Top tips for investing in your first Vintage Tractor
Because you are reading this article, then vintage tractors are clearly of interest to you. Refurbishing, collecting, and maintaining vintage tractors from days gone by has exploded over the last few years. There are lots of reasons for this; firstly they are relatively cheap to invest in, and maintain and in some countries they cost less than the road tax on a new tractor. In addition, . They are easy to understand and simple to maintain. Each tractor has its own history and can be restored to become a major source of pride and enjoyment. But how do you know how to buy a good antique tractor and avoid the many pit falls?
Antique tractors come in many shapes and sizes. As with other collectable items, your needs have a lot to do with what you should look for. You need to understand your needs you then need to convert this into a list of requirements this will then enable you to make a better decision when it comes to buying your antique tractor.
Depending on whether you need an antique tractor for your acreage or you are going to begin reconditioning for fun you will choose select a diferent type of vintage tractor. Certainly some of the most collectable tractors make very poor day to day tractors and on the flip-side elaborate renovation of an very popular tractor could not be worth the many hours (not to mention the cost of new tyres which sometimes are no longer in production).
No matter which type of tractor you are looking for, you should always start your search with some detailed research. Research manuals are available that have this information giving you endless details about any tractor model you wish.
While collectability, engine size, PTO, etc make up the main points for choosing what size, type, manufacturer, or model of vintage tractor you want, a more straight forward set of factors will be used for determining the exact tractor you will purchase. As mentioned earlier, reconditioning an vintage collectable tractor will have a completely different checklist.
Antique working tractors
If you are looking for a day to day tractor then you will find what you are looking for easly, but be careful not to buy the first tractor you see as people often become disillusioned with antique tractors if they have not bought the right one for their needs. The first thing you should look at is the layout of your farm, also how hilly is it and what type of farm machinery will you be using. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 465, a Massey Furguson T20 because other machines may be too low to the ground and cause damage to your crop. On the other hand if your land is very hilly, you may need to consider something like a Massey Ferguson 35 or a Lanz Buldog 2806 . If you pan on using machinery, you should first understand the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor model you select has the weight and the right horsepower to do the job. If you need to use a ten foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson N Thorough research should ensure you don't make any of these basic mistakes.
Once you have selected your antique tractor make sure the first thing you focus on is the mechanical operation of the tractor not its cosmetics.. Many good day to day tractors haven't seen paint in years and will have been maintained with lots of diferent stuff from around the farm.
Test all the basic functions of the tractor, PTO, steering, gears, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you want to work on it straightaway, you probably won't be interested in a complete renovation for sometime and need to reduce the number of upfront jobs. Your check list should included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. However if you don't own a set of these tools or have access to them then don't panic.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.
However, having said this, you should still be armed with the a basic knowledge on the operation of the tractor you are looking at. You should, at a minimum beg, borrow or steal a copy of the owners manual for the particular model of tractor you are planning to inspect so you are familiar with its operation and basic specs and what to look out for.
Here is a basic checklist which you can use with any vintage tractor:
If, on first inspection the tractor fails some of these areas, you may be able to use these as bargaining points and knock down the price (since you discovered the problems). At this point you must decide if you have enough time to fix what you discovered... and make some savings in the process. If you need the tractor straight away then, run a mile from this tractor.
The best option for buying a working tractor is either to buy one that is currently being used (but the owner is looking to upgrade) or from a established dealer. The first category is normally someone like you who needs a tractor for day to day work. These transactions are normally pleasurable and can even lead to a long term relationship that goes beyond the buyer/seller aspect. This type of person will in all probability even let you use the machine with on your farm and tell you all those things they would repair if they were keeping the tractor.
Purchasing from dealers can also be positive but even at a dealer you should be armed with your rating criteria rather than depending on "the warranty". Even if your dealer offers warranties, transporting a tractor back for even free maintenance will cist you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit for himself and may not have your best intrests at heart. So buyer beware!
While many of the above experiences may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research make sure you are aware of the particular issues a tractor may have before you buy.
