THEY JUST WONT PART WITH IT !!!

I wanted to drop a line as to some of your comments:

" I get really frustrated when I track down that rare tractor tucked away somewhere and the owner just will not part with it."

My tractor is a MF 135. Not a rare model, but when its a '67 and it only has 179.8 hours on it (actual useage) That makes it more valuable. As for parting, thats up to the owner's discretion.

"Usually "it was grandpa's tractor and we wouldn't have the heart to sell it"."

My tractor used to be my father's who died when I was 9 1/2 my brother 7 3/4 and my sister 2 1/2 years old. It is the sole tangible piece of him that I have left that I take an interest in> That alone makes it priceless to me. Something that, perhaps some don't understand.

"Or, my favorite is:"No,I'm going to get around to restoring it someday..."

Well Butch, on 18 August 1993 that tractor never ran again - on 30 June 2005 my tractor was taken to the mechanics where the problem, of some broken valves was discovered ironically today. Not everyone unfortunatly runs on your timetable - I certainly didn't but I look forward to driving my fully restored MF 135 someday in the near future. Not just in my fields, or down the road, but in the local city fair and my University's Homecoming parade when my Fraternity Chapter is reopened.

"Now you KNOW it's never going to happen and it will just rust away or be sold for scrap..." I disagree - see above comment.

I hope that when you looked at that tractor you did it with the owners permission. Because if you did that at my house, you would have been arrested and my mother would not be a happy camper. This is a truly fun hobby as nothing quite is like smelling the freshly plowed earth with a tractor you took from being the next Wal-Mart branded frying pan and what makes it even more special is that it has been in your family for a few decades and you have happy and fond memories as a child on your dad's lap harrowing the field with that tractor and your dad letting you steer it. You cannot buy those types of memories. As Harry Ferguson told Henry Ford at the time of the 'handshake agreement' :

"You don't have enough money in the world to buy me out."

Just an honest farmer's opinon -

Christos

ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS, ANSWER THEM HONESTLY, AND SEE HOW YOU WOULD REACT IF THE SHOE WERE ON YOUR FOOT !!!!!

FIRST: DID ANY OF THESE PEOPLE ASK YOU TO TRACK DOWN THE PIECE OF MACHINERY THAT IS ON THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY. ?????

SECOND: DID ANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE A “FOR SALE” SIGN POSTED ON OR NEAR THE MACHINERY IN QUESTION ?????

THIRD: DO YOU THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE OWE YOU, OR HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING TO YOU AT ALL ABOUT THEIR REASONS FOR NOT WANTING TO SELL ANYTHING ?????

FOURTH: COULD IT JUST BE THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO BUY SOMETHING RARE OR HARD TO FIND CHEAP, AND THEN PART IT OUT ON EBAY OR ELSEWHERE FOR A HUGH PROFIT ?????

THIS LIST COULD GO ON AND ON.

YOU AND YOUR KIND DO NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE MEANING OF THE LITTLE WORD “NO”, NOR DO YOU SEEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT IT WHEN SOMEONE SAYS IT TO YOU.

GET USED TO IT, MOVE ON AND LOOK ELSEWHERE, OR FIND A DIFFERENT HOBBY OR MEANS OF MAKING YOUR LIVING.

IF THE ITEM IN QUESTION WERE MINE, IT WOULD NEVER BE SOLD TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU. AFTERALL “NO”, OR “IT IS NOT FOR SALE” DO IN FACT MEAN JUST THAT.

--->Paul

Just because you showed up in my yard doesn't entitle you to my belongings.

The situations you describe are the rare exceptions, certainly not the norm. The farmer is noted for being property rich in "frozen" assets but cash poor. Most of these old machines are sitting on severed off 1 acre house and lots from the original farm. All the owner of that 1 acre lot has left is their pride and Dad's old tractor/track/car/barn/house rusting into scrap. Somebody that lets a valuable property, vehicle or machine rot into junk is M.I. A court appointed agent or family/friend power of attorney needs to be found. Most of these machines don’t even have a rain cap over the exhaust. There is an indication of a mental problem when the owner can’t make it from the porch to the tractor with their empty beer can and place it over the exhaust stack.

2. However, I realize it is the posession of someone else, and it is there's to treat as they see fit.

3. See the Tenth Commandment!