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If you are reading this article, then you must have an interest in vintage tractors. Refurbishing, collecting, and maintaining vintage tractors from yesteryear has become extreamly popular in the last few years. The reasons for this are many; firstly they are relatively inexpensive to purchase, and maintain and in some cases they cost less than the road tax on a newer tractor. As Well, they can still be used to do work around the farm. They are easy to understand and simple to maintain. Every tractor comes with its own history and can be restored to become a major source of pride and enjoyment. But how do you know what to buy and how do you make the right purchase?

The range of antique tractors to choose from is vast. As with many things, your needs will determine what you should look for. You first need to know your needs then you should translate this into a clear list of what you are looking for that will allow you to make a clear headed decision.

Depending on whether you need a tractor videos for your or you are intending to set about restoring for pleasure you will obviously choose select a diferent type of antique tractor. Collectors will tell you that some of the most sought after vintage tractors do not make very good work tractors and on the flip-side elaborate refurbishment of an very popular tractor may not be worth the many hours (not to mention the cost of new tyres which sometimes are no longer in production).

No matter which type of tractor you are looking for, you should always start your search with some detailed research. Many research manuals are available that have this information providing nearly a century of specifications and pricing on tractors.

While collectability, hours on the clock, hitch system, etc make up the evaluation criteria for determining what size, type, manufacturer, or model of vintage tractor you want, a more basic set of factors must be used for determining the specific tractor you will invest in. As covered earlier in this article, restoring an antique collectable tractor will have a completely different checklist.

Tractors Bought for Working

Buying a working antique tractor is very easy, but be careful not to buy the first one you see as many people buy the wrong type of tractor and become disillusioned with old machines when they buy one that does not suit their needs. The very first thing you should consider is the topology of your land, how hilly is it and finally what type of machinery will you be using with the tractor. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 342, a Massey Furguson 97 because other machines may be too low to the ground and cause damage to your crop. On the other hand if , you may need to consider something like a Massey-Harris 20 or a Layland 154 . If you pan on using machinery, you should look at the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor you select has the weight and horsepower to do the job. If you see the need for a 12 foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson Major TVO Thorough research should ensure you don't make any of these basic mistakes.

Once you have selected your antique tractor make sure the first thing you focus on is the mechanical operation of the tractor not its cosmetics.. Many good working tractors haven't seen paint in years and will have been repaired and maintained with a range of strange materials.

Make sure that your tractor performs all the basic tasks properly, so check the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you are willing to work on it straightaway, you may not be interested in a full refurbishment for sometime and need to minimize the number of initial jobs. You should have a detailed check list which included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you are not lucky enough to have access to these tools, as many dont then don't panic. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

However, having said this, you should still be armed with the a basic knowledge on the operation of the tractor you are planing to buy. You should, at a minimum beg, borrow or steal a copy of the owners manual for the particular model of tractor you are planning to review so you are familiar with its operation and basic specs and what to look out for.

Here is a basic checklist which you can use with any vintage tractor:

· Does it start easily from cold? - A tractor that starts easily from cold will rule out several items in one go Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn't start quickly, it still may be a good machine but you will need to do some work on it. One key thing to watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up prior to your arrival, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

· How well does it run when warm - Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. When warmed up you should watch out for a number of problems. Plan on spending a half-hour running it. Look for leaks, both oil and antifreeze. Lastly after warm up, shut it down and see if it will start.

· Are the brakes working well - Although the brakes are inexpensive to replace, they are difficult to get at on many tractors and will involve a lot of effort to replace. You can check the brakes by locking one wheel and cranking the steering to that side. The tractor should spin and the wheel should not rotate, do this for both wheels.

· Does it smoke - Blue smoke means a repair job like rings, pistons, or valve guides. Black or white smoke can frequently be sorted out with carburetion or ignition changes but still means work.

· Does the engine make unusual noises - A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would show very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load conditions. This may be an indication of problems with the crankshaft, bearings, or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

· How does the oil look - After you have run it for a peroid of time, stop the engine and check the oil for foaming or signs of water. This is a catastrophic problem.
· Is there head seepage - look for signs that liquiids are leaking out the head gasket. If the tractor is covered with grease and oil, it may hide obvious signs of seepage.

· Is the clutch in good working order - a clutch is not that expensive to replace but splitting the tractor in half is outside what most collectors want to do.
· Investigate the Dynamo - There should be a small charge shown on the ammeter as the engine is running and a change in the charging level when the lights are turned on (this indicates that the regulator or resistor switch and cutout is operating). At running speed, no discharge should be displayed.

· Work the hydraulics - Check the full extent of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load stand in the hold position for a period to be sure that there is no leakdown. Chattering noises from the pump while lifting suggest the pump is getting insufficient supply of hydraulic fluid. The pump may have experienced a lot of wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.

· Look for cracks in the structure - . Go over the cast and steel components and look for hairline cracks. Again, this is not expensive to correct but extremely time consuming to fix, also it would be unsafe to use a tractor with such flaws.
IF initially the tractor fails some of these areas, you may be able to use these as bargaining points and knock down the price (since you discovered the problems). At this time you should determine if you have enough time to fix what you discovered... and make some savings in the process. If you need the tractor today then, run a mile from this tractor.

The best situation for buying a day to day tractor is either to buy one that is currently being used (but the owner is looking to upgrade) or from a known dealer. The first category is commonly someone like you who needs a tractor on a day to day basis. These dealings are usually enjoyable and can even lead to a long term friendship that goes beyond the buyer/seller aspect. This type of individual will in all likelihood even let you use the machine with on your land and tell you all those things they would repair if they were keeping the tractor.

Purchasing from dealers can also be a good idea but even at a dealer you should be equipped with your evaluation criteria rather than relying on "the warranty". Even if your dealer offers warranties, transporting a tractor back for even free maintenance will cist you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit and may not have your best intrests at heart. So buyer beware!

While some of the above examples may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research and understand the specific issues a tractor may have before you buy.