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Top tips for investing in your first Vintage Tractor
Because you are reading this article, then vintage tractors are clearly of interest to you. Collecting, reconditioning and maintaining vintage tractors from from years ago has become very popular over the last few years. There are lots of reasons for this; firstly they are relatively cheap to buy, and look after and sometimes they cost less than the road tax on a new tractor. Also, they can still be used to do work around the farm. They also less compliacted than new tractors and much easier to maintain. Each tractor has its own history and can be restored to bring pride and a great deal of enjoyment to the restorer. But how do you know how to avoid the many pit falls when you are buying an antique tractor?
There is a surprising number of machines available in every shape and size imaginable. , your needs have a lot to do with what you should look for. You need to understand your needs then you will have to translate them into a list of requirements that will give you a clear picture of what you are looking for.
Depending on whether you need an vintage tractor for your land or you are going to start restoring for pleasure you will obviously choose different machines. Many people will tell you that some of the most sought after tractors do not make very good work tractors and on the other-side careful refurbishment of an extremely popular tractor could not be worth the effort (not to mention the cost of sourcing spare parts).
The first thing you should do is detailed research when thinking about investing in an antique tractor. Research manuals are available that contain this information giving you nearly a century of specifications and pricing on tractors.
While collectability, hours on the clock, hitch system, etc make up the criteria for choosing what size, type, manufacturer, or model of vintage tractor you want, a more basic list of factors will be used for selecting the exact tractor you will buy. As covered earlier in this article, reconditioning an antique collectable tractor will have a completely different list of criteria.
Tractors Bought for Working
Finding an antique tractor for day to day use is much easier than looking for a collectable tractor, but you must be careful to choose well, as many people who make quick decisions live to regret their purchase and quickly become disillusioned with antique tractors. The first thing you should look at is the layout of your farm, also how hilly is it and what type of farm machinery will you be using. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 1060, a Massey Furguson 65 MK2 because other machines may be too low to the ground and cause damage to your crop. On the other hand if your land is very hilly, you may need to consider something like a Massey-Harris 44 Diesel or a Massey Ferguson 135 . If you are going to use machinery, you should look at the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor you select has the weight and power to do the job. If, for example you will be using a ten foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson Major TVO Thorough research will make sure that you don't fall into these basic traps.
Once you have selected your tractor the first thing which gets your attention should be the mechancis of the tractor not how its looks. Many good day to day tractors haven't seen paint in years and will have been maintained with lots of diferent stuff from around the farm.
Its very important they you test all the basic mechanics of the tractor, so take time to test the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you want to work on it right away, you may not be interested in a complete refurbishment for sometime and need to minimize the number of initial maintenance tasks. Your check list should included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you are not lucky enough to have access to these tools, as many dont then don't panic. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.
However, having said this, you should still be armed with the a basic knowledge on the operation of the tractor you are looking at. You should, at a minimum beg, borrow or steal a copy of the owners manual for the particular model of tractor you are planning to look at so you are familiar with its operation and basic specs and what to look out for.
Here is a basic checklist which you can use with any vintage tractor:
· Does it start easily? - A tractor that starts easily may rule out several items in one shot Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn't start quickly, it still may be a good machine but you will need to spend some money on it . One key thing to watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up prior to your arrival, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..
· Does it run well when hot - Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. When warmed up you should watch out for a number of problems. Plan on spending a half-hour running it. Look for leaks, both oil and antifreeze. Once warmed up, stop it restart it again..
· Are the brakes working well - Although relatively inexpensive to replace, they are inaccessible on many tractors and will involve a lot of effort to replace. You can check the brakes by locking one wheel and cranking the steering to that side. The tractor should spin and the wheel should not rotate, do this for both wheels.
· Does it generate a lot of - Blue smoke spells trouble like rings, pistons, or valve guides. White or black smoke can oftentimes be sorted out with carburetion or ignition changes but still represent work.
· Does the engine make unusual noises - A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would point to very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load conditions. This may be an indication of trouble with the piston, bearings or crankshaft rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.
· How does the oil look - After you have run it for a peroid of time, cut the engine and check the oil for foaming or presence of water. This is a show stopper.
· Is there head leaks - look for signs that liquiids are leaking out the head gasket. If the tractor is covered with grease and dirt, it may hide obvious signs of seepage.
· Is the clutch working well - the clutch is not that expensive to replace but splitting the tractor in half is outside what most people want to do.
· Investigate the Dynamo - There should be a slight charge shown on the ammeter when the engine is turning over and a movement in the charging level when the lights are switched on (this shows that the resistor or regulator switch and cutout is working fine). At normal running speed, no release should be displayed.
· Work the hydraulics - Check the full range of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load sit in the hold situation for a while to be sure that there is no slippage. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is getting insufficient flow of hydraulic fluid. The pump will have experienced excessive wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.
· Look for structural cracks - It takes a bit of time but it is well spent. Look out hairline cracks in all the cast and steel components. While not expensive to repair, it’s just another time consuming job. In addition it means that your tractor can not be used until this problem is fixed..
If your initial examination fails in some of these areas, you may be able to knock down the price (since you discovered the problems). At this time you should decide if you have the time to fix what you found... and pocket the savings. If your tractor needs are time-critical, run a mile from this tractor.
The best option for investing a day to day tractor is either to purchase one that is currently being used (but the owner needs to upgrade) or from a known dealer. The first category is normally someone just like you who needs a tractor for day to day work. These transactions are normally enjoyable and can even spark a long term friendship that goes beyond the buyer/seller relationship. This type of person will in all likelihood even let you use the machine with on your farm and tell you all those things they would repair if they were keeping the antique tractor.
Purchasing from dealers can also be positive but even at a dealer you should be equipped with your rating criteria rather than relying on "the warranty". Even if your dealer includes warranties, hauling a tractor back for even free maintenance will cist you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit and may not have your best intrests at heart. So buyer beware!
While some of the above experiences may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research and understand the specific issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you invest.
Because you are reading this article, then vintage tractors are clearly of interest to you. Collecting, reconditioning and maintaining vintage tractors from from years ago has become very popular over the last few years. There are lots of reasons for this; firstly they are relatively cheap to buy, and look after and sometimes they cost less than the road tax on a new tractor. Also, they can still be used to do work around the farm. They also less compliacted than new tractors and much easier to maintain. Each tractor has its own history and can be restored to bring pride and a great deal of enjoyment to the restorer. But how do you know how to avoid the many pit falls when you are buying an antique tractor?
There is a surprising number of machines available in every shape and size imaginable. , your needs have a lot to do with what you should look for. You need to understand your needs then you will have to translate them into a list of requirements that will give you a clear picture of what you are looking for.
Depending on whether you need an vintage tractor for your land or you are going to start restoring for pleasure you will obviously choose different machines. Many people will tell you that some of the most sought after tractors do not make very good work tractors and on the other-side careful refurbishment of an extremely popular tractor could not be worth the effort (not to mention the cost of sourcing spare parts).
The first thing you should do is detailed research when thinking about investing in an antique tractor. Research manuals are available that contain this information giving you nearly a century of specifications and pricing on tractors.
While collectability, hours on the clock, hitch system, etc make up the criteria for choosing what size, type, manufacturer, or model of vintage tractor you want, a more basic list of factors will be used for selecting the exact tractor you will buy. As covered earlier in this article, reconditioning an antique collectable tractor will have a completely different list of criteria.
Tractors Bought for Working
Finding an antique tractor for day to day use is much easier than looking for a collectable tractor, but you must be careful to choose well, as many people who make quick decisions live to regret their purchase and quickly become disillusioned with antique tractors. The first thing you should look at is the layout of your farm, also how hilly is it and what type of farm machinery will you be using. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 1060, a Massey Furguson 65 MK2 because other machines may be too low to the ground and cause damage to your crop. On the other hand if your land is very hilly, you may need to consider something like a Massey-Harris 44 Diesel or a Massey Ferguson 135 . If you are going to use machinery, you should look at the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor you select has the weight and power to do the job. If, for example you will be using a ten foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson Major TVO Thorough research will make sure that you don't fall into these basic traps.
Once you have selected your tractor the first thing which gets your attention should be the mechancis of the tractor not how its looks. Many good day to day tractors haven't seen paint in years and will have been maintained with lots of diferent stuff from around the farm.
Its very important they you test all the basic mechanics of the tractor, so take time to test the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you want to work on it right away, you may not be interested in a complete refurbishment for sometime and need to minimize the number of initial maintenance tasks. Your check list should included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you are not lucky enough to have access to these tools, as many dont then don't panic. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.
However, having said this, you should still be armed with the a basic knowledge on the operation of the tractor you are looking at. You should, at a minimum beg, borrow or steal a copy of the owners manual for the particular model of tractor you are planning to look at so you are familiar with its operation and basic specs and what to look out for.
Here is a basic checklist which you can use with any vintage tractor:
· Does it start easily? - A tractor that starts easily may rule out several items in one shot Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn't start quickly, it still may be a good machine but you will need to spend some money on it . One key thing to watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up prior to your arrival, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..
· Does it run well when hot - Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. When warmed up you should watch out for a number of problems. Plan on spending a half-hour running it. Look for leaks, both oil and antifreeze. Once warmed up, stop it restart it again..
· Are the brakes working well - Although relatively inexpensive to replace, they are inaccessible on many tractors and will involve a lot of effort to replace. You can check the brakes by locking one wheel and cranking the steering to that side. The tractor should spin and the wheel should not rotate, do this for both wheels.
· Does it generate a lot of - Blue smoke spells trouble like rings, pistons, or valve guides. White or black smoke can oftentimes be sorted out with carburetion or ignition changes but still represent work.
· Does the engine make unusual noises - A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would point to very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load conditions. This may be an indication of trouble with the piston, bearings or crankshaft rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.
· How does the oil look - After you have run it for a peroid of time, cut the engine and check the oil for foaming or presence of water. This is a show stopper.
· Is there head leaks - look for signs that liquiids are leaking out the head gasket. If the tractor is covered with grease and dirt, it may hide obvious signs of seepage.
· Is the clutch working well - the clutch is not that expensive to replace but splitting the tractor in half is outside what most people want to do.
· Investigate the Dynamo - There should be a slight charge shown on the ammeter when the engine is turning over and a movement in the charging level when the lights are switched on (this shows that the resistor or regulator switch and cutout is working fine). At normal running speed, no release should be displayed.
· Work the hydraulics - Check the full range of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load sit in the hold situation for a while to be sure that there is no slippage. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is getting insufficient flow of hydraulic fluid. The pump will have experienced excessive wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.
· Look for structural cracks - It takes a bit of time but it is well spent. Look out hairline cracks in all the cast and steel components. While not expensive to repair, it’s just another time consuming job. In addition it means that your tractor can not be used until this problem is fixed..
If your initial examination fails in some of these areas, you may be able to knock down the price (since you discovered the problems). At this time you should decide if you have the time to fix what you found... and pocket the savings. If your tractor needs are time-critical, run a mile from this tractor.
The best option for investing a day to day tractor is either to purchase one that is currently being used (but the owner needs to upgrade) or from a known dealer. The first category is normally someone just like you who needs a tractor for day to day work. These transactions are normally enjoyable and can even spark a long term friendship that goes beyond the buyer/seller relationship. This type of person will in all likelihood even let you use the machine with on your farm and tell you all those things they would repair if they were keeping the antique tractor.
Purchasing from dealers can also be positive but even at a dealer you should be equipped with your rating criteria rather than relying on "the warranty". Even if your dealer includes warranties, hauling a tractor back for even free maintenance will cist you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit and may not have your best intrests at heart. So buyer beware!
While some of the above experiences may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research and understand the specific issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you invest.
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