Besides being old & rusty or not even working, those John Deere lawn & garden tractors that were built & sold in the 1960's, 70's or 1980's my be more valuable than you could ever imagine. Unfortunately, after many years of faithful service many of them have been placed in an isolated corner of our yards to rust away, or have been brought to the local junk yard to be disposed of. Many of these early model tractors are now nearing the official classification as Antiques & highly sought after by collectors & restorers of John Deere tractors.
Unfortunately, many people are not aware of the value or the historical significance of many of these little tractors. Ironically, this has to some degree added to their overall value because many of the parts needed to restore & repair these little machine are no longer available from the original manufacturer. Not only is there a shortage of parts, the information to repair them as well is in high demand & has now become just as valuable as the machine itself. This has opened up another whole new area to collectors & restorers. Many people are now specializing in the collection & sale of the vast amount of official repair manuals & bulletins that the original manufacturer provided when these machines were originally sold.
Garden
A John Deere Model 110 lawn & garden tractor that sold new in 1963 for less than 0 is now easily worth four, five, six thousand or possibly more to the right collector. And while condition is always a factor, this is an area where condition is usually not the top deciding factor in price. This is because many collectors & restores will add value to a machine if it has the working parts needed to complete the restoration or repair of another machine. Both collectors & restorers want original equipment parts, even when a replica or reproduced parts may be available. Many are willing to pay for original used parts well over the cost of a reproduced part due to the historic value & significance. Keeping it all John Deere & all original is probably the number one factor in driving the price.
There is a growing number of collectors who do not collect or restore these old tractors, but who collect & sell all the thousands of pages of owner's manuals, shop service & repair manuals, repair bulletins, sales literature & marketing material. Of course the value of this material is that it must all be original & issued by the manufacturer. In mint conditions many of these items can be worth from hundreds to thousands of dollars. For many, who do not want or cannot handle the actual collection & storage of the machines, the collection of original catalogs, manuals & sales sheets is ideal. And it cannot be stressed enough, that without this documentation, it would prove almost impossible to bring these vintage machines back to life & back to the condition they were in when they left the factory.
or those who have an interest in these old machines, there are many fine sources that one can utilize to broaden their knowledge. There are many local & national clubs. Some clubs are dedicated to one brand of machine or a specific line of tractors. Other clubs cover the entire range of available brands. If you do an online search for these clubs you will be amazed what you will find. I am sure that in your own hometown you will be able to find a club, or individuals that share a similar interest. On the worldwide web you will find many dedicated websites run by clubs or individuals & covering almost every aspect of this hobby. And if you have a local John Deere Dealer, an independent power equipment dealer or other brand dealer, you could ask them about local clubs, events or other collectors & hobbyists in your area. Your local public library can also be a source for reference materials & contact information.
The very nature of this activity requires individuals to share their knowledge & expertise with each other. Many lifelong friendships have become a byproduct of this activity & I am sure that once you get involved you will find yourself making new friends too.
John Deere, Vintage Garden Tractors
The author of this article has had a long time interest in the history of Deere & Co. and its founder, John Deere. The technological advances along with manufacturing capabilities from Deere & company played a significant part in the advancement of agriculture in America.
In later years Deere & Co. realized the needs of the smaller farms & rural home owners & developed a line of small tractors & attachments which entered the market place in the 1960's. Now in the twenty first century of high tech, these twentieth century machines have gained a place in American history. Many of the individuals involved in the collection & restoration of these vintage machines do it in the spirit of historical preservation.
At Jerrys Deere Barn [http://www.JerrysDeereBarn.com] you will find free information on repair & restoration, a member's forum, a photo gallery and many other features. Participation is free & we invite everyone who has an interest in John Deere to stop by and visit us. Individuals are encouraged to join the forum & participate by asking & answering the questions of other members. Please share your knowledge.
Every John Deere vintage tractor enthusiast is invited to this friendly & FREE website. visit us at [http://www.JerrysDeereBarn.com]