old tractor heaven

VA MTN MAN · Feb 8, 2012

Went by Keystone Tractor Museum today located just south of Richmond VA and took a few pictures to share.

MIKE R · Feb 8, 2012

Wow. Looks like heaven. Thanks for the pictures. Looks like they have a real good collection. Massey, Farmall, John Deere, Moline, Case, Allis Chalmeres, the list goes on. A few rarer tractors like the John Deere High crop and the Moline UDLX.

DJ54 · Feb 8, 2012

Just counting up how many, between me, and some buddies of mine how many of the same models we have, or had in the past. 8 in all.

Had a Massey Challenger years back, and did some trading with it. Still have an O-4, but still in pieces awaiting restoration, which may never happen. The only sheet metal cowling I ever saw for sale was about 15 years ago, and the guy wanted $1800.00 for it, and you could throw a cat through the holes rusted in it...

deereman75 · Feb 8, 2012

DJ54 said:
Just counting up how many, between me, and some buddies of mine how many of the same models we have, or had in the past. 8 in all.

Had a Massey Challenger years back, and did some trading with it. Still have an O-4, but still in pieces awaiting restoration, which may never happen. The only sheet metal cowling I ever saw for sale was about 15 years ago, and the guy wanted $1800.00 for it, and you could throw a cat through the holes rusted in it...

sounds like you might need a hammer and an english wheel. Good luck restoring it.:thumbsup:

creekbend · Feb 8, 2012

Thanks for posting. I enjoyed the pictures. :thumbsup:

VA MTN MAN · Feb 8, 2012

I dont know how many are there but I only took pictures of less than a third. All are owned by I person. Here are a few more of some trucks.

Bob77064 · Feb 8, 2012

Great pictures.

MasseyWV · Feb 8, 2012

Nice! They sure don't make em like they used to. :thumbsup:

foggy1111 · Feb 8, 2012

Wow! Pretty cool tractor pics. Sadly.....I remember some of those tractors when they were brand new. However, I never saw one of those fender models (like that Minnie Mo)......gotta wonder what they were thinking?

DJ54 · Feb 8, 2012

Here's the story on the Minnie UDLX. Quite ahead of it's time...

The UDLX was introduced in 1938 and dubbed the Comfortractor. It was designed as a solution for multiple problems. The farmer could work in the fields all week, then drive to town in comfort on the weekends. The UDLX was equipped with all the modern amenities - a fully enclosed, heated cabin with windows that open, cigarette lighter, a second seat for your tractor dog during the week, or the little lady on the weekend. You get a glove box, rear opening door, full raft of gauges, and slick coupe-like styling well, as close as a tractor can get to a sedan. The top speed of this beast was rated at 45 mph so a bit slow, but definitely usable on rural roads. The problem with the whole equation was cost and timing. The nation was still a bit in the doldrums at the end of the Great Depression, war was looming on the horizon, and the price tag for the fancy tractor was steep at $2,150. Those factors in concert all led to a production of only about 150 of the old tractors. In person the UDLX is a handsome machine and the engine is smooth, all the instrumentation falls easily to hand and it's owners are invariably swamped with admirires when taken to antique tractor shows (yes they exist). The UDLX Comfortractor, an evolutionary offshoot that didn't quite make it, but still cool nonetheless