keep what suits that end goal. It's too easy to give into green fever and 
keep going.

We've got quite a few sentimental tractors around here, so they'll 
stay...Otherwise I need to remind myself to stick to YELLOW Deeres only (my 
personal weakness). I've got the 70D as a "worker" (always wanted a 2cyl 
with three point). I really shouldn't have the 80, but it's so darn cool 
(when I stop tearing it apart) that I don't know if I could let it go 
either.

Brandon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <greg at theoldtractorcompany.com>
To: "Antique John Deere mailing list" 
<antique-johndeere at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: [AJD] too many? what to keep and why?


> Krieg
> Well if you followed my tractor paring odyssey in Green Magazine, the 
> answer to
> what will happen to all the cylinder tractors is...
> they go to Indiana!
>
> Seriously, I kept my grandfather's 1936 A for obvious sentimental reasons, 
> my
> Waterloo Boy and a spoker D as I consider them somewhat of a milestone 
> tractor,
> and an Allis Chalmers airport tug and an Allis U all fuel on round spokes 
> for fun.
>
> It's far too easy to justify keeping nearly everything so, at least for 
> me, you
> have to be brutally honest as to what your ultimate goals are. Namely
> simplification of your life and lowering your inventory.
>
> I think a good starting place would be
> 1)Sentimental- be it a long time family tractor or used it in many parades 
> with
> the kids or daughter used it in her wedding or whatever
> 2)Significant historical value-again, a milestone tractor or maybe the 4th 
> built
> of a model or an ex-highway tractor, whatever
> 3)Realistic, emphasis on realistic, candidate for future restoration 
> efforts,
> recognizing that a goal is to slow down the time and life energy spent in 
> this area.
> 4)Fun-just something you enjoy. Perhaps a vintage crawler that's a kick to 
> drive
> or a tractor that is a perennial crowd pleaser or maybe even a big two 
> cylinder
> diesel simply because you like the way it "hops" when it's running.
> 5)Investment-maybe the one really valuable tractor you managed to end up 
> with in
> your collection. Kept for investment purposes.
>
> I think in this way you can shed the common A, B, 50 models etc and end up 
> with a
> core collection that you can concetrate your remaining efforts on.
> I know for me part of this decision was definitely realizing that there 
> was no
> earthly way I would ever even make a dent in restoring 400+ tractors and
> ultimately, I couldn't take them with me!
>
> Good luck Kreig, I know the decision process you're facing
>
> Greg
>
> oh, one more thought. After making the tough calls and weeding out the 
> keepers
> and selling the rest, be sure to take the mindset that you absolutely will 
> NOT
> reenter the collecting phase of this hobby again. You will be beyond that 
> and
> hopefully immune to the "good deals" that are bound to pop up. For me, the 
> only
> way I will buy more tractors is if I can turn them for profit with no 
> effort
> expended or if a HiCrop shows up for little or no money.
>
>
>
>
> NOW!! CHECK YOUR PART #'S AT WWW.JOETRAKTOR.COM!
>
> WE ARE NO LONGER ON THE JOHN DEERE PARTS LOCATOR
>
>
> Greg Stephen
> The Old Tractor Company
> Stephen Equipment Company
> 7460 E Hiway 86
> PO Box 709
> Franktown, CO 80116
>
> 1-231-846-8243  In the excitement of having this wonderful hobby, it was 
> "easy"
>> to always get one more tractor.  With a full shop building and two 
>> tractors outside
>> and too many projects and not enough time in my life, I need to readjust
>> this hobby.
>>
>> So how do you folks decide what to keep and what not to keep?
>>
>> With few youngsters entering the hobby what will eventually happen to all
>> the two cylinders?
>>
>> Kreig
>>
>>
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