Restoration,the last word?

[rrlund]

I know,it always opens up a can of worms and there will never be a last word on it,but I just read something in an article in Hart Parr Oliver Collector Magazine that I'm willing to accept. Don't want to give cedit to wrong person here,I believe it was Bill Bechthold. He called it preservation vs restoration. Preservation implies making as few changes as practical to the original tractor while making only those changes necessary to get it to operate reliably. Restoration implies rebuilding or replacing all those parts necessary to make the tractor operational for extended working duty. Sounds right to me.

 

[Mike M]

Neither one of those definitions requires a fancy paint job ?

 

[Anonymous-0]

Better go back to the archives. These two are the worst definitions I have read anywhere. Tom

 

[Coloken]

I kind of like that. To me, a truely restored tractor is only good for show or a museum. Much better (to me) is to fix every thing and use it for work. I don't know where we would classify Allan's work--he puts those thing back to just dang new and then uses them like they were intended. "rebuilt" maybe?

 

[rustyfarmall]

Restoration means just what it says. It is restored to the condition it was in when brand spankin' new. A new paint job is not a restoration, it is nothing more than a new paint job. Preservation means that steps have been taken to stop the aging process, which usually means that the tractor is now residing in an environmentally controlled museum, and will never see the light of day again.

Anything else you do is just repairs and maintenance.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Pretty cool RUSTY.

 

[Dick Lemmon]

That is the way I have always thought the meaning was.

Makes me think of an ad a few years back for a Allis Chalmers C.

totally restored, runs good, smokes.

 

[greygoat]

A new paint job is....."A Dupont rebuild"

 

[old]

To me restore means that the tractor is as good as or better then when it was new and sitting in the show room. I.E. all parts checked and meet spec. as it was when new.
Fixed up means to fix one and maybe paint it so it runs well and looks good.
I my self do not and probably never will restore one but I do fix them and some times make one look good.
I alway have hated the term restore because its so miss leading and most tractors that claim to be restore are no where near that
Hobby farm

 

[Anonymous-0]

Here's what I do. when I'm talking to a guy and he talks about how his "restoration" is so much more correct than someone that just "preserved" a tractor I just move along. I go to shows and talk to fellow tractor guys for the fun, not to listen to some snob who needs to brag about how
he used the factory correct hose clamps or that he has the exact air pressure as when it left the factory.

Life is too short to put up with the snobby purists. And it is too hard to convince them that they need counseling.

And if you want to be surrounded by the snobby purists, just get into " restoring" a car.

 

[rrlund]

Yes,that kind of goes without saying. What led up to the description was a slightly pitted bearing cup in a final drive. He said for a preservation job where it was only going to be used for parades and shows,it would last a lifetime. If he was doing a restoration to put it back to work for a long period,he would replace it. So,if it's going to be paraded or shown,it goes without saying that it's going to be repainted.

 

[Mike M]

What is it with tractors that everyone automaticly paints them up ?
With any other collectables any attempt to alter the factory finish will seriously LOWER the value.

 

[rrlund]

If it helps any,I was at the auction at Archbold one time,overheard 2 dealers talking. One of 'em said "there's no bigger sucker for a paint job than a farmer".

 

[Dick L]

Where might you be located. I stop in at Yoder and Frys in Archbold every once and a while.

 

[dhermesc]

I always just say its been refurbished, claiming restoration gets too many people excited.

 

[Ray]

I like one i saw in the photo adds, fully
restored,could use tires,muffler and a seat cushion!

 

[Animal]

I own several antique tractors, but have only restored one, it is a 39B John Deere it is totally correct from the factory flat spokes (not cut downs) to the correct front lug bolts in the front wheels, I built it from the bare case up, even spent a ton for the correct twisted wire in the grill. When I was all but finished with it, I could not bare to Put that flat black soon turned to rust, muffler on it so I had Steve Crum build one of his wonderful exhaust stacks for it. I have been to alot of the two cylinder expos, and I truely beleive my tractor is as fine, and in most cases more original than most tractors I see there. These monkeys will not even consider my tractor as an exhibit because of the stack. I have gotten the least pleasure from this tractor as compared to all of my others. Its too expensive to play with, and because I am bull headed and will not change the stack, it does not even get an honerable mention at the shows....but that being said it is my tractor and I will do with it as I please, but as far as restoring another one their is no way in hell!

 

[Aaron Ford]

When speaking in correct terms, I use the term "refitted". "Refurbished" also works well. "Restored" is kinda like rebuilt. Means only what the sayer thinks it means... Nothing more.

I just set 'em up to be pretty, run well, pull strong, and look real similar to factory. I ain't sellin' nuttin. Just don't tell the missus I said that...

Taking it with me when I go,
Aaron

 

[TractormanNC]

Back when paint was $10-$15 a gallon, heard a tractor jockey say that paint was worth $250 a gallon. Dupont restoration anyone?

 

[rrlund]

I'm up here in mid Michigan,but J Schweibert is just west of there a little ways.

 

[RandyB(MI)]

You are assuming that it still HAS the factory finish. If it still has it's original finish(at least 75%) and is not all dented up , then it MAY be worth more left alone. I believe most people would probably leave this tractor alone. Unfortunately less than one percent probably fit this description. A brown and dented John Deere imo is not what people had in mind when they said original is worth more.