rScotty
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2001
- Messages
- 8,257
- Location
- Rural mountains - Colorado
- Tractor
- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
rScotty,
Good post and right on the mark. The old iron never did have an issue with pulling or brute strength. Most were made to last almost indefinately it seems, so there are quite a few to choose from too. Lots of small farms were powered by these tractors and made the difference in food production for many years after the soldiers returned from WW2. The tractors for the most part were much better made than the automobiles of that era imo.
Thank you for the backup. That old iron is so plentiful, so easily fixable, and such a good deal right now that it is hard to imagine that there will ever come a day when it isn't just sitting there waiting to be picked up.....but of course that day will inevitably come. Already we've seen it happen with some of the more popular makes. Have you priced a nice old Ford, Farmall, or JD3020 lately? They are still a great bargain for the price, but that price has gone up. I'd say that John Deere with their dealership support of their own old machinery is the best of the old tractors, but parts and support for all the makes is surprisingly available.
Just for simplicity, I do prefer to go with older gasoline tractors rather than diesel. And I prefer not to go any older than the 1960's as before that there is a antique premium on some older types. Plus it wasn't until about then that tractors began to come standard with things like power steering, a universal 3pt hitch, wet brakes, high pressure hydraulics, updated cooling, live independent PTO, modern 12 volt electrics...on and on... Actually, other than the new HST transmission, not much has changed in tractors for about 50 years now.
rScotty