Tips for Beginning an Antique Farm Tractor Restoration

Antique farm tractors are one of the hottest restoration projects going today. While the prices of antique cars have skyrocketed well out of range of the average restorer tinkering in his garage, it is still possible to find well-preserved, running and restorable farm tractors for reasonable prices every day. While the hobby certainly isn't for everyone, particularly those averse to prying forty year old horse dung out of the treads of a vintage Farmall tractor, for many it affords the opportunity to revitalize something that is a guaranteed hit at parades, and can tackle many chores around the home that your typical garden tractor couldn't even touch.

Restoring an antique farm tractor requires more work than restoring a vintage car. While the popularity of old cars has ensured that many models now have extremely good aftermarket following, antique farm tractors are a relatively new thing to attempt a restoration on. Add to that the relative scarcity of many models, and you begin to understand the necessity for having the ability to fabricate some parts yourself, or pay through the nose for rare necessary pieces from a cranky old woman with the parts you need out in the barn. Antique farm tractors require a different kind of diligence than car restoration, and usually it has to do with finding those rare parts.

Some manufacturers of farm tractors, such as John Deere, Farmall, and Ford still have parts available for them mostly due to the fact that many of these machines still do their intended job to this day with little or no problem whatsoever. More obscure manufacturers such as Massy-Harris or even Oliver could make finding parts more difficult, but it is from these that you get the most admiring glances when you pass by in the parade. A vintage farm tractor requires relatively little, aside from some TLC, to get running again. Many times, new owners of vintage farm tractors find that just by changing out fluids and replacing the battery, the tractor will fire right up. While that is a little bit more wishful thinking for some antique farm tractor owners, you have to remember that there are no sophisticated electronic parts on a vintage farm tractor. At its very soul, the antique farm tractor is really just an engine with wheels and a seat. They are far less complex than modern or even vintage cars, and were built with that simplicity in mind. Many can be repaired on-the-spot if need be, with minimal tools, and with just a little perseverance, you will quickly find that you, too can experience the satisfaction of completing a project of this scale.