Under-the-Radar Collectible: Tractors
Hagerty’s 2006 Hobby Survey reveals that home is where the heart is for antique tractor owners. Nearly every respondent who is a tractor owner reports that their prized vintage ones will stay in the family – and not just for farming.
It may be a small niche in the world of collector vehicles, but with names like Allis Chalmers, Ferguson, Case, Massey Harris, Farmall, and even Ford and John Deere, these rigs are polished, primed and ready for any tractor show. Since the early 1900s, manufacturers like these have produced steam-pulled to diesel driven tractors. Interest in collecting these American icons has risen dramatically in the last five to 10 years.
According to the Hobby Survey results, owners of these fine machines are more likely than average to have inherited their rides from a family member. Maybe that’s because tractors are intended for farming and usually stay on farm land, and as the land gets passed down generation to generation, so does the equipment. Whatever the reason, we can’t deny that tractor ownership is a growing trend among collectors.
As bequeathing a tractor to a loved one is likely, so is owning a tractor for preservation purposes. You’ll rarely see a vintage tractor being used for farming purposes. Most likely, it’s treated as most collector cars – like an icon in the garage, storage unit, barn –waiting for the perfect day to show and shine.
Whether powered by steam, kerosene or LP, antique tractors are becoming a force in the collector community and are a mainstay in their owners’ lives. There’s a strong commitment to the slowpoke, big-tired rides – and with magazines like Green Magazine, Belt Pulley, Farm Collector, Antique Power and Tractor Shed, there is not a lack of information on where to get parts, restoration articles or practically anything tractor-related.
Implements designed to plow, till, rotate and seed land are a natural progression for antique tractor owners to collect as well. With the tractors being in mint condition and the implements added, values for the machines are on the rise. The demographic isn’t just the Midwestern farmer; many folks are purchasing tractors to relive old memories. While for some, a collector car might be too pricey, tractors are still affordable.
If you have a vintage tractor and are looking for information on valuation or have any questions about tractors, call our Tractor Team at 877-922-9701.
