Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

First Antique?

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Nebraska Cowman

09-21-2006 11:43:33




Report to Moderator

So at what age did you get interested in the old stuff? And can you remember the first thing you ever restored? For me this old railroad lantern (I guess that's what it is) laid out near the north barn for as long back as I can remember. When I was about 12 years old I brought it in and cleaned it up and painted it. This is one item that will be on my estate sale. In the meantime it is a precious memento of my childhood. I just have always been fascinated by the old ways, but please, I don't want to tell you about my life. I want to hear your tales.

third party image

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
KevinH

09-23-2006 04:57:06




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Mine was a 1913 IHC 1 hp Famous that was hidden up underneath my Great-Aunt's house. It was my Grandfather's engine they used to pull a slab saw for stovewood on up into the 40's and 50's(they were textile mill poor). My dad and I drug it out in 1986 after going to the local farm days show. I was 15. Now I'm 35 and have about 12 old engines and 5 IH tractors.
Kevin



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
VernMN

09-22-2006 16:03:04




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Mine was an old Maytag washing machine motor that I dragged home from the Grandpa's place. Tried to get it working with all the plans of making something grand out of it. Maybe could be put on the old push lawn mower, a motor on my bike or make some kind of tractor. In the end my dad got involved and it got running, but eneded up on a pump jack pumping water on the other place for the youg stock.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
dab

09-22-2006 04:11:10




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
This sure brings up memories. I have been interested on antiques since they were considered junk. My great Aunt who has long past used to baby sit me as a youngster. When my dad would go to work her and I would grab my wagon and go back to our dump on the back of our property and find a “prize” to bring back to the house. That way my dad and I would have something to do at night when he got home. (Take it back to the dump). Now almost 30 years later we are working on a tractor and he remembers throwing a loop drawbar and a PTO cover in the dump back in the 50’s. So for two weeks, me dad and my boys spent digging through all those “antiques” and low and behold we found them. Had a great time doing it also, lots of memories and stories to pass the time. Mostly dad’s stories of how stupid this is. Now my boys can’t believe all this great stuff was thrown away. My folks watch my children after school until I get home from work, when I stopped to pick them up mom told me to grab a camera and head out back. Figured dad and the boys were doing something with the tractor or such and to my amassment there was dad and my youngest one, toting a wagon full of “antiques” back to the dump. Seems my boy had gotten home before grandpa that day and went and found some stuff for the two of them to work on for the day. Looks like another generation started.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Tom Railsback

09-21-2006 21:38:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
My first antique was a pre 1900 tuba I found in a music store in Hays KS; I paid $50 for it in 1970 and am still using it. It's not the best looking horn in the world but it plays well and I'd never part with it.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
THEkyroastnear

09-21-2006 21:17:30




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
guess my firstfixer-upper was a old washing machine. had just married and man we rented from brought this old thing in one weekend said if i could fixit i could have it as we did not have one.think we used it4or5 years before giving totally out. gotta start somewhere



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
37 chief

09-21-2006 21:12:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Reading all the posts on this subject brought back some memories. Growing up on the farm, there weren't many neighbor kids to play with. Nearest neigbor with kids my age were mostly girl's, and I sure didn't want to play with them. I spent a lot of time taking things apart, soon I was able to put them back together again. I bought a 48 cushman scooter when I was about 14, and had everything apart on that thing a time or two. My first car was a 34 chevy. I sure learned a lot on that car. I got into collecting old bottles from some of the old farm sights and dumps in my area. Later on I got interested in Indian Motorcycles. I still have them, my favorite is my 1937 indian chief. With my Grand Kids, tractors, and motorcycles I will be busy for a while. Stan

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Billy NY

09-21-2006 20:35:07




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
That's a great and fun kind of question, it's late got to hit it early tomorrow, could go on about this, but since a young kid, between the antiques I found in our old barns and big ole victorian house, part of our barn was used for a beer distributorship from a brewery in the city. Where I'm from, all the farmers would bring their goods from here to the city, the state road was a wagon trail, the old photos are really interesting. I used to find all kinds of brewery related items, and other great finds, I have a McCormick-Deering horse drawn cultivator that is in really nice shape, I rescued it from our barn.
I even found the metal sign with the brewery's name on it, I've always wondered if it was actually hung on the brewery or was just used for the distributorship here, we had a cooler room like a butcher shop, got locked in there once too, good thing dad coverted it into an office, and there was a phone in there !

Some of the best days of my youth were spent rummaging through an old farmers dump, and other places where things were dumped, me and a childhood friend, everyu chance we had, we'd spend all day in there, diggin, turnin things over, in our own little world, found some great bottles and have some fun memories of re-living the past.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
greenmech

09-21-2006 20:15:51




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
About 10 years old ,got a 2 HP Briggs and Stratton from the farmer next door. Worked on that for a long time.We used to put them on bikes and drive those country roads. Still have a few that I bought over the years. Ron Mn.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Harley

09-21-2006 20:12:00




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Howard, for me that would have been my first wife. She was a 1941 model, and she was a lot like an old tractor about that age. While good to look at, she required a lot of maintenance and broke down periodically and required massive amounts of cash input also periodically. AND like some old tractors, sooner or later a guy just has to cut his losses and turn em loose and get something a little more up to date.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Davis In SC

09-21-2006 20:00:19




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
I can remember , when I was small, my folks were always going to antique auctions.. Then we got into collecting bottles, ans metal detecting.. I guess I just got a love of old things in my blood.. I really look forward to the weekends, so I can go ramble & look for old stuff... :^)



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
KEB

09-21-2006 18:47:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Old cameras. Was always interested in photography as a kid, and at that time ('60s) you could find the old folding cameras at Goodwill & similar places for 25 or 50 cents. Never did much with photography after I grew up, but still pick up old cameras when I find them reasonably priced. Have over 200, most from the 1920's & older. Need to get them cataloged & some display shelves built someday.

Keith

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Nebraska Kirk

09-21-2006 18:33:08




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
My first was an IHC 3-14 Little Genius plow on steel that a neighbor gave to me. I must have been about 16 or 17 at the time. I fixed it up, painted it and took it to a local plowing bee, pulling it with my Dad"s John Deere 60.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Rauville

09-21-2006 16:42:51




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Cowman;
That's a "candlestick torch", usually used by the "Hoghead" (Engineer) to inspect the nooks and crannies of his "Pig" (Locomotive). There wasn't much on an engine that would burn, so a open flame was no problem.

My first old thing was a fancy "jack in the pulpit" art glass vase that I found in a junk pile back in about 1955. Wasn't broke, and sold it for $20, which was the start of me being a firm believer in turning a quick profit.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
nballen

09-21-2006 16:17:03




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
I remember always being fascinated by big trucks....my parents tell of me remembering specific trucks / trailers we saw on a trip when I was only 6 or 7.

I think it was during college that I really became interested in old things, and started to appreciate how things used to be done. I think the first antique I aquired was a pair of WWII Army issue office chairs (with burned-in stamps on the bottom). They were painted a hideous yellow-brown, covering up some beautiful oak. They've been in-process for 6 years now. (I've got to get back to them!) I bought my first antique vehicle ('63 Dodge PowerWagon) in October 2001. It's a project that is currently on hold for $ and time.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
dr.sportster

09-21-2006 14:50:04




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
I dont think I noticed old stuff other than cars at any early age.My next door neighbor who was older had a model T Ford.The thing I remember was when a kid named Skippy Reed [his dad was Skip Reed who played the desk sargeant on"Car 54 Where Are You"]got a banana bike.Even though most kids had regular,bigger 24" wheel bikes I just had to have one of these.I found a junk 20 inch bike and got some wild color spray cans in Woolworths and convinced my Dad to buy me high handlebars at a local bike store called Juniorville.Next I had to save up for the banana seat.It was the coolest bike,or so I thought until a kid who moved out to Jersey from Brooklyn let me ride his ten speed.Then I had to get one of them.I ended up buying his.It was a Rollfast.Later we all took forks off one junk bike and jammed them doubled up on another to make a chopper bike extended front end[held on with 1/4-20 bolts].My freinds Dad had a welder and made an upsidedown framed bike where you would sit real high up and still reach the pedals.It was all good until he wiped out hauling fast down a large hill,called tank hill because the town water tank used to be up there.Then we found a junk motorcycle with no engine we would take turns riding down the same large hill or towing it with two bicycles at once.Now I have a decorative junk metal garden in front of my house with many weird objects and hubcaps,Singer sewing machines and junk pressure gauges from dumpsters.Inside we have all kinds of old bottles, lanterns,iron objects and sorta low value old stuff.My wife and I dug out all the old bottles from behind the barn when we moved to this house.Whenever I see a dumpster I poke my head in and you never know what you might find.That lantern you have there would go right on my fireplace mantle cause its too nice for the metal garden.Any thing cast iron with writing I drag home if I can lift it.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Davis In SC

09-21-2006 19:49:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to dr.sportster, 09-21-2006 14:50:04  
Later we all took forks off one junk bike and jammed them doubled up on another to make a chopper bike extended front end[held on with 1/4-20 bolts]. I had forgotten doing that!!! We did that, too, except we just jammed them on with a hammer... Then the dumbest thing I did was to take the entire fork assembly off of a little 50cc Harley,that would no longer start & put it on a Schwinn Stingray. It was a perfect fit.. What a stupid thing I did!!! I sure wish I had kept the lil Harley, but I was just a teen...

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Pitalplace

09-21-2006 14:08:32




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
First year I was allowed to help farm. A 8N and a harrow, I was 8 or 9. That summer when he wasn't around I pulled a old horse drawn cultivator up to the shop and started fixin' it up. He was not impressed. Also fixed up a hand crank drill press for drilling my holes. Great summer



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Michael Soldan

09-21-2006 14:01:56




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
Welp when I was kid about 13 this old fella ran a little repair garage in town and he fixed bicycles as well as cars so whenever I ripped my bike up beyond my capabilities we took it to him. he had several old Ford cars sitting around back of his shop and I fell in love with a '35 Ford tudor with the "Flatback body" When I was 15 ,I went to him and offered to buy it, but I didn't have much money so we made a deal That I would clean up the yard for him as well as the little bit of cash I had. I did restore that car but it took 30 or so years, it sat in Dad's barn for 17 then I got at it. I had it 90% done and some guy made me an offer I could not refuse. I took an '80 Camero for it plus some cash and the Camero was mint..figured out to a pretty penny for the '35...I miss it but had more fun with the Camero, parts available,engine soup up, car shows etc...still have a pang when I see a '35 at a show. Incidentally that was my second car , my first was a '38 Chevy that I bought for $50...my Mom just about eviserated me for bringing that car home and I learned a lot of mechanics with that old Chevy..knee action suspension, atraight 6, lots of guts...welp I wish I had them both....Mike in Exeter Ontario

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Janicholson

09-21-2006 12:53:54




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
My chain drive first tricycle (about three yrs old at the time) was way used when new to me. I wore the tires off of it, then used those spliced together riveted v belt for tires on the steel rims.
Next at about 9yrs, I was told I could weld if I used the rods in this cardboard box (unknown content and missing flux) on scrap from the iron pile. (I used a hack saw to cut, and got a new blade once a month, I learned not to cut welds early on).
Then I disassembled a hydraulic pump to see inside (bad very bad) But i got it together again and it worked for 6 years till the sp125 combine was scrapped. Oldest thing is an 1840 springfield percussion shotgun. JimN

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Don Wadge

09-21-2006 12:32:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
I remember playing with my toys at Christmas time and hearing my parents remark that they can't understand that I take everything apart and play with the old toys rather than the new ones I just got. Guess I've been doing that all my life and still enjoying it. It's a disease and some are born with it.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dave H (MI)

09-21-2006 12:08:50




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
I wouldn't know which came first, the chicken or..

It was a matter of necessity. I couldn't afford new things and I had a lot I wanted to do. So I started fixing up peoples castoffs and using them.
After a while I could afford to buy new but either did not like the quality or preferred to keep my money and spend my time. Now I always look for something old to fill a need before I go get the shiny plastic one at the store. Life habits die hard.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
BillyinStoughton

09-21-2006 12:05:31




Report to Moderator
 Re: First Antique? in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 09-21-2006 11:43:33  
The first thing I had to restore was my credibility with my mom the first time I didn't make curfew. But after that (and finding a job that financially would support restorations) I went big right away...with a big block 68' Mercury Cougar. I wish I would have started smaller. That resto took a few years. Restoring Farmall's is cheaper, and quite a bit quicker even if you do tear them all the way down.

Billy

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy