[AT] When did you start collecting old tractors?

Will Powell william.neff.powell at comcast.net
Fri Dec 11 10:33:37 PST 2009


I live in Southeast PA. 

About 30 years ago my father and I bought our first tractor to maintain some family property in upstate NY, it was an 8n. It was at a used tractor dealer in upstate NY. It was between the 8n and a 6 cylinder Oliver... The mechanic whispered in my fathers ear "Buy the Oliver"..... My father wanted the 8n because of the 3pt hitch.... So he bought the 8n... Boy, was that 8n worn out, should have listened to the mechanic.... 

My father had farmed every summer on his Aunts Farm with an AC WC and a C and was partial to AC... One day we read about a WD in the Lancaster farmer, we bought it and trucked it up to NY. 

Then, about 14 years ago we decided to restore a tractor and bought a frozen C, boy, did we get taken, but we did have some fun restoring it. http://williampowell.net/Frames/hd6gframe/hd6gframe.htm 

The 2cd WD came with the front end trip loader we wanted... http://williampowell.net/Frames/hd6gframe/hd6gframe.htm 

Then my father wanted a D17 and he purchased a 1957. Before we could truck it up to NY he found a series IV D17 that was super nice, so I bought the older D17 from him... http://williampowell.net/pages/D17_page/d17page.htm 

Found an AC G locally and bought that, sandblasted it, rebuilt the motor, just can't get around to painting the finish coat..... http://williampowell.net/Frames/hd6gframe/hd6gframe.htm 

Then we saw a WC an traded some lawn tractors along with some cash. Not a very useful tractor, just for pulling trailers... We had visions of setting it up for tractor pulls... It was nicely painted, seller even put bondo over the cracked block so we could not see it! 

My father found an old D25U in upstate NY and purchased that. We replaced the tracks and a bunch of other maintenance was needed on that one... http://williampowell.net/pages/Catd2.htm 

To help build my barn I purchased an HD6G from a farmer, boy was it abused.... http://williampowell.net/Frames/hd6gframe/hd6gframe.htm 

My father then found an old JD backhoe in upstate NY and had to have it... 

My last purchase was an AC CA, engine totally shot, $400. I think this will be my last tractor. http://williampowell.net/pages/acca.htm 

My father is in his mid 70's and I think he is losing his motivation for maintaining the NY tractors... I have the AC C, CA, G, WD, D17 and HD6G. He has the D2, WD, D17 IV, and JD backhoe... Between both of us that's a lot of tractors to maintain... I think we have reached our limit... 

Regards, 

Will Powell 







----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lew Best" <lew at lewslittlefarm.com> 
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com> 
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 9:01:01 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: Re: [AT] When did you start collecting old tractors? 

Well I'm not really a "collector"; mainly a "lover of big toys." Enjoy 
bringing machines back to life that other folks have given up on & they're 
usually more affordable (particularly since I'm retired & fixed income) than 
working stuff. 

I guess I got started back in the late '70's when I bought my first little 
farm after leaving the Navy. First tractor was a JD B; second an A then a 
560 IH diesel. Sold all when I moved back here to town due to my parents' 
failing health. They passed on in '95; I stayed in town until about 5 years 
ago & couldn't take the city's "big brother" attitude anymore so moved here 
to this little farm. 

I have miniature donkeys, a few chickens & rabbits is all. I do try to cut 
& bale enough hay for my little donkeys; have a Ford 4000 3 cyl diesel, old 
JD 214WS baler, NH 57 rake & Vicon cutter. Other toys include a 420 JD 
converted to a forklift, an old IH 14 rake (need 2 or 3 strippers for it), 
AC 5030 (needs flywheel & reassembling), IH 47 baler (also got a 46 for 
parts; hope to make one good one) and a NH skidsteer (in process of 
reassembling) and a Ford 1841 backhoe (mainly needs tlc to make it usable). 

I am not a "show equipment type of guy"; just need affordable working 
equipment. If anyone happens to have the flywheel for the AC (3 cyl diesel; 
some Long tractors were the same) or the strippers for an old IH rake 
(several old IH rakes use the same strippers) please let me know; I sure 
need them. 

Lew Best near Waco, TX 
Please note new email addy 
lew at lewslittlefarm.com 

-----Original Message----- 

When did you start collecting old tractors? 

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