Buying Old Farm Tractors

By John Vivian
Published on June 1, 1994
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The Farmall
The Farmall "A" from International Harvester was a reliable and affordable workhorse in its day.
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The distinctive green of a John Deere tractor.
The distinctive green of a John Deere tractor.
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Henry Ford introduces his new 9N to the press in June 1939. Initial sale price was an astounding $600 and began a new era in price competition.
Henry Ford introduces his new 9N to the press in June 1939. Initial sale price was an astounding $600 and began a new era in price competition.
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Between 1905 and 1916, Rumely topped its steam-engine line with several huge models. Here, an Advance Rumely 25-hp steam-engine tractor was certainly a formidable piece of equipment, but not very practical.
Between 1905 and 1916, Rumely topped its steam-engine line with several huge models. Here, an Advance Rumely 25-hp steam-engine tractor was certainly a formidable piece of equipment, but not very practical.
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This 1952 Ford 8-N includes a Funk V-8 conversion consisting of various engine and gearbox adapters, as well as two vertical straight pipes for the exhaust. The sound is very impressive.
This 1952 Ford 8-N includes a Funk V-8 conversion consisting of various engine and gearbox adapters, as well as two vertical straight pipes for the exhaust. The sound is very impressive.
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Instrumentation was much improved on the numbered Farmalls that appeared in mid-1954.
Instrumentation was much improved on the numbered Farmalls that appeared in mid-1954.
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Oil filter and magneto for a 1932 Farmall F-20, powered by a four-cylinder, overhead valve engine.
Oil filter and magneto for a 1932 Farmall F-20, powered by a four-cylinder, overhead valve engine.

It’s been almost 30 years now since I gave up trying to
grow tomatoes on a city-apartment balcony and went looking
for a country place. What sold me on my first old farmstead
weren’t so much the overgrown fields begging to produce
again, the sucker-filled but still-bearing fruit trees, or
the antique stone house and barn …but the old farm tractors and

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