Many true originals left out there?

I have seen 730 Diesel tractors that were repainted many years ago (likely by a dealer) but the seller list them as "original". The big giveaway is that the word "DIESEL" is not bold like it was from the factory, it is italicized (slanted) like the 720 Diesel tractors.
What features would you consider to be an original tractor?

Other than maybe the engine being overhauled a time or two,original means original. Paint,wiring,voltage,lights,muffler,decals....
Even if all of that is in rough shape.

Kinda like what does 'restored' mean? Some think totally taken apart & rebuilt from every bolt, and others think a rattle can of paint sprayed over the old grease....

--->Paul

You see a lot of tractors in the photo adds
advertised with original paint and it's obvious to any tractor guy that there not.I figure they just don't know any better.

That's why I never paint tractors if they have any remnant of original lettering on them. I'd rather have a good working, greasy old tractor that's original than one that's been painted to look fancier then it ever did when it was new.

I'm not condemning anyone who likes painting their tractors. Just pointing out my personal preference. I like seeing what the factory did, not what someone else added later.

I just got done rebuilding a Ferguson 35 Deluxe. I had to fix just about every moving part on the tractor and the sheet metal is pretty rusty. But it still has the original "Ferguson 35 Deluxe" on the hood and I don't have the heart to sand it off, paint over it, and add cheap decals.

We don't have the funds nor the expertise to completely dissasemble till it's in thousands of pieces on the shop floor.The couple we "refurbished" would be more the proper term for what we've done.We've ran them abit to see what works and what doesn't.If it works as good as new,we don't take it apart.For example,we've never had a rear end,transmission or even engine apart for that matter (keep in mind we found a couple of lucky finds where they didn't need to be taken apart in the first place,just needed un-sticking).We inspect what we can,replaced what we deemed needing replacing to look and work like new than get them painted.Both cases they didn't require hardly any parts,like I said,lucky finds and they both work like a top and we are happy with them,and we have no intentions of selling either of them for a long time.So they aren't what you would call origional,aren't what you would call completely taken apart and replaced every seal,bearing,gasket,nut and bolt.If I need a new tractor,that's what we are looking for.If we want to have an enjoyable outing a few times a year with good people who enjoy old tractors also,we "refurbish" them.That way they look "restored",are sort of close to "origional" and didn't cost us 4 times what they are worth.

I believe most people equate "original" with "as found" But yes, I truly value the ones that are exceptional and never repainted. Those are hard to find and I believe they should be left as-is. But that's just my opinion and I can't stop you from doing what you want with your tractor. I just go a John Deere A running that has never been repainted. But it's not "original" as it had been let freeze and ruined the block and head. I put it back together with an overbore block and M&W pistons. You do what you have to.

Some oldtimer once told me only the first was original. The rest are copies. Another man said as long as it came from the original mold it is original. Well how do you know if you have one from the first second or twelve mold, or a repaired mold? Any way you look at it, it is all in the head of the man looking for it.

To me it has always been the fact that if I did find a tractor in mint original condition it would be out of my price range. So it just never mattered.

This discussion came up about a month ago and got out of hand but most honest real farmers will devulge the background of the tractor which I think is important because you know everything about the tractor even if it is loose or doesn"t run. I personally prefer a rare tractor or combine as is because it has character because it has faced the elements of the of era like the dust bowl or the winds of western Canada in other words just like the Antique Road show. As was mentioned before it is up to the next owner how they want to handle their purchase. I have my rules because I have grown up with most of them and if I find the tractors I grew up with I will park them and they will stay as they are because I know some time one of my passed family members touched them and that can"t be reproduced. I think there needs to be standard formed for tractor restoration like classic cars so most auction people don"t try to take advantage of the situations. IMHO

I see it can have various meanings, but I also believe that some try to use it to their advantage when they know better. If parts such as alternators have been added for the generator, paint or sheet metal work anywhere, added decals (right or wrong), aftermarket parts added, it is no longer original.
"Original" to me can be the first, the middle, the last, matters not how many times the molds wore out. It is original as it came from the factory less the wear, tear, and fading over the years.
Anything else is not original in my book. Now with that said, there are spetacular restorations out there, but they look 10 times better than anything that ever left the factory back then.
I have seen a few true originals, they sometimes have paint runs, all kinds of things that a good restoration person would ever have or want. Also, decals run all over a general area on some of them.

I have 7 ford tractors.Most had been alterd when I bought them, for example someone tryed to make a high crop out of a jubile 36in rear wheels with hc front end it isn't "original" but at least now it's a 53 jubile. Have any of you guys seen the new New Holland red gray 8n now for an old timer like me, that is depressing.

My uncle has (by the serial# on it) the third 165 made

my massey 333 has original paint on it. in other words not much of it left. it's pretty much rusty brown some red here and there

What's your opinion on a boiled linseed oil coating over so called original paint. I have an old truck that I was going to rub down, then linseed oil.

Well I have seen more then I would of thought. Since the internet I see lots of them. Hardly ever saw any here in Ohio unless someone hauled them in from out west. Many times I wish I'd of spent my money on just buying up nice originals instead of spending it all fixing up worn out beat up rusty Ohio tractors. But then I'd of missed out on all this FUN !