Collectible tractors?

[Fuddy1952]

Anyone here collect tractors? What I mean is (hard to put into words), I grew up with tractors and I bet most here did as well.
Growing up right at our place was an International Harvestor dealer. One neighbor(rip) lived out his dream after retirement by moving back to his homeplace Angus beef farm, and besides farming had a really nice collection of John Deere tractors that spanned many years.
I've looked at some restored old tractors that are intriguing. The problem is like the neighbor they're pretty to look at, may be nice for a parade or show, but it's a hobby that unlike stamps takes up room!
Anyone collect them? I would love to but I can see where it could get out of control!

 

[motoboy]

Mecum auctions has a tractor auction in Iowa mid June this year. I saw some of the ones sold last year and they were surprisingly reasonable. It should be on TV this year if you can get it.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Around here I'll see an old one, various brands restored like brand new, motor rebuilt, tires, etc. Usually $1,500 to $6,000 range.

 

[grnspot110]

I started out with JD two-cylinders, a 1958-520 & the 1958- 720D ES hat I grew up on. Then started collecting JD lawn & garden tractors until I found my 1953 JD-40S. Next came the 1980-Power King 2418, then the 1961 Cub Lo-Boy: Lastly was the 1944 JD "LA", then the 1948 AC "G":

Still looking for a Massey Harris "Pony"!

 

[BrokenTrack]

I do not have the capacity for it. I mean, I love tractors, spent my entire life on them, and still log thousands of hours per year on them, but I am a practical person to a fault.

Part of it seems to be some people that look down their nose at you if parts work, but are not original. To them, the hunt for the original part is as much as the restoration itself, and if you add a part that allows the tractor to continue to function, you have committed a serious tractor sin.

Then there is the "competitions". They are supposed to be friendly, but it ends up being, not who has rebuilt the best tractor, but what the judges had growing up. Like nothing else, tractors bring about lots of bouts of nostalgia, and so no matter how ratty the tractor is, if a judge sees one that reminds him of his Grandfather Farming days, well they have won the competition. I understand nostalgia, but for those guys that have hunted down every original part, and buffed and polished, to lose just because a judge had a grandfather that had a different tractor then the spiffy one, is kind of sad.

Then finally there is the parades which is what I would go to, as I want others to see what I have spent tons of time rebuilding. However a few years ago an old fire engine lost its brakes and plowed into an old farmer on a tractor killing him. Then the family sued the City of Bangor, and now the parade groups discourage old equipment from entering parades due to "liability reasons." Another real travesty as without the old stuff being on display, how can the newer generation appreciate the great strides it took to get their newer equipment to where it is now?