Is there a most "desirable/collectable" for restoration?

[Skerby]

If I were to look for some old iron for pulling on hay wagon rides/show etc, just for nostalgia, and long term investment (pass down to future generations) what would be good bet in a classic Deere tractor? thx for your replies!

[JSR LLS]

I don't know if there is a clear cut answer. Others know more about old iron than me, and hopefully they will chime in. However, for me, a John Deere M would be the answer. My wife's uncle has it and before that it belonged to my wife's grandfather. It is still used and in pretty good shape. I would love to have the cash to have it restored for him. So, that makes this particular M very valuable and a great emotional investment, for me and my wife.

[Soundguy]

Get one with high production numbers, or at least lots of parts avaibility.

My choice would be ( was ) a B.

soundguy

[wolc123]

I also think the M is the one. I may be biased since that was the first tractor I operated as a kid. I am not a huge 2 cyl fan, but amoung them, the M is my favorite. It was one of the earliest tractors with live hydraulics, and if it only had a 3 pt hitch and smoother (more cylinders) engine, it would have surpassed the Ford 9N/8N as the most popular tractor ever.

[Robert_in_NY]

Originally Posted by wolc123

I also think the M is the one. I may be biased since that was the first tractor I operated as a kid. I am not a huge 2 cyl fan, but amoung them, the M is my favorite. It was one of the earliest tractors with live hydraulics, and if it only had a 3 pt hitch and smoother (more cylinders) engine, it would have surpassed the Ford 9N/8N as the most popular tractor ever.

Well, I love my Johnny M and agree that it is a great tractor I disagree that it would have surpassed the N series Fords as the most popular ever with just a 3pt hitch and smoother engine. The M series is light on its nose and getting on and off is a lot of fun where as the N series did a better job of keeping all four wheels on the ground on hilly areas and you could get on and off that tractor easily.

Currently, my M is sitting in the barn hooked to the one bottom plow (I have two one bottom plows till I find someone to buy the other one). I want to paint it up some day and hook up my cultivators and leave it that way for shows and occasional garden duty.

As for the OP, there are old John Deeres that will bring well over $100k but for most people they are way too expensive to buy and very hard and expensive to restore. Usually people have a family attachment to a particular model (father or grandfather owned one and so on). If I was going to buy a tractor that would be unique and stand out I would look for something like an old High Crop model or an Orchard tractor. If you don't want the green paint you could look for an old Industrial model. Or there is the Barber John Deere which is a darker green.

There are a lot of models to choose from but none of them are really cheap to buy and restore. But to sell a restored tractor is hard if it looks like every other tractor out there. So find a low production model and go with it.

I personally want to find a nice old spoker D some day to restore. But I am in no hurry. Best of luck to you.

[farmerjim]

if you want a sure bet as far as parts go then i would say an A or B, or prehaps one of the # series say 40,50,60 ect. if you wanted something out of the ordinary maybe an R or D or an orchard version. i personally like the B or GP. we just did our 50 over about 1 yr ago, we still use it on a reg. basis for some farm work. we also have the original tractor that my grandpa bought for the farm which is a jd H, which is in great shape and still runs to this day, i plan to go through it someday and overhaul the motor and a fresh paint job, that tractor will be kept in the family til i'm gone and hopefully beyond.

[Farmwithjunk]

All depends on how much you want to invest going in. The higher production numbered models won't appreciate like a less common model. Arguably, they MIGHT have all reached a peak (at least for the time being) Some of the really, really RARE models are still climbing, but the "average" rare to common models are holding steady in recent days.

If you want what true Deere collectors refer to as "EXPO QUALITY", be prepared for a jolt to the wallet. The John Deere 2-Cylinder Club holds shows all over the country, known as "EXPO's". The main one is held in Moline Illinois. Entry into this particular show is very exclusive. Being selected to show there is dictated by a group that includes author/historian/Deere archivist J.R. Hobbs. For this EXPO, you have to have EVERY detail correct. Most of the expo's take the best available, but will allow some lattitude for slight inaccuracies in restoration. The Moline Show at the John Deere Commons is not so forgiving. So much as a wrong muffler, a decal slightly mis-located, the wrong spark plug wires, ANYTHING, and you're on the outside looking in. When you hear a Deere collector referring to "EXPO QUALITY", they're talking about the standards for this one particular show. .... But for an average restoration, one that you could use on occasion, but still want a family heirloom, just about anything with 2 cylinders has some significant value. Many of the "NEW GENERATION" tractors built from 1960 to 1972 are now becoming collectable.

My personal favorites would be;

1959/60 435 Utility. It uses a GMC 2-cycle/2-cylinder diesel. Loud, hard start, temprimental, and VERY desirable from a collecting standpoint.

GM. Essentially a regular model G, only built during WW II. Wartime price controls wouldn't allow Deere to raise the price on their model G, so they introduced the GM (G modified) as a new model to side-step the issue of price controls. Not all that rare, but with a "story to tell".

320/330 Utility. Smallest of the last 2-cylinders. It was Deere's attemt to compete with the IH Cub. VERY rare...VERY pricey.

3010 or 4010 row crop diesel, or 3020/4020 row crop w/Powershift.

And the one's you can find the cheapest;

A's and B's. Multitudes of 'em produced from 1935 to 1952. Unstyled (until 1939) and later styled models can be had in good running order in the $1500 to $2000 range with little trouble. They won't go UP in value as much as some other models, but don't look for them to drop significantly either.

[Robert_in_NY]

Originally Posted by Farmwithjunk

1959/60 435 Utility. It uses a GMC 2-cycle/2-cylinder diesel. Loud, hard start, temprimental, and VERY desirable from a collecting standpoint.

320/330 Utility. Smallest of the last 2-cylinders. It was Deere's attemt to compete with the IH Cub. VERY rare...VERY pricey.

These tractors would be great choices as they are rather small and easy to work on and store.

[Farmwithjunk]

Originally Posted by Robert_in_NY

These tractors would be great choices as they are rather small and easy to work on and store.

Yeah, either one should fit in the vault at Ft Knox

I had a 435 years ago. If the temperature was below 50, the day was half over by the time I got it started. My hearing was shot by the time it was fully warmed up. Who'd'a guessed it would someday be worth 5X's what it cost new?

[Robert_in_NY]

Originally Posted by Farmwithjunk

Yeah, either one should fit in the vault at Ft Knox

I had a 435 years ago. If the temperature was below 50, the day was half over by the time I got it started. My hearing was shot by the time it was fully warmed up. Who'd'a guessed it would someday be worth 5X's what it cost new?

I wonder if the 435 might not be a good choice for him then if he wants to pull hay rides. I hadn't thought about the people not being able to hear afterwards. But then again he should only be running at an idle so it shouldn't be too loud.