First-time buyers of Farmalls can be enchanted by the myth and mystique, but you should check a few things before you buy a venerable H or Cub.

Yes, they cost less than buying new, and they do the job. And they have history, and you look great riding it.

And, they are reasonably reliable, simple in their structure. Sort of like an old Volkswagon. But a bit harder to suss out since it is a piece of machinery. Not a beetle bug you could repair with bubble gum and a pair of nylons (true story).

So, what to look for. What to keep in mind as you search for your Farmall?
First question: serious work or pleasure?

Do you want it to haul or make you look good while you mow the lawn? Once I used my Farmall H to pull my neighbors Lexus out of a mud ditch that had collected after a storm. It looked cool pulling the black Lexus, and I’m glad it looked polished red and perfect. I wish I had taken a picture. The old and the new.

As it happens, collectable tractors often make bad work tractors. Books are available that contain this wealth of specifications and materials, but don’t stop there. Find someone who knows.

A work machine for makes it easy for buyers to  get what they need quickly but you can get the wrong type of tractor and then hate the old machine. Like a vintage wristwatch, if you need it to tell time, get a quartz. If you get a vintage 1920 watch it will look good, but not keep accurate time. It needs to haul, not look pretty. You can make a work machine pretty, but not a pretty machine work without a few tears as to the scratch on the paint.

I love to read what the guys at Chats Classic Tractors
have to say about the Farmalls, and about the available implements, and memorabilia.

Lots of great old working tractors haven’t seen paint in years and can have ugly clumsy welds, but regardless if the tractor is sound mechanically there are a host of resources to help you paint, custom decal and restore it if you are looking for show.

So for my money, I do some research at the sites I list on the home page when I need paint, tires, etc. And I keep mine in balance between work and show. I mow the lawn with it, but then clean it off. I’m just that way. I don’t believe in babying things that are meant for a task. I use good china, wear my good clothes, and don’t hold back.

These tractors want to be used, sometimes gently, but always they belong below sky on fields of green, or amber. Trust your gut, ask the questions, and see what level of restoration you want. Then go for it.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 2:20 am and is filed under Antique Tractors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.