Bureau Valley FFA, Finalist, 2009 Delo Tractor Restoration Competition

Before you start searching for a classic or virtually any pre-owned tractor for the farm, there are some factors you need to take into account. First, do not become carried away by nostalgia. Purchasing and restoring a classic tractor may be a great gratifying hobby to engage in. However it may turn into an expensive one.

Since 1995, the Delo Tractor Restoration Competition (www.chevrondelotrc.com) has rewarded the determination, mechanical skills and business savvy of high school aged FFA members from around the country. Through the restoration of an antique tractor, participants develop skills applicable to the modern business world. The skills needed for success in the program - equipment maintenance, teamwork, project management, budgeting, planning and marketing - help develop the participants into future leaders in the agriculture community. For more on Delo lubricants go to www.deloperformance.com

Before you begin looking for your tractor, make sure you understand what you genuinely would like. This may seem overly basic, however it is easy to become side tracked and buy something that you didn't start out to purchase. Only if you are able to put together a complete listing of the requirements should you commence the hunt. Do not forget to add your technical and performance needs in the listing. Unless you understand precisely what you will be looking for, how are you going to determine how and where to look?

If you are seriously hunting for an antique tractor, be careful and not let enthusiasm run away with you. If you do, you could well be in trouble before you begin your project. Restoring an antique tractor or other old farm implement is gratifying. But it's not an overnight project moreover it might get expensive very quickly. Components for a lot of aged tractors are available but some are difficult to locate and can be on the spendy side. Factory original tires may be impossible to purchase and reproduction tires can cost more than the tractor. You might find that rather than buying a project tractor, it would be just as satisfying to procure one which somebody else has already put all of the time, effort and expense into. Chances are favorable that you could buy it for less money than the owner put into it, to say nothing about all of his labor.

Examine any tractor prior to deciding to purchase it. Is it simple to get started and seem, sound and feel right? Are the tires in good shape? Is there any hydraulic seepage visible? Can you see any missing components or equipment? Make sure and give just as close an examination to any attachments. As a final point, be sure that a classic tractor seriously fits the needs of the task you desire it for. It truly is hard to go wrong with an antique tractor like a John Deere if you search cautiously.