Clifford
Ernst's 1919 Moline Universal Tractor
|
What are antique tractors?
The best
answer is probably: "It depends!" To someone who dates back to the
Great Depression of the 1930's, antique tractors are those
produced
during the period from the early 1900's up into the 1950's.
To a Baby Boomer or the member of a younger generation,
antique tractors
might well be ones manufactured in the 1970's or later. The
Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association does not provide an
exact definition of an antique tractor; however, in its safety rules
for tractor pulls, the Association specifies that "All pulling tractors
must be 30
years or older." The
National Antique Tractor Pullers Association generally considers
antique tractors to be those manufactured in 1957 or before, with the
caveat that tractors manufactured after 1957 can be
considered antique if their production models started in 1957
or earlier. Many people consider the cut-off date to be 1960,
because that was the year when John Deere & Company
introduced its New Generation tractors with four and
six-cylinder engines. There also seems to be a growing consensus that
tractors produced after 1960 but at least 25 years old are "classic
tractors." However, in the
final determination, your
age and your experience will very likely influence your decision, and,
whatever you decide, who can disagree.
|
