By Richard Shank
Shank’s Reflections
Antique tractor preservationist Michael Hinton of Hutchinson says collecting old tractors for him is not a hobby, but a passion. From all indications, there is plenty of evidence, even in Reno County, that Hinton is correct.
As a member of this group of tractor collectors, I find it seems, at times, to be a misunderstood endeavor, so I reached out to a couple of my contemporaries to get their take.
Dennis McKee lives on a farm near Hutchinson and is the proud owner of 16 antique tractors, 11 of which are Olivers, a brand of farm equipment that ceased to exist 50 years ago, in 1975.
When I called Dennis the other evening, he was busy cleaning a 1920s toy cement truck. “I just like old stuff,” McKee nonchalantly told his interviewer.
McKee was more than happy to talk about an interest he developed while growing up on a Reno County farm.
“Tractor people are the best people to be around,” McKee said. “You can go to antique tractor shows and park your restored tractor by another one that has forgotten what paint looks like, and no one cares. The camaraderie among tractor collectors is great.”
McKee noted it is important to be married to a supportive spouse when collecting old tractors. “My wife (Lila) supports my interest because she knows I enjoy it,” McKee said. “I remember the time when Lila came home from shopping and said how happy I seemed and attributed it to the fact I had been working on a tractor.”
“I just enjoy the heck out of it,” McKee continued. “It’s very relaxing and is my entertainment.”
Leonard Sinclair grew up on a Hodgeman County farm near Jetmore. He circled fields sitting atop a John Deere D tractor and swore that once he was grown, he did not want to see another of its type.
Today, Leonard lives north of Hutchinson and cannot turn any direction without seeing one of his 80 antique tractors, 55 of which are John Deeres and the remaining 25 are a cross section of brands, 11 of which are Olivers.
On Sept. 13, several dozen collectors brought their beauties to Gottschalk Park to participate in the Roy Coffey Antique Tractor Show during the Kansas State Fair. Leonard stole the show, arriving with a pair of John Deere Ds. One was restored to look even better than it did on a showroom floor 89 years ago.
Sitting next to the new-looking John Deere D was the same model tractor, unrestored with visible rust throughout the frame. Collectors call that look “original” and these too are in demand.
“I enjoy the thrill of bringing something that is dead back to life,” Sinclair said. “Restored tractors look beautiful.”
And, Sinclair is quick to point out that a restored tractor is not always as valuable as one that looks anything but new. Often, Sinclair said, a tractor called original is in dire need of a paint job and other restorative work, and is more valuable than one totally restored.
“Each to their own” is a phrase Sinclair said applies to tractor collectors. “Some collectors prefer the original look while others like new paint jobs,” Sinclair said.
According to Sinclair, the Oliver brand remains popular because it no longer exists.
As for Sinclair’s future collections, he says he has no bucket list. “I could be interested in buying a tractor with a cab so that I could mow with air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter,” Sinclair said. “Also, a cab would keep the dirt off the tractor’s platform.”
Going forward, Sinclair said his main goal is to keep his fleet of tractors running.
My interest in antique tractors saw its origin in about 1990, when my dad retired from farming in Saline County. My brother, Eddie, and I approached my parents and offered to purchase a couple antique tractors, which had been in the family for more than 40 years. Eddie purchased a 1943 Farmall H, and I bought the 1949 Oliver 99.
Thirty-five years later, my collection has grown tenfold. When friends and neighbors stop by the farm and inquire if they are all running, I provide a standard answer: “To the best of my knowledge, they all run.”
The 10 tractors range in age from 62 to 83 years of age. The oldest is a 1942 Farmall H purchased new by Joe White, a neighbor who lived in the section immediately north of the Shank farm. Fifty-eight years later, in 2000, Eddie purchased the Farmall H at Joe’s estate sale. In 2019, following Eddie’s death, I purchased the tractor from his family. So, in 83 years, only three people have owned this tractor.
A John Deere 4020, purchased in 2005, is, perhaps, the most valuable in the collection. Sold new in 1968, the tractor has no outward appearance of being an antique, which it is.
Then, there is Dad’s Oliver 99, which he purchased new in 1950. From all appearances, the old Oliver would still do a day’s work.
To complement this national pastime, antique tractor clubs have popped up throughout the nation. There is nothing quite like sitting around over lunch, swapping stories about old tractors. Also, several antique tractor publications exist, one of which has a circulation of 6,300 in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.
How could one conclude a column on this topic but to say Americans have many hobbies, from golf to boating, with antique tractor collecting being one of the most unique.
Richard Shank is a freelance writer for The Hutchinson Tribune. He can be reached at shankr@prodigy.net.