What's Happening?

The older I get the less ambition I have. Real easy to put thing off till later. That nap after dinner don't help with the list either. I am about to the point of finishing up the 2 or 3 projects I have now and not take on any more. Lost of little things on the herd that I can spend time at when I want to but quit trying to work on stuff on the ground any more. Winter months I put the wagon load of corn in the garage and loose my work table for the tractors. About to get the wagon out and feed the wildlife with what is left as no pellets are available. Then I can get my work table back and get tractors up on it that need fixing.
 
Everyone here has hit on the problem of dying interest. All to sad. I joined an antique tractor club recently just to stay active in something but found out that many of them are selling out due to age. At one time you could find rebuildable it's everywhere but they were either purchased by flippers/money makers or those that just want to destroy and mod a good machine. I have wheelhorse and powerking it's but enjoy other brands. As mentioned here already, when at shows all you see is Cubs and John Deere. Nothing wrong with these brands but there are lots of others somewhere. I try to stay in contact with youth groups, FFA and other to get the younger ones interested.
One thing that is often forgotten is that these great little machines were developed by a generation that endured world wars and the depression and made due with what was available. The young today don't understand what it is to do without unless they get outside WiFi range.
 
I didn't want to mention it before as there are probably a couple on this site. Back when the scrap prices jumped sky high the scrapers were grabbing every piece of metal they could get their hands on and they didn't care what it was or represented. Lot of old GT's and LT's was in the mix along with many attachments. Those will never been seen again in their original form but we are using them every day with the China made products.
 
I was heavy into my Antique Massey Harris tractors, Only keep a battery in a couple of them and keep them on a tender, ever work on a tender to provide a 6 volt maintainer.

I just got tired of all the work of getting them to shows and back home and seemed like less intrest in Masseys, every one is nuts over JD's it seems.
But the marketing JD does is the reason why. You know you can even buy JD badged BVD'S.
I long time friend bought a JD compact thinking it was JD. was really ticked when he found out it is Yahmar under that green and yellow.

This is the only forum I belong to that is for GT's and such. People just don't seem to want to talk about Massey Harris stuff. the massey Forum hasn't been posted on in at least 5 years.

ToDay I am in to our antique car. I have always loved it from the day it was setting in thr PO's driveway at 3 days.
It is also special since it was my mother in laws car till it got 50,000 on it then dad took it over.

:D. Al
 
dodge trucker said:
I would still rather have my 40-50 yo GTs than a new, throw a way, box store "lawn mower"
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True enough. I have to say though the Simplicity purchased a couple of years ago is turning out to be a good mower. The newer engines use a lot less fuel and the suspension is a back saver. Surprisingly I don't think I paid much more than a mower from the box stores.
 
dodge trucker said:
Well lack of interest isn't the same as lack of ambition nor is it the same as lack of available money to put into them.
I would still rather have my 40-50 yo GTs than a new, throw a way, box store "lawn mower"
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Absolutely! I have been using my 70's Cub Cadet 147 for years mowing my yard and blowing snow from the driveway. Also have a 100 that has a great NON_OSHA deck that is great for leaf detail in the fall. No box store Chinese equipment here.
 
dodge trucker said:
Well lack of interest isn't the same as lack of ambition nor is it the same as lack of available money to put into them.
I would still rather have my 40-50 yo GTs than a new, throw a way, box store "lawn mower"
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But that isn't even a fair comparison. Can you honestly say you would say no to a brand new GT like a JD 500 or 700 series, or a Simplicity Legacy? These 40-50yr GT's back in the day were equivalent in cost in todays $. To compare a GT to a box store lawn tractor is like comparing a Kia hatchback to a F150.

Here is what I think. Newer, younger members get discouraged being told their stuff is junk. This site isnt too bad, but some are really bad. The Only Cub cadets site is horrible for that, pity is for the poor sap who has a nice XT1 Cub he bought from Home Depot with his hard earned cash, being derided by the old guys with their "old iron" GT superiority complexes. I come from a poor background, dutch immigrant parents that my dad couldn't afford a fancy GT back in the day, we cut grass with an used AMF and were proud of it, coupled with a yard sale push mower. On these GT sites on the web if my dad were still alive and asking how to replace a broken transaxle would be told to drop it in the dumpster...its junk...buy an old GT instead, blah blah blah.

Rant over
 
Shotgun Wedding said:
But that isn't even a fair comparison. Can you honestly say you would say no to a brand new GT like a JD 500 or 700 series, or a Simplicity Legacy? These 40-50yr GT's back in the day were equivalent in cost in todays $. To compare a GT to a box store lawn tractor is like comparing a Kia hatchback to a F150.

Rant over
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I've heard it for awhile. I just laugh it off and enjoy using my new 500 series more and more! They both have their place in the community. Maybe not a tractor show but we can all enjoy what we want.

I love my old garden tractors very much. But at the end of the day I'll chose to use my new one for every day tasks. I need to get my Johnny electric 3 point on and plow and try to plow my small garden but it looks like that may be out since it's looking like I'll be in Alabama a lot this spring for work. However the Bolens with the power angle plow is first choice for plowing snow.
 
I still cut my grass with an 1964 854 wheel horse, for snow all the old gt's are in shed sleeping I use the big toro snowblower just to get it done quick
 
I still maintain mine but haven't added any gts in the last year, planning on selling most of my push mowers and all but a few of my walk behinds, just cut back to my gts, farm tractors and engines, I still plan to attend shows. There are still young people at the shows I attended, but not many that bother with letter series Farmalls, starting to see more mid to late 60s tractors at shows, it will be interesting to see where that goes, many in there 20s like me grew up with those tractors.
 
I'm pulling a "GL" and getting out of the hobby.
With over 20 years of fixing up and/or showing tractors I am pretty much done with that and just want a change. Motorcycles and old trucks seem to be a good choice for me now. More riding and less wrenching. Plan on giving up on the garden tractor mag when it comes due. Its ran by good people, but I have zero desire to read about a walk behind 20 inch reel mower or a disposable 1960's Huffy rider with solid tires and a 5 horse Briggs vertical.
 
I'm in my 30s idk if I'm still considered a young guy in this hobby, but in my case iv not lost interest in the hobby. My biggest problem is the cost of stuff, I started buying stuff in my teens then you could buy a decent old letter series farmall, jd, or allis for a few hundred. And old walk behinds for 15, 20 bucks. Know in my area anyway between the high scrap prices and the guys just buying up stuff to flip over last several years, know there nothing left. The stuff that is left was bought by people caught up in the up swing of things and they still think there stuff is worth what they payed even though stuff is loosing value still. I feel for those people but I'm not buying a project for more than its value after its been restored.
Around here a old walk behind is still 2 or 300 bucks and seams as though everything is rare that is for sale even if it a ol dB with a replacement 5hp briggs or a run of the mill b/c allis or a farmall. Just my 2 cents for what it worth.
That being said I have made a few buys mostly from older collector's that selling off the stuff they don't see getting too.
 
I have enjoyed all the comments to my original post. I have heard the "down turn" we seem to be seeing is all across the board. The Millennials just have different interests. Have the "Baby Boomers" failed to teach their off spring the value of old well built machinery? Scary to think of the world when the Millennials are in charge.
 
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