antique restoration may be a dieing hobby

[Soundguy]

I've been thinking about antique restoration.. and am a bit worried about it's continued survival inthe tractor market.

The tractors from the late 1800's thru the 1980' were all pretty much metal and wear items. Move a few years ahead.. and you are seeing tractors now that are nothing but a chassie... 6 miles of wire and electrical gizmos that won't be available in 60 ys.. and plastic and fiberglass.

When i restored my 46' ford 2n.. every part was available in repro.. or from a salvage yard. Jump ahead to 2070.. is someone gonna be able to zip down to CNH in their rocket car and pick up a part for their 2007 TC 33 ???

Not like you could hit a junk yard and find a 61 year old fiberglass hood???

Nor do i think that today's current crop of tractors will be made to last the 30-50-70 + years that the previous era's machines have lasted.

lets face it.. 1600$ worth of consumables and replaceable wear items + an old ford tractor and you have a tractor that will run another 50-60 years...
I don't anticipate that type of scenerio with any of todays machines being produced. Seems more like planned obsolesence is in full swing as soon as they roll out the door....


Soundguy

 

[scott_vt]

I've been thinking about antique restoration.. and am a bit worried about it's continued survival inthe tractor market.

The tractors from the late 1800's thru the 1980' were all pretty much metal and wear items. Move a few years ahead.. and you are seeing tractors now that are nothing but a chassie... 6 miles of wire and electrical gizmos that won't be available in 60 ys.. and plastic and fiberglass.


Soundguy

Mornin Chris,
I had often thought about the same thing as yourself ! I honestly cant see someone in 2060 or 2070 restoring a tractor made today ! I think the only thing that may happen on a very limited basis is the type of stuff we are actively doing today ! Possibly a restore of a restore !

I dont think your going to find someone willing to repair fiberglass parts and try and find replaceable electrical components for those obsolete machines.
First of all they dont have the character of the old machines of yesteryear IMO !

Another point to look at is how much available land will be out there 70 years from now ? Im not sure I want to be around to see what happens at that juncture in time personally. But Im old fashioned to begin with !

 

[RobS]

I've had similar thoughts on "first cars" as my boys approach that age. My first car was easy enough to maintain with plugs, points condenser, filters and a few turns of the ole' carburetor screws. When it didn't run well, at least I could always get it to run and the diagnostic tools were a timing light and vacuum gage.

Skip to today and what's available to a high school kid? Even the most basic, five year old cars are fully computerized and need an arsenal of high-tech diagnostics tools to troubleshoot. Granted, they are probably more reliable these days but when they do die it's not usually something a shadetree wannabee can quickly fix.

Of course, as I tour the school parking lot these days, I don't see many cars equivalent to the junkers I tinkered with. Kids must have a lot more money these days than I had in my day!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Here of late, I've found myself drawn to a couple publications on tractor restoration (along with coverage of world match plowing competition) that are printed in England. Over there, tractors from the 60's, 70's and 80's are a hot commodity for rebuilders and restorers. My personal favorites, 2nd generation Fergusons, 1st and 2nd generation Massey Ferguson's and 1000 series Fords are some of the most popular amongst British collectors.

Here in the U.S., those year models are still for the most part, out in the field as daily workers, with a few exceptions. Look for those tractors from a somewhat simpler era to become the next wave of collectors tractors here too. I doubt todays "cookie cutter" models will ever be sought after collectors editions either. For one thing, most of the collectors rigs from the first half of the 20th century were FARM tractors, and MOST of the real die-hard collectors grew up on them, plowing dads 40 acres. The bulk of todays farm tractors are far too big and far too expensive and cumbersome to be a hobby toy that collectors haul from show to show, or even stay at home-mow the lawn-push some snow play toys. The current crop of compacts won't have that same nostalgic "the tractor I grew up on" flavor in all likelyhood.

A great many tractors from the 20's 30's 40's and 50's were restored already, years ago. Many of them are seeing round 2 of restoration now. They SHOULD become more valuable as time marches on. They were products of the golden age of agriculture in this country.

Look back through the years and you'll see farm tractors from 50 years ago that are still family heirlooms. Todays disposable society gets tired of their 2006 "Super Traction Electronic Carbon Fiber Techno-Wonder Tractor" and has to have the latest, greatest new technological wonderdog tractor as soon as it hits the dealer showroom. No loyalty to last years new plowhorse. I just don't see that many folks interested in preserving what we have today.

The same story applies to automobiles for the most part. Not many "classics" from the late 80's or 90's and there probably won't be. That just isn't the "golden age" of automobiles.

 

[slowrev]

I agree Soundguy.
where will you find the computer module for a 50 YR old tractor. I am having trouble finding electronics parts for stuff under 20 yrs old....

 

[RollingsFarms]

i'm strongly considering keeping my '78 JD when i get a new tractor, just incase the new one breaks down, ill have "ol' reliable" as a backup!

 

[ultrarunner]

It is getting harder and harder for me to restore equipment in California. One of my biggest problem is that I am no longer allowed to buy Lacquer and Enamel Paints... just a sign of the times I guess.

 

[scott_vt]

One of my biggest problem is that I am no longer allowed to buy Lacquer and Enamel Paints... just a sign of the times I guess.

Mornin Ultrarunner,
If you cant buy lacquer or enamel paints, what kind of paint can you buy ??? If you cant buy those Im sure they wouldnt sell you anything with isocyanate in it ?

 

[flusher]

Here of late, I've found myself drawn to a couple publications on tractor restoration (along with coverage of world match plowing competition) that are printed in England. Over there, tractors from the 60's, 70's and 80's are a hot commodity for rebuilders and restorers. My personal favorites, 2nd generation Fergusons, 1st and 2nd generation Massey Ferguson's and 1000 series Fords are some of the most popular amongst British collectors.

Here in the U.S., those year models are still for the most part, out in the field as daily workers, with a few exceptions. Look for those tractors from a somewhat simpler era to become the next wave of collectors tractors here too. I doubt todays "cookie cutter" models will ever be sought after collectors editions either. For one thing, most of the collectors rigs from the first half of the 20th century were FARM tractors, and MOST of the real die-hard collectors grew up on them, plowing dads 40 acres. The bulk of todays farm tractors are far too big and far too expensive and cumbersome to be a hobby toy that collectors haul from show to show, or even stay at home-mow the lawn-push some snow play toys. The current crop of compacts won't have that same nostalgic "the tractor I grew up on" flavor in all likelyhood.

A great many tractors from the 20's 30's 40's and 50's were restored already, years ago. Many of them are seeing round 2 of restoration now. They SHOULD become more valuable as time marches on. They were products of the golden age of agriculture in this country.

Look back through the years and you'll see farm tractors from 50 years ago that are still family heirlooms. Todays disposable society gets tired of their 2006 "Super Traction Electronic Carbon Fiber Techno-Wonder Tractor" and has to have the latest, greatest new technological wonderdog tractor as soon as it hits the dealer showroom. No loyalty to last years new plowhorse. I just don't see that many folks interested in preserving what we have today.

The same story applies to automobiles for the most part. Not many "classics" from the late 80's or 90's and there probably won't be. That just isn't the "golden age" of automobiles.

Last Sat there was an estate auction in Galt CA. Ed Huisman of Huisman Auctions passed away last Dec and his collection of vintage tractors was auctioned off. I missed that event since I was in Oklahoma visiting the grandkids.

There were 120 vintage tractors, 50 one-cylinder engines and more than 100 toy tractors auctioned.

See huismanauctions.com for details.

 

[flusher]

Last Sat there was an estate auction in Galt CA. Ed Huisman of Huisman Auctions passed away last Dec and his collection of vintage tractors was auctioned off. I missed that event since I was in Oklahoma visiting the grandkids.

There were 120 vintage tractors, 50 one-cylinder engines and more than 100 toy tractors auctioned.

See huismanauctions.com for details.

Here's a better link to that auction.

Huisman Auctions - Leaders in the Auction Field