Tractor museum

[RobertN]

Took my son to the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, Ca today. It was pretty nice. They had an incredible selection of very old tractors. Thier presentation, and the quality of the restorations was excellent.

I was suprised though, that they had little of the tractors I am used to. That is, I expected to see a lot of Farmall F12, F20, and the letter series. I also expected Allis' and JD from the 40's and 50's too. They seemed to end about 1935-40 or so for most stuff.

It is a great expierience if you like old tractors. They also have a collection of old trucks.

http://www.aghistory.org/equipment.html

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Robert, glad to see that you liked the museum at Woodland! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifYou have to remember that California is basically a "Caterpillar" state; that is to say the majority of the field work was historically done with track-laying tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gifSince I left CA and moved to the Midwest, it has been quite a shock to see so much "rubber" and so few Cats. Plowing was historically done here with wheel tractors, so they are everywhere! Old, older, big, small, you name it. We easily found a nice JD Model A to buy about six months ago, and we are somewhat on the hunt for a Model G.....almost unknown in CA.....for our collection. There is a website that shows a CAT 70 under restoration not too far from you. A 70 was the ancestor of the D8....very rare. I know a few guys with CAT collections in CA. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[rdbrumfield]

MY wife and I went through that museum last April. I too was surprised at the lack of tractors. It was nice to see the older cats, bests, and that totally wood 57 chev pickup were something. That home made "cat" about the size of a D7 was sure a great piece of work, looked factory made. Did you notice the kids tractor made by a grandfather. It motivated me to make one. I have shortened a chev rear end and have the engine. Just get parts as I can, should be a lot of fun to put together.

 

[RobertN]

I am so consumed by my Farmall, that I expected to see more stuff like that. I don't want to detract though, it is an excellent museum.

The Cat's were great. I like the motor near the front of the tractor museum side, that was a 4 cylinder cut down to one or two, with a hacksaw. Ingenuity!

It is amazing the stuff people have made of neccessity. Some of the home made tractoors are really something. We have old family friends that made a cola can crusher out of an old car engin crank and piston. It is hooked by belt to a washing machine motor. The piston has a channel it runs in. You put a can in the channel, and it crushes it flat. They did it just for fun.

Post some pictures when you finish building; it sounds like fun, and justification for tools!

 

[rdbrumfield]

Went to Lake Tahoe for a mini vacation last week and ran onto a couple that wanted to get a gibson off their hands. I'm headed out today to go get it with all the emplements. I had the chance to play with one when I was a boy. Will be fun to refurbish this one. Will get some pics up when I get back.