What is a tractor restoration?

bkzap · Dec 28, 2012

I should know what the answer is to this question but it get confuseing to me is to hear what others have to say about this. So how would you grade a tractor restoration may I ask? I look at a tractor restoration like a Automoblie and some times I grade a tractor like I would with a car restoration. Yes I do restore Automoblies and yes I do restore farm tractors. How do you grade your restore tractors when compared to a restored Automoblie? Come on and tell me let me see what you think? Thanks Bkzap

Goose · Dec 28, 2012

To me, a restored tractor would be like it came from the factory. I see a BIG difference between being restored and being repainted.

Unfortunately, there are too many out there who run a tractor through a car wash, squirt some paint at it, and call it restored.

Ultradog MN · Dec 28, 2012

I'm afraid I don't know.
I've never 'restored' a tractor.
I've cleaned them up and painted them fancy, switched and rebuilt engines, added parts and replaced parts, searched for a long time for a nice nose, steering tins or a hood without an exhaust hole in it. I've sandblasted parts and bondoed things. Spent all my dough on new rubber. I've rebuilt steering parts. But I've yet to restore a tractor.

old · Dec 28, 2012

Well few ever want to hear what I say sort of like the guy at a car show. The guy said his car was original but has aluminum valve covers and I called him on it and he got mad saying hey they are original after market and I said original means as in from the factory and he got madder. To me a true restored any thing is to bring it back to what it was new or better a in all bearing rings etc etc specs NO aftermarket parts other then maybe for the engine rebuild type of thing

Pitch1 · Dec 28, 2012

I do not like trailer queen restorations in either tractors or cars.
Competitive judging is what destroyed the car show,making it an I have more disposable money than you show,but thankfully the tractor circuit has avoided that for the most part.
I don"t expect you to hook your pretty tractor up to a spreader,but an appeance at a plow day or mowing is nice to see.

HillsofTn · Dec 28, 2012

As most would say, restored to me means like it came from the factory. That would exclude any fancy paint jobs that are above and beyond the paint job that a factory would put on it. Aftermarket parts would be ok if they just restore the original function of the machine.

Larry NEIL · Dec 28, 2012

To me a restoration is whatever the owner feels like doing. I have a Fleetline 77 that is a plain Jane...no hyd ever on it. Probably had a few engine overhauls in it's time, but all I did was clean it and paint it. I use it every year to rake hay. Also a HP 70 that is "restored from 3 different tractors..maybe even more as the lights and brackets were bought seperatly. I consider that "restored also!

thesmoothedeere · Dec 28, 2012

You opened this can of worms huh . Oh no...

HWess · Dec 28, 2012

I also restore automobiles, tractors and equipment. Not all of mine are restorations. A restoration is making every thing as it was when new by rebuilding or replaceing with new or nos parts. Anything less is not a restoration, but a refurbishing or remodeling. Converting to 12 volts is not restoration although I have no problem with some people doing it (although in most cases not necessary). Using modern paint of original color is acceptable in my opinion. Also tires cause you can't get original tires.

sixtyninegmc · Dec 28, 2012

I farm, so a restored tractor in my mind is one that is capable of as much or more work in a day as when it was new. How much work they do is what they were judged by back in the day, not shiny paint.

Ultradog MN · Dec 28, 2012

LOL
Kind of like asking about a tractor re<font size="4.7" color="black">X</font>toration huh?

thesmoothedeere · Dec 28, 2012

Yea i found those threads quite amusing.lol

Stephen Newell · Dec 28, 2012

To me a restoration is putting the tractor back as close as possible to what it was like when it left the assembly line. To put it back to museum quality restoration is to put the tractor back exactly as it left the assembly line.

CaseDC3 · Dec 28, 2012

To me make it what the owner wants. If they want it to look shiny make it shiny, If they want it to be put to work,then make it work, If the owner wants it to be be shiny and pull a plow , let it do that. A lot of people here still farm and put their tractors to work everyday. Case Nutty comes to mind,still others have nice shiny pieces pulling wagons full of wood, such as Adirondack Case Guy. Does shiny paint make them work less hard? Yet others here just enjoy owning a tractor that reminds the owner of when they were a kid sitting on dads or Grand dads lap while pretending to steer. My tractor now is shiny and cleaner than I ever saw Grand dads DC3. But to me every time I am in the seat looking down that hood to that winged radiator cap. I am 8 years old and chugging down the old country lane. When I don't get that feeling anymore it will be time to sell.

da.bees · Dec 28, 2012

Where I have wittnessed restoration judging become blured is with paint.
An accurate restoration generaly means that mistakes like overspray,runs and the like which was common from factory is present on the restored vehicle.
I have seen cases where rarity of tractor or car was awarded undeserved points for restoration quility.
My preference is for improving on origional desighn in ways that make car or tractor preform it's intended purpose better.

SweetFeet · Dec 28, 2012

Webster’s Ninth Collegiate Dictionary says:

Restore: (restored, restoring)

1. Give back, return

2. To put or bring back into existence or use

3. To bring back to or put back into a former or original state

4. To put again in the possession of something

Restoration is in the eye of the beholder. We go with the second meaning. We are bringing a Farmall 1931 back into use - from an unusable condition. It will be restored to the best possible mechanical running condition, but will never be painted. With all the work my husband is doing, it could be considered nothing less than a restoration.

Though many choose to go with the third meaning, only considering a restored tractor to be one that has been made to be like its original factory condition...I think all have been restored.

flying belgian · Dec 28, 2012

I don't know. Sometimes I see told something is "restored to like new condition" Makes me think there must be another kind of restored.

BigTone · Dec 28, 2012

For me, there are two types of restoration when talking about tractors.

1. Working Restoration: You restore the tractor enough so that you can use it for work on the farm or around the house. New parts where necessary to make it run correctly and maybe a cheap paint job.

2. Complete Bolt off Restoration: you restore the tractor to as close to factory as you can. You disassemble the entire tractor, fix all the major and minor working parts including all gaskets, new tires, and a professional grade paint job. Ready for show.

I am going to begin a bolt off resto on a Super MTA very soon, it will absolutly be a trailer queen when im done.

55deere70 · Dec 28, 2012

I disagree that an "accurate" restoration would include overspray and runs in the paint.

Ken L · Dec 28, 2012

Don't know if I have ever restored a tractor. I have seven that I have torn apart, replaced needed parts and, painted them but, I do not remove dents. I've been asked why I go through all that work and leave the dents. In my opinion, the tractor earned them and I'm not taking them away. Some people agree, some don't.

Bob Bancroft · Dec 28, 2012

I've seen plenty of paint can overhauls. They actually bring the most bang for the buck.
I have several antique tractors I have repaired as necessary for my own use. Minimal paint sometimes, usually not. I always have more into them than they're worth, and that's not counting labor!

ericlb · Dec 28, 2012

ive probably refurbished around 10 tractors, but i have never restored one, refurbished means i take it apart as far as necessary to replace what is needed to make the unit work as it did originally, then i paint it, this is not a million dollar paint job that looks like you can fall into it, this is a job done to make a working tractor look nice, all the tractors ive done currently work for a living, none are trailer queens or have had 25 grand spent on it because somebody told me the company only made 50 of them, to me, if they only made 50 of them they were either a special purpose tractor and probably didnt even clear their development cost, or not many people wanted a tractor with that configuration, i wouldn't pay any more for it than i would for a standard model in the same condition, a restored tractor in my opinion has been taken apart down to the last nut and bolt, and every single part has been replaced or repaired to original or better than original specifications, such a tractor today would be an extremely expensive machine, and probably would only be done to a family tractor with the idea that it never be sold to a non family member , there is too many tractors out their being claimed as restored and the seller has 50 bucks in paint on it plus what the tractor originally cost him,

fixerupper · Dec 28, 2012

To me restored means brought back to the condition it was in when it left the factory inside and out. New gears, bearings, shafts, seals, etc. Anything less is just fixing up a tractor. I've brought a few tractors back to life and then did a paint job but it was no where near a restoration in my opinion. Jim

jm. · Dec 28, 2012

I thought this question had been bet to beat to death on here before but here goes again..it is what ever suits the restorer..

bkzap · Dec 28, 2012

My Friends told me threw many years that I should go into restoreing to make a liveing. I have been found restoreing or restoration every thing as if it was Factory. Nothing more and nothing less. I enjoy it as a hobby and it is very rewarding. I am sorry I ask this question but what I have read I have found out that every body does the same amount of work I do to my projects. Thank you for your replies From bkzap.

BarryfromIA · Dec 28, 2012

I'm with ericlb, fix them so the work right and clean and clean and paint and use them is more enjoyable. Then clean them for shows and use them some more.

What is a tractor restoration?

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