If you are reading this article, then its obvious that you have an interest in vintage tractors. Buying and reconditioning vintage tractors from yesteryear has exploded recently. The reasons for this are many; firstly they are relatively low-cost to buy, and maintain and in some places they cost less than the tax on a new tractor. In addition, . They are easy to understand and simple to maintain. They even have a history and can be restored to become a major source of pride and enjoyment to who ever has taken the time and effort to restore it. But, the big question is how do you know what to buy and how do you make the right purchase?

There are literaly 1,000 of makes and models of antique tractors to choose from. Like most things in life, you should understand your needs as this will determine what you look for. Take some time to understand your needs you then need to convert this into a list of requirements that will help you to make a better decision when it comes to buying your antique tractor.

Depending on whether you need an polovni traktori for your land or you are planning to begin reconditioning for fun you will obviously select different machines. Collectors will tell you that some of the most collectable tractors make very poor work tractors because of their age or maintenance requirements and on the flip-side careful renovation of an extremely popular tractor may not be worth the many hours (not to mention the cost of getting hold of parts no longer manufactured).

No matter which type of tractor you are looking for, you should always start your search with some detailed research. Research manuals are available that contain this information giving you a vast aray of detailed information from prices to maintanance costs.

While collectability, engine size, PTO, etc make up the evaluation criteria for determining the type, engine size, brand, or model of antique tractor you are looking for, a more basic list of factors must be used for choosing the specific tractor you will buy. As covered earlier in this article, reconditioning an antique collectable tractor will have a completely different checklist.

Vintage Tractors Bought for Working

Finding an antique tractor for day to day use is much easier than looking for a collectable tractor, but you must be careful to choose well, as many people who make quick decisions live to regret their purchase and quickly become disillusioned with antique tractors. The first thing you should look at is the layout of your farm, also how hilly is it and what type of farm machinery will you be using. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 342, a Massey Furguson 65 MK2 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 Ferguson 35 or a Layland 154 . If you want to use farm machinery with your antique tractor, you should look at the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor model you select has the right weight and the right horsepower to do the job. If you need to use a ten foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson Model F Thorough research will make sure that you don't fall into these basic traps.

Once you have selected your model, don't pay much attention to the look of the tractor, the basic mechanics of the tractor should be the first thing you focus on.. Many good day to day tractors haven't seen paint in years and will have been maintained with lots of diferent stuff from around the farm.

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 plan to work on it straight off, you probably won't be interested in a complete restoration for sometime and need to minimize the number of things to do when you get the tractor home. 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 don’t have these tools, don’t panic as these tools can end up costing more than the tractor itself.. 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 previewing. 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 but you should add to it, depending on the specific tractor you are looking at.:

· Does it start easily? - A tractor that starts easily from cold will eliminate several particular probems at once 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 tractor but you will have to spend some time and money on it. One thing you should be watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up when you arrived, 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 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. There a number of problems to watch out for that can cause the tractor to run poorly after it warms up. Make sure to run it for at least half an hour. After running look for leaks, antifreeze and both oil. Once warmed up, stop it restart it again..

· How well do the brakes work - Although inexpensive to replace, they are inaccessible on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in. 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 the tractor smoke - Blue smoke indicates many potentially difficult problems like rings, pistons, or valve guides. Black or white smoke can oftentimes be sorted out with carburetion or ignition changes but still represent work.

· Does the engine make unusual noises - A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve adjustment 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. This may be a sign of problems with the bearings, crankshaft or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

· What condition is the oil in - After you have run it for a while, stop the engine and check the oil for foaming or signs of water. This is a big problem.

· Is there head leaks - look for signs that oil are seeping out the head gasket. If the tractor is encrusted with grease and oil, it may cover obvious signs of seepage.

· Is the clutch working - a clutch is not that costly to replace but splitting the tractor in half is beyond what most collectors want get involved in.

· Inspect the Dynamo - There should be a small charge indicated on the ammeter when the engine is turning over and a change in the charging level when the lights are turned on (this shows that the resistor or regulator switch and cutout is working fine). At running speed, no discharge should be shown.

· Use the hydraulics - Check the full range of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load sit in the hold situation for a period to be sure that there is no slippage. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is getting insufficient flow of hydraulic fluid. The pump might have experienced a lot of wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.

· Look for structural cracks - . Look for hairline cracks in all the steel components. While not expensive to repair, it’s just another time consuming job. In addition it means that your tractor can not be used until this problem is fixed..

If, on first inspection the tractor fails some of these areas, you may be able to use these as bargaining points and knock down the price (since you found all the problems). At this time you should determine if you have enough time to correct what you found... and make some savings in the process. If you need the tractor today then, don't have anything to do with this tractor.

The best option for investing a working 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 normally someone just like you who needs a tractor for day to day work. These transactions are usually enjoyable and can even lead to a long term friendship that goes beyond the buyer/seller relationship. This type of individual will in all probability even let you try 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 positive but even at a dealer you should be equipped with your rating criteria rather than relying on "the warranty". Even if your dealer offers warranties, hauling a tractor back for even free repairs will cist you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit for his business 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 make sure you are aware of the particular issues a tractor may have before you invest.