Good stories. You've inspired me - I'm gonna make my own Oliver tractor story video that you can watch, rather than just send you an email with pics. That way, anyone else who wants to can enjoy it too.
It was way back in 19 ought 7 when Great Grandpappy Phardtpounder bought his first steam engine. He never tilled an acre with the thing, but the stories are still told about how used that steel goliath to boil his chickens. The feathers would just about fly out of the birds, saving much time in the process of bringing Phardtpounder's Chicken to tables in the greater tri-state area. The final stage of preparation was to place the chickens over the smokestack. Now you'd think this would make the birds taste of soot and coal, and that isn't all that far from the truth. The skin would get extra crispy from the inferno that was burning in the belly of that iron beast, and it was the addition of Great Grandpappy's special herb, known only as "The Colonel's Whacky Tobaccy", that would add the final taste sensation to what would otherwise be a contender for a Brownfield Cleanup. Ol' Great Grandpappy always said it was finger licking good, which was odd seeing how as he had lost his last finger five years prior while beheading chicken. I've heard the tale time and time again, and I still think about how awesome it would be to get that old steamer back and restore it.
I think Ryan Kelly off TikTok explained it the best. We, as farmers, have a love of the land and our tractors are an extension of ourselves that we use to work and care for that land. I dont have my family tractors, the ones I own Ive had 10 years or less, but I still have a deep attachment to them, and to several generations of farmers who worked the land with them, paid off farms with them, and fed their familys with them, even if I never knew those guys, I know their tractor. I know a part of their story. Agriculture keeps looking forward, but its very important to look back every once in a while.
I totally understand what you are saying, its the same with our 1973 SAME aurora 45 my dad worked for the farmer that had it in his younger years and learned to drive on it, it must have well over 13000 hours on it we ar not exactly sure on that, the clock was broken for a long time. And also those were hard ours, it was used every day in the winter with a side tip trailer for feeding silage, it also pulled a four row potato planter an two row potato harvester and it did a lot of row cultivating and spraying. And when the farmer wanted to sell it dad bought it, that was around 2003 he used it for pulling a lot of stumps and brush on our property and mowing hay for the horses. He also used it with a narrow trailer to put the horse manure in our neighbors orchard that was the first job I ever did with it that was how i learned to drive. I must have been 4 years old or so then dad would put it in the lowest gear so i only had to steer it between the trees and dad would be on the back of the trailer forking te manure by the trees. As I got older I learned to do more jobs with it, and last year I bought an other aurora 45 and restored it but i would still sell that before the other one. When you have somethings long enough you just get attached to them especially if they take you back to your youth. Thats my tractor story I hope somebody enjoys it. I watch every video you post and love every one of them, I also like your humor, one needs a good laugh from time to time. As long as you keep posting I will keep watching, I usually don't comment a lot but I thought I would share my story.
My first tractor I bought was a Farmall M in 1978. I was 18. Still have it and use it. Love it . Neighbor had Olivers and thats where my love of Olivers came in. Now have a Super 77. 1800C and 1850 Diesel plus several other IH FORD AND CASE Tractors Keep up the good videos Ross. Enjoy Them
Great story. Thanks for sharing your family history. My grandparents farmed in Iowa. I spent every summer from the first day of summer vacation until the weekend before school started on their farm. Lots of memories.
HI ROSS 😊😊 in the 194OS and 195OS most people went 2 a tractor 🚜 😊 dealer bought a brand new tractor 🚜 😊 and the kids of the 194OS 195OS the kids from got 2 ride on the tractor 🚜 😊 W grandpa and dad it was a joy 😊🎉 back then and when the kids where old enough and could drive a tractor then they put U 2 work on the tractor Ross I have 2 say IVE heard about this be 4 😊😊 it was a bit be 4 my time that's when U could go 2 town close by or just a few miles 2 go 2 a tractor 🚜 😊 dealership it was a true back then 😊🎉 Ross I haven't be able 2 go back in time like it was years ago that's the way it was then 😊🎉 OMG 7 1 2O24
Shoot Ross, my grandmother passed in 2016 at 96 and still kept and used an old Maytag ringer washer with the white rollers, and always hung her laundry on the line till the day she died. Old school is better than new for a lot of things where durability is concerned. You keep doing you, nothing wrong with it, it works for you, me, and a lot of folks.
My Mom just turned 80 and still uses Grandma's old Maytag wringer washer. It still has the Hit and Miss engine underneath to run it my brother rebuilt that engine in 1998. Still works pretty close to perfect.
I read in an IH book that their tractors were designed to last 7 or 8 years I think they missed their mark quite a bit Yes they took pride in the tractors they built and they would be very proud knowing how many tractors were still out there doing a part in feeding the world
I love your channel my farmer friend gave me Oliver 66 dont running then other 70 oliver he wanted see me get up running .spend money fiquire I dint grow up on farmer another farmer friend gave me bag seed start small work way up
Ross I know exactly how you feel about that old tractor. My grandpa had a 1655 diesel he absolutely loved. Actually had 2 but one threw rod in 80s before internet couldn't find a motor for it. Set in barn for years. He finally sold it. Anyway the one we still have I I'm planning to restore we used it almost everyday grinding feed, baling hay, plowing when I was younger. Now it's really to small for things we have now. Also have his 770 both will stay on this farm as long as I'm alive. I liked the this video brings a guy back to remember things you don't stop to reminisce about enough like we should.
I have the 1955 Ferguson TO35 that was brought new to the farm back then and my father used it his whole life, it was the smallest tractor on the farm but it had the most hours of any of them. I pulled it out of the old yard and worked on it until it's reliable again and replace well worn parts as I go (12v conversion was a great improvement). I picked up a WD wide front that was built within two weeks of the one we had on the farm (my brother has that one) and the Oliver 880 is in pieces in the corn crib shed at the old farm where it's been since 1980 due to a broken transmission helical gear (I guess that's common), my father in his last years got the tractor mostly back together but one cylinder seized and the motor has sat cross-wise of the body for a dozen years now. That 880 is why I subscribed to your channel. I've thought maybe we just pull the whole sleeve and piston together out so we can get it running. Right in front of it is the mounted New Idea picker he bought at the same time with the tractor. I rode the wagon behind that tractor baling hay.
The 60 & B J.D. tractors I grew up on are still in the family , but I personally never want to spend another day listening to a two cylinder. I now have a white 2-70, a Massey Ferguson 175 & I just drug home a Oliver 550. I have restored the White & am working on the M.F. so I guess the 550 will be next. Thanks Ross
Hi Ross great back ground . I grew up in the dairy farm and we had 7 Olivers the 1650 diesel hydro drive over/under was a great tractor but the newer one was 1755 diesel man the power in that was AWSOME !!!!!!!. it looks just like the one you have . that ran so good and for ever. its the farm life in you that keeps you going . it does it to me all the time i see a oliver in the field or on a farm when i drive by. i some times want to stop and go hug them old tractors and say rember when. i 64 years old and love them. Thank you for the videos .
Keep up the good work Ross. I recently went through a bad break up. I thought about selling off a bunch of tractors, & getting down to one. The family farm is gone. A 1961 John Deere 3010 diesel was the last tractor my grandpa bought for me. The farm is gone, but memories & the tractors are still there
I fully agree with how you feel about your old iron. Cut 13 acres of wheat with my granpas old combine. First one I ever ran solo many years ago and four generations have held that steering wheel!
I completely get where your coming from, especially the part of “anyone else will look at it and be oh that’s cool” I’ve got a 2001 F350 and a 1974 ford 3000 that only dad and I really know why I love them so much, also if you don’t mind keep these stories coming i’d definitely enjoy them.
My favorite tractor will probably always be my 4020. My dad bought our John Deere 70 diesel in the mid 70s and I knew the name of the previous owners but a few years ago my wife had him as a home care patient so I was able to meet him. Turned out his aunt owned our farm. They had written a book on their family farm history had pictures of the 70 as well as family pictures on the front porch of what would become our farm house. Then there is my John Deere 60 which I have the history of that and know it was entered into Deere inventory on June 6 1954. 70 years ago. I have some history on one of my Olivers but the 70 Hart Parr I out bid a scraper. These stores are what real history is about if you want to study how people lived. This is what life was like on the average farm in America.
First comment on one of your videos - which I watch now every sunday while doing work on the computer. Dad and I tracked down his Uncle Bill's 88 this past fall. I also bought another 88 from another family this past summer that cried letting it go but insisted they could no longer keep it. We still have the Oliver 70 my Grandpa put my dad on when he was 7 to help and my Grandpa's Oliver 77 which spent most of it's time with a loader on it. Grandpa had an 880,1600 and 1650 also. I really like watching your videos on the 1650 today because that is how we feel about our Olivers and I like to imagine what my Grandpa looked like on a 1650. Id like an 880 and 1650 someday too. With the 4 wee have now we will have the thrill of taking to a couple shows this summer.
Great stories Ross. I like listening to other people's history. We've all got a story and they're relatable in some ways. You can get attached to a chunk of metal. My Grandpa had a 52 8N Ford he bought in 55 that is very special to us. My Dad, my uncle and all us grandkids learned to drive tractor on it.
I like the story and history, I have the same feelings about my grandpas farmall h, the only tractor my family ever purchased new. Thank you for the video.
Great story Ross I have my father's 1961 David Brown 880 twelve speed the first one made he went all over UK with it demo-ing it with a grimme carrot harvester also the first of its kind it's great to reminisce
i have my dads tractor we had for many a years i needs rebuilt an im gonna keep it in the family i giving it to my family to redo an keep it in the family
Ross, you being an inspirational figure you have inspired me to get the old D-15 out of the barn. (Series 1, narrow front-end, gas). I tried to run the old 725 massey haybine today with it. Old coupler leaked to bad. But I'm not done, going to NAPA tomorrow to get another coupler for it. Thanks, Ross
Completely understand how you feel, I only have 6 tractors and all but 2 of them have some special connection to someone or a childhood memory. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thanks for sharing that story! I would feel the same if I would ever get a hold of my dads old tractors. Probably mostly worthless for most but would be priceless for me.
I feel the same way about my grandfathers Oliver 70 that i have. It was his first tractor and started my love of Olivers. He gave it to me when i was 13. Still have it. It needs some love. And hasnt left the shed in a several years. And as long as im alive it will never leave the family.
I could listen to tractor and farming stories for hours I feel the same way about my dads tractors even the ones that I have faint memory of them running i’m currently working on restoring my dads first tractor a 1965 massey ferguson 165 diesel and i will probably hang the old steering wheel on the wall just because. great video keep up the good work.
I loved this video Ross. So great to hear all the great old stories as people reminisce about past farm experiences. Those tractors can sure be sentimental. I love to watch you work on tractors but a video like this every once in a while would be a nice touch. BTW, what day is your dad's bday ? I also was born December of '58. Just curious 😂😂
Thanks for the Story time. You definitely have family memories and it is great that you are recording these memories for others. Keep telling the stories we enjoy them.
Always interesting to follow the history of a tractor. Don't believe the current model tractors will be alive and well when they're 50-60-70 yrs old. Our 656 gas farmall was bought new locally and we're the second owner. My youngest son says that one will always be here. LIke your 1650 it's a big/little tractor good for field and utility work.
That is a hard one to answer. I have my Great Grandpa's Massey Harris 22 but the most important tractor to me is the Deutz D100 06 my dad bought when I was one year old. It has been a workhorse for the farm for almost the whole 37 years we have owned it. Have to be one of those two which one no idea.
What great memory that you have with your grandpa's tractor. I have some memories of my dad's first tractor, at least the one that I recall as a youngster back in the 60's. I don't have any pictures to share, but it was a Farmall H, which he traded back in the mid 70's and I don't have any knowledge of the tractors serial number or the whereabouts of it. That said, I do appreciate all the you talked about with your grandpa's legacy, keep them with you, they will only get dearer to your heart. Thanks for the great memories, I hope you have a wonderful day.
I picked up a 145 versatile the other day that my grandma had new. The guy I got it from had it since 96. But he sold it to me. Wasn’t cheap as I think He wanted to keep it. But it’s mine now.
But I’m having problems with it to. I don’t know what to do. My grandpa welded angle iron lights onto it and put a bigger motor in it etc. and I don’t know if I should leave it or put it to right again.
I really enjoyed you sharing and reminiscing about your family and the tractors that you all used over the generations. I hope the land and the important tractors stay in your family for many more generations to come. See ya tomorrow!
Great video. Hope you do more like this. I can relate as I have the John Deere my dad learned to drive on here on the farm. He had field spreading duty and had to use both hands and feet to disengage the hand clutch as he wasn’t all that old. It’s in my barn and I look at it every day. Peace my friend.
Fantastic video. My family didn't have farm tractors ( but I have several) but had simplicity garden tractors. I still have my grandpa's and my dad's. Cherish every minute on them. Keep up the good work Ross!
I enjoyed the story. The best part of tractor shows is folks sharing stories about there tractors or what not. My grandpa didn't like diesels either. Didn't like the diesel smoke. Bought gas tractors. He did buy a IH 815 diesel combine after all the gas 815's in the area burned in one year. I'm the opposite. Out side of a 1850LP and a 5555 combine I'm all diesel. Gas engines and I have a rather strained relation ship. I had been wondering why you had so many narrow fronts. Any narrow front over a 1650 would be rather rare here. Even in that model it doesn't appear to be real common. I only have one narrow front total and it was originally a wide front. Keep up the videos!
We still have the only tractor dad bought new. 1969 1750 diesel with 3 speed. He got when he came back from Vietnam. Hasn’t ran for years has hole in block. It has had parts robbed off it to repair others, so it would be tough to get it going again. Like the history of things like that.
Great video Ross love the family history. So many people feel no connection or even care about there families beginnings and history. Our family have farmed with Oliver’s and whites forever. I’ve got fond memories of each one hard to pick a favorite.
Very great story enjoyed it much. I have my dad’s first tractors he bought new a 1962 770 and a 1966 1650 and use them all summer. Dad pasted in 1995. He loved the 1650 . One day he told me , he slapped the hood and said” this ol boy is a part of me I’ll keep it forever.” He did and I’ll keep it till I’m gone.
Nice history of simpler times! Not all that makes us who we are, but certainly a large part of my make up! Certainly I wish I had put more things I was told to memory or recorded them somehow now that all my grands and parents are gone.
Great story I like hearing these too way to much gets lost with our grandparents, parents , we have a couple old Farmall M's one was dads parents and the other was moms parents might be cheap ole tractors to some but millions to me and those memories
I know exactly what you mean by getting attached to things like that tractor. I have a 1947 Farmall model H that my grandfather bought new along with the original bill of sale with his signature along with his brother and my great grandfather. People try to buy that tractor all the time because it is so straight and has never been anywhere but that farm since new. Consequently that tractor came on the farm the same year that my mom was born so they were both new to the farm in the same year. I guess that would be my last one that I would ever sell. Thanks for sharing the history of the 1650. I always think that stuff is pretty neat and interesting.
One tractor I wish I could find is my grandpa's 60. He bought a farm in 1953 and with the farm came a Cub Farmall. That wasn't enough tractor for a 40 acre farm, so in 1954 or 1955 he traded the cub for an Oliver 60 from Wengers of Myerstown. The 60 was one of the first tractors Carl Wenger sold and even though that tractor was sold at my grandpa's sale before I was born, I think it would be cool to have it back in the family. None of my grandpa's tractors stayed in the family but my dad has some equipment that was grandpa's that I don't want to let get away. Also the first 60 I drove with was the first tractor I remember my dad buying and the Oc-6 is the 2 tractors I don't want to let get away. The Oc-6 was the tractor I was cut loose on to try my mechanical skills on after we bought the basket case, so that one has a special place with me.
Sometimes, memories are all we have left of people we care deeply about. that's why the bond is so strong. that's what makes keeping old tractors, or even steering wheels so worth it. if you replace that steering wheel, take that original one and hang it up somewhere where you can display it. that will keep their memory alive. My Earliest memory is me riding on the Right fender of my uncle's Minneapolis Moline G900. I have memories with him from about 6 years old til i was about 12 or 13 riding and eventually driving that tractor. That's why I love these old Moline tractors. now , after having done a lot of research and reading the history on them, I have become a Fan of Oliver and Cockshutt Tractors also.
I totally understand about your being attached to that 1650. While I do not live on a farm or collect tractors, I have had a 1955 Chevy since 1995. I had been sober for a couple of years and was a part of a men's accountability group that met every Tuesday night at a river camp on old Henderson Road in Union Township. The guy who owned the camp had this car and had two teenaged sons. Apparently, they had been playing with the car and were jumping it between huge piles of dirt out at his place and he was afraid that if they kept driving it very long, they would destroy it. He did not want that. A group of us had a group conscious and decided to put a new pressure-treated deck on the back of the river camp. For the next month, the two of us met every Friday, had lunch, and I helped him install five-quarter on the deck surface. After we finished and installed a railing around the outside of the deck, he told me he felt like he owed me something. He told me to meet him at his mechanic's shop the following Tuesday (the guy had installed new brakes on the front of this car) and we drove to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and he signed the title to the car over to me. I have had the car ever since, have driven it over 100,000 miles and replaced virtually everything on it since then. I am presently replacing rusty sheet metal in the trunk area above the bumper and the tail pan. David Coker
It is unfortunate that I have no pictures of the first tractor I was able to operate all by myself. I know I was 5 years old and it was an Oliver. I wish many times I could recall the size and model. I pulled a drag disc and felt like I was really doing something. Your video took me back to my younger years. I'm 64 years old, going on 65. When I was 6 or 7, dad traded the little Oliver and the farmall M, for a Massey Harris 44 diesel. We had a 44 gas and my oldest brother was always getting headaches. The diesel had a narrow front and so he had to switch to a wide front end. My two older brothers had different tastes in front end. My brother just above me preferred narrow and my oldest preferred wide front. So dad switched the front end from the gas to the diesel. My older brother ended up a tractor with the narrow front end, which was the same front as the M. My oldest got his wide front end and didn't have headaches from the diesel. I, on the other hand, lost out altogether as I was too small for anything else we had on the farm at the time. Lol. I was probably 9 or 10 before I was able to run anything by myself. I don't suppose I will ever forget that little Oliver. I really enjoyed the stories in this video. I understand the feeling you have with the sentimental attachment to. I have my grandfather's Farmall B, and my uncle's wheel horse 1059(I'm second owner of it). Memories of those two are awesome and mean a lot to me.. thanks for sharing. See you later. Sorry for the long comment.
Great video! I think that’s the best thing about tractor rides and events is being around others that love tractors just as much as you. Heck I’d probably talk to a rock about tractors if I thought it would listen. Grew up on the fender of a 88 and 1850 oliver and I’ve loved them ever since
Ross we have dad's last row crop tractor. It's not going anywhere!!! We have dad's tools , we have some of his dad's tools. They are not going anywhere!!!
Ross the oldest tractor I own is the same age as I am 70 yrs old It is a model 70. My 4010 is a 1962 model , my 4020 is a 1967 model. Dad's last row crop tractor is a 1973 model. All John Deere. The only tractor that is not a working is the 70.
Nice story time Ross! I know exactly what you're saying. I have a 55 WD45 my grandpa bought new along with that WD9 loader you were talking about, and a 2 row front mount cultivator. The tractor is a wide front, so it was a pain to put the cultivator on. I was born in 57 and sometime when I was in early grade school, dad bought another 55 WD45 narrow front to put the cultivator on. I remember we were out for recess at school when dad drove by with it after the auction. I still have both of them, but the one my grandpa bought new will never leave as long as I'm breathing! It needs front and rear main seals, but other than that is in good shape. I use it a lot for light work, but I want to semi retire it, and restore it to near new shape. I hope I live long enough to get that all done! I have arthritis in my knees I think and its kinda hard to get on and off of, but I will never let it go! I'd like to maybe find a D17 to use just because I think it may be easier to mount! Keep the stories coming Ross!
Good morning Ross. I know we could just sit around and swap stories like this .... I enjoy them immensely 😁👍 I have a technical sort of question though. Did the late 1850's have the under over hydraul shift as an option? And the 1650 and 1655 for that matter too? My 560 isn't the handiest tractor for somethings and well a person starts to dream when he's tedding hay... Keep up the good work 👍 👏
Ross its funny to me how people can be so negative about everything you do, I say the heck with them ! There the kind of people if you gave them a million dollars they would be like oh only a million ? Your money your life so do as you please and dont worry be happy ! LOL We tend to have old iron disease and thats a fun one to have ! LOL Bandit
We had a 1800 checker board model and we ran a IH 234 picker on it after changing out the larger tires,to narrower ones , heck we ran it almost in Rd gear as we had plenty of power even to handle the sheller rear attachment we also had available and ready to change over so to to fill the grain bins after the corn cribs were full,we usually filled the cribs first as the bins required drying and that was expensive to do .Around 400 arcers of corn or more a year,,we farmed around 850 total,and had 400 to 500 head of feeder cattle and 300 to 400 hogs. It was very busy farm with that livestock to support for sure,esp during the Iowa winters
Still have the 806D that I started out with, in 72. And the 1206 that I got from my neighbor, 40 years back. Yes your correct about not being able to know more about your viewers. FWIW, in my case, my son, about your age, has started a small you tube channel of his own that briefly cover a bit of our tractor hobby. "farmhaus" You might get a kick out of our brief videos. Not nearly as high quality as your endeavors, but hopefully it will improve with time.
Good morning Ross. I’ve got a 1650 diesel, bought new in 1966. It will never leave my place. It needs some transmission work done and I’m hoping to fix it sometime soon.
Sometimes people attach to things that maybe don't make sense, but it means something to them. My grandpa bought a 1964 John Deere 2010 that was two years old from the original owner that he barrowed when his tractor laid down one time or another. He bought two other utility tractors after that one, but he kept the 2010, today that tractor has very little monetary value but if I was down to one tractor that would be it. The clock has gone around once and is halfway the second time, he's still in work clothes from original, those tractors were supposed to be junk. Just never can tell which dents in the fender matters, or the hood crease from setting gas cans on it. I know the son of the man that bought it new and see him once every blue moon. He'll sometimes ask how his daddy's tractor is doing and if he can buy it back, the answer is still no.
No sir about your steering wheel find the same exact way everybody says I saved the stupidest stuff for the stupidest reasons but it's my reason and I could care less what they think like I said brothers from a different mother
Well my stories would all be about what repairs I had to do under miserable conditions; seems like that was always when something would break. Especially with idiots running the equipment. If I had to pick a favourite tractor ... I don't know. The 2255 was impressive as hell (yes I had to do a big nasty repair on that) and the Super 88 was ol' dependable ... I can surely tell you how much I HATED the Farmall 400 TA though! *LOL* Anyway all the equipment and even the pictures (had some video) are gone now along with all the other momentos from my life as the house burned down in April and destroyed everything.
Such a fantastic story. Anything to do with the farm of farming life is just fantastic to me. They may only pieces of metal to some people outside of farming, but without them we would really be a hurting bunch of folks. They are part of what we love and do. Thank you so much for sharing your history and the 1650 history.
Good stories. You've inspired me - I'm gonna make my own Oliver tractor story video that you can watch, rather than just send you an email with pics. That way, anyone else who wants to can enjoy it too.
It was way back in 19 ought 7 when Great Grandpappy Phardtpounder bought his first steam engine. He never tilled an acre with the thing, but the stories are still told about how used that steel goliath to boil his chickens. The feathers would just about fly out of the birds, saving much time in the process of bringing Phardtpounder's Chicken to tables in the greater tri-state area. The final stage of preparation was to place the chickens over the smokestack. Now you'd think this would make the birds taste of soot and coal, and that isn't all that far from the truth. The skin would get extra crispy from the inferno that was burning in the belly of that iron beast, and it was the addition of Great Grandpappy's special herb, known only as "The Colonel's Whacky Tobaccy", that would add the final taste sensation to what would otherwise be a contender for a Brownfield Cleanup. Ol' Great Grandpappy always said it was finger licking good, which was odd seeing how as he had lost his last finger five years prior while beheading chicken. I've heard the tale time and time again, and I still think about how awesome it would be to get that old steamer back and restore it.
❤❤❤ The Phardpounders have such a rich heritage. America wouldn’t be what it is today without a good Phardpounding in days gone by.
I think Ryan Kelly off TikTok explained it the best. We, as farmers, have a love of the land and our tractors are an extension of ourselves that we use to work and care for that land. I dont have my family tractors, the ones I own Ive had 10 years or less, but I still have a deep attachment to them, and to several generations of farmers who worked the land with them, paid off farms with them, and fed their familys with them, even if I never knew those guys, I know their tractor. I know a part of their story. Agriculture keeps looking forward, but its very important to look back every once in a while.
I really enjoy Ryan's videos also. Its really neat to hear the history about the farms and tractors that they had
Love your talk I owned a Oliver sixty six great tractor god bless you Pete from Wisconsin
I totally understand what you are saying, its the same with our 1973 SAME aurora 45 my dad worked for the farmer that had it in his younger years and learned to drive on it, it must have well over 13000 hours on it we ar not exactly sure on that, the clock was broken for a long time. And also those were hard ours, it was used every day in the winter with a side tip trailer for feeding silage, it also pulled a four row potato planter an two row potato harvester and it did a lot of row cultivating and spraying. And when the farmer wanted to sell it dad bought it, that was around 2003 he used it for pulling a lot of stumps and brush on our property and mowing hay for the horses. He also used it with a narrow trailer to put the horse manure in our neighbors orchard that was the first job I ever did with it that was how i learned to drive. I must have been 4 years old or so then dad would put it in the lowest gear so i only had to steer it between the trees and dad would be on the back of the trailer forking te manure by the trees. As I got older I learned to do more jobs with it, and last year I bought an other aurora 45 and restored it but i would still sell that before the other one. When you have somethings long enough you just get attached to them especially if they take you back to your youth. Thats my tractor story I hope somebody enjoys it. I watch every video you post and love every one of them, I also like your humor, one needs a good laugh from time to time. As long as you keep posting I will keep watching, I usually don't comment a lot but I thought I would share my story.
My first tractor I bought was a Farmall M in 1978. I was 18. Still have it and use it. Love it . Neighbor had Olivers and thats where my love of Olivers came in. Now have a Super 77. 1800C and 1850 Diesel plus several other IH FORD AND CASE Tractors Keep up the good videos Ross. Enjoy Them
Great story. Thanks for sharing your family history. My grandparents farmed in Iowa. I spent every summer from the first day of summer vacation until the weekend before school started on their farm. Lots of memories.
HI ROSS 😊😊 in the 194OS and 195OS most people went 2 a tractor 🚜 😊 dealer bought a brand new tractor 🚜 😊 and the kids of the 194OS 195OS the kids from got 2 ride on the tractor 🚜 😊 W grandpa and dad it was a joy 😊🎉 back then and when the kids where old enough and could drive a tractor then they put U 2 work on the tractor Ross I have 2 say IVE heard about this be 4 😊😊 it was a bit be 4 my time that's when U could go 2 town close by or just a few miles 2 go 2 a tractor 🚜 😊 dealership it was a true back then 😊🎉 Ross I haven't be able 2 go back in time like it was years ago that's the way it was then 😊🎉 OMG 7 1 2O24
Shoot Ross, my grandmother passed in 2016 at 96 and still kept and used an old Maytag ringer washer with the white rollers, and always hung her laundry on the line till the day she died. Old school is better than new for a lot of things where durability is concerned. You keep doing you, nothing wrong with it, it works for you, me, and a lot of folks.
My Mom just turned 80 and still uses Grandma's old Maytag wringer washer. It still has the Hit and Miss engine underneath to run it my brother rebuilt that engine in 1998. Still works pretty close to perfect.
I read in an IH book that their tractors were designed to last 7 or 8 years I think they missed their mark quite a bit
Yes they took pride in the tractors they built and they would be very proud knowing how many tractors were still out there doing a part in feeding the world
I love your channel my farmer friend gave me Oliver 66 dont running then other 70 oliver he wanted see me get up running .spend money fiquire I dint grow up on farmer another farmer friend gave me bag seed start small work way up
Grew up on far malls was in 5 th grade when they delivered the big dog farm all 706 I was shiting in high cotton that day
Good talk, good talk.👍
Ross I know exactly how you feel about that old tractor. My grandpa had a 1655 diesel he absolutely loved. Actually had 2 but one threw rod in 80s before internet couldn't find a motor for it. Set in barn for years. He finally sold it. Anyway the one we still have I I'm planning to restore we used it almost everyday grinding feed, baling hay, plowing when I was younger. Now it's really to small for things we have now. Also have his 770 both will stay on this farm as long as I'm alive. I liked the this video brings a guy back to remember things you don't stop to reminisce about enough like we should.
I have the 1955 Ferguson TO35 that was brought new to the farm back then and my father used it his whole life, it was the smallest tractor on the farm but it had the most hours of any of them. I pulled it out of the old yard and worked on it until it's reliable again and replace well worn parts as I go (12v conversion was a great improvement). I picked up a WD wide front that was built within two weeks of the one we had on the farm (my brother has that one) and the Oliver 880 is in pieces in the corn crib shed at the old farm where it's been since 1980 due to a broken transmission helical gear (I guess that's common), my father in his last years got the tractor mostly back together but one cylinder seized and the motor has sat cross-wise of the body for a dozen years now. That 880 is why I subscribed to your channel. I've thought maybe we just pull the whole sleeve and piston together out so we can get it running. Right in front of it is the mounted New Idea picker he bought at the same time with the tractor. I rode the wagon behind that tractor baling hay.
I know how you feel Ross, my two boys took turns raking hay this morning with the naa Ford, their great grandfather purchased.
The 60 & B J.D. tractors I grew up on are still in the family , but I personally never want to spend another day listening to a two cylinder. I now have a white 2-70, a Massey Ferguson 175 & I just drug home a Oliver 550. I have restored the White & am working on the M.F. so I guess the 550 will be next. Thanks Ross
Hi Ross great back ground . I grew up in the dairy farm and we had 7 Olivers the 1650 diesel hydro drive over/under was a great tractor but the newer one was 1755 diesel man the power in that was AWSOME !!!!!!!. it looks just like the one you have . that ran so good and for ever. its the farm life in you that keeps you going . it does it to me all the time i see a oliver in the field or on a farm when i drive by. i some times want to stop and go hug them old tractors and say rember when. i 64 years old and love them. Thank you for the videos .
Keep up the good work Ross. I recently went through a bad break up. I thought about selling off a bunch of tractors, & getting down to one. The family farm is gone. A 1961 John Deere 3010 diesel was the last tractor my grandpa bought for me. The farm is gone, but memories & the tractors are still there
I fully agree with how you feel about your old iron. Cut 13 acres of wheat with my granpas old combine. First one I ever ran solo many years ago and four generations have held that steering wheel!
I completely get where your coming from, especially the part of “anyone else will look at it and be oh that’s cool” I’ve got a 2001 F350 and a 1974 ford 3000 that only dad and I really know why I love them so much, also if you don’t mind keep these stories coming i’d definitely enjoy them.
My favorite tractor will probably always be my 4020. My dad bought our John Deere 70 diesel in the mid 70s and I knew the name of the previous owners but a few years ago my wife had him as a home care patient so I was able to meet him. Turned out his aunt owned our farm. They had written a book on their family farm history had pictures of the 70 as well as family pictures on the front porch of what would become our farm house. Then there is my John Deere 60 which I have the history of that and know it was entered into Deere inventory on June 6 1954. 70 years ago. I have some history on one of my Olivers but the 70 Hart Parr I out bid a scraper. These stores are what real history is about if you want to study how people lived. This is what life was like on the average farm in America.
Our 2 135 is the last tractor my grandpa and my great grandpa bought. They put every hour on it, which is neat to think about.
i understand complety ross i feel yhe same i have a a john deere vthat my mom bought when she took over the farm ftom dad.
First comment on one of your videos - which I watch now every sunday while doing work on the computer. Dad and I tracked down his Uncle Bill's 88 this past fall. I also bought another 88 from another family this past summer that cried letting it go but insisted they could no longer keep it. We still have the Oliver 70 my Grandpa put my dad on when he was 7 to help and my Grandpa's Oliver 77 which spent most of it's time with a loader on it. Grandpa had an 880,1600 and 1650 also. I really like watching your videos on the 1650 today because that is how we feel about our Olivers and I like to imagine what my Grandpa looked like on a 1650. Id like an 880 and 1650 someday too. With the 4 wee have now we will have the thrill of taking to a couple shows this summer.
Great stories Ross. I like listening to other people's history. We've all got a story and they're relatable in some ways. You can get attached to a chunk of metal. My Grandpa had a 52 8N Ford he bought in 55 that is very special to us. My Dad, my uncle and all us grandkids learned to drive tractor on it.
Great video. Sounds like around here 😅
I like the story and history, I have the same feelings about my grandpas farmall h, the only tractor my family ever purchased new. Thank you for the video.
Great story Ross I have my father's 1961 David Brown 880 twelve speed the first one made he went all over UK with it demo-ing it with a grimme carrot harvester also the first of its kind it's great to reminisce
i have my dads tractor we had for many a years i needs rebuilt an im gonna keep it in the family i giving it to my family to redo an keep it in the family
Ross, you being an inspirational figure you have inspired me to get the old D-15 out of the barn. (Series 1, narrow front-end, gas). I tried to run the old 725 massey haybine today with it. Old coupler leaked to bad. But I'm not done, going to NAPA tomorrow to get another coupler for it. Thanks, Ross
Completely understand how you feel, I only have 6 tractors and all but 2 of them have some special connection to someone or a childhood memory. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thanks for sharing that story! I would feel the same if I would ever get a hold of my dads old tractors. Probably mostly worthless for most but would be priceless for me.
I feel the same way about my grandfathers Oliver 70 that i have. It was his first tractor and started my love of Olivers. He gave it to me when i was 13. Still have it. It needs some love. And hasnt left the shed in a several years. And as long as im alive it will never leave the family.
I could listen to tractor and farming stories for hours I feel the same way about my dads tractors even the ones that I have faint memory of them running i’m currently working on restoring my dads first tractor a 1965 massey ferguson 165 diesel and i will probably hang the old steering wheel on the wall just because. great video keep up the good work.
I loved this video Ross. So great to hear all the great old stories as people reminisce about past farm experiences. Those tractors can sure be sentimental. I love to watch you work on tractors but a video like this every once in a while would be a nice touch. BTW, what day is your dad's bday ? I also was born December of '58. Just curious 😂😂
Love people's tractor history videos.
Thanks for the Story time. You definitely have family memories and it is great that you are recording these memories for others. Keep telling the stories we enjoy them.
I enjoy your stories.Keep them coming.
Always interesting to follow the history of a tractor. Don't believe the current model tractors will be alive and well when they're 50-60-70 yrs old. Our 656 gas farmall was bought new locally and we're the second owner. My youngest son says that one will always be here. LIke your 1650 it's a big/little tractor good for field and utility work.
That is a hard one to answer. I have my Great Grandpa's Massey Harris 22 but the most important tractor to me is the Deutz D100 06 my dad bought when I was one year old. It has been a workhorse for the farm for almost the whole 37 years we have owned it. Have to be one of those two which one no idea.
What great memory that you have with your grandpa's tractor. I have some memories of my dad's first tractor, at least the one that I recall as a youngster back in the 60's. I don't have any pictures to share, but it was a Farmall H, which he traded back in the mid 70's and I don't have any knowledge of the tractors serial number or the whereabouts of it. That said, I do appreciate all the you talked about with your grandpa's legacy, keep them with you, they will only get dearer to your heart. Thanks for the great memories, I hope you have a wonderful day.
I picked up a 145 versatile the other day that my grandma had new. The guy I got it from had it since 96. But he sold it to me. Wasn’t cheap as I think
He wanted to keep it. But it’s mine now.
But I’m having problems with it to. I don’t know what to do. My grandpa welded angle iron lights onto it and put a bigger motor in it etc. and I don’t know if I should leave it or put it to right again.
I have a white 120 front assist that I bought with my dad when I was 18. That tractor will never leave our farm
I really enjoyed you sharing and reminiscing about your family and the tractors that you all used over the generations. I hope the land and the important tractors stay in your family for many more generations to come. See ya tomorrow!
Great video. Hope you do more like this. I can relate as I have the John Deere my dad learned to drive on here on the farm. He had field spreading duty and had to use both hands and feet to disengage the hand clutch as he wasn’t all that old. It’s in my barn and I look at it every day. Peace my friend.
Really enjoyed the talk, I have the same attachment to things like that. A lot of people don't understand it.
Fantastic video. My family didn't have farm tractors ( but I have several) but had simplicity garden tractors. I still have my grandpa's and my dad's. Cherish every minute on them. Keep up the good work Ross!
I like most any color though
I enjoyed the story. The best part of tractor shows is folks sharing stories about there tractors or what not. My grandpa didn't like diesels either. Didn't like the diesel smoke. Bought gas tractors. He did buy a IH 815 diesel combine after all the gas 815's in the area burned in one year. I'm the opposite. Out side of a 1850LP and a 5555 combine I'm all diesel. Gas engines and I have a rather strained relation ship. I had been wondering why you had so many narrow fronts. Any narrow front over a 1650 would be rather rare here. Even in that model it doesn't appear to be real common. I only have one narrow front total and it was originally a wide front. Keep up the videos!
We still have the only tractor dad bought new. 1969 1750 diesel with 3 speed. He got when he came back from Vietnam. Hasn’t ran for years has hole in block. It has had parts robbed off it to repair others, so it would be tough to get it going again. Like the history of things like that.
Great video Ross love the family history. So many people feel no connection or even care about there families beginnings and history. Our family have farmed with Oliver’s and whites forever. I’ve got fond memories of each one hard to pick a favorite.
Very great story enjoyed it much. I have my dad’s first tractors he bought new a 1962 770 and a 1966 1650 and use them all summer. Dad pasted in 1995. He loved the 1650 . One day he told me , he slapped the hood and said” this ol boy is a part of me I’ll keep it forever.” He did and I’ll keep it till I’m gone.
Nice history of simpler times! Not all
that makes us who we are, but certainly
a large part of my make up! Certainly
I wish I had put more things I was told
to memory or recorded them somehow
now that all my grands and parents are
gone.
Really liked that video Ross.
Great video. I share same feelings
Great story I like hearing these too way to much gets lost with our grandparents, parents , we have a couple old Farmall M's one was dads parents and the other was moms parents might be cheap ole tractors to some but millions to me and those memories
I know exactly what you mean by getting attached to things like that tractor. I have a 1947 Farmall model H that my grandfather bought new along with the original bill of sale with his signature along with his brother and my great grandfather. People try to buy that tractor all the time because it is so straight and has never been anywhere but that farm since new. Consequently that tractor came on the farm the same year that my mom was born so they were both new to the farm in the same year. I guess that would be my last one that I would ever sell. Thanks for sharing the history of the 1650. I always think that stuff is pretty neat and interesting.
One tractor I wish I could find is my grandpa's 60. He bought a farm in 1953 and with the farm came a Cub Farmall. That wasn't enough tractor for a 40 acre farm, so in 1954 or 1955 he traded the cub for an Oliver 60 from Wengers of Myerstown. The 60 was one of the first tractors Carl Wenger sold and even though that tractor was sold at my grandpa's sale before I was born, I think it would be cool to have it back in the family. None of my grandpa's tractors stayed in the family but my dad has some equipment that was grandpa's that I don't want to let get away. Also the first 60 I drove with was the first tractor I remember my dad buying and the Oc-6 is the 2 tractors I don't want to let get away. The Oc-6 was the tractor I was cut loose on to try my mechanical skills on after we bought the basket case, so that one has a special place with me.
I could set and listen to stories like that anytime. Keep telling them because we do listen and enjoy them, thanks Ross great video.
Sometimes, memories are all we have left of people we care deeply about. that's why the bond is so strong. that's what makes keeping old tractors, or even steering wheels so worth it. if you replace that steering wheel, take that original one and hang it up somewhere where you can display it. that will keep their memory alive.
My Earliest memory is me riding on the Right fender of my uncle's Minneapolis Moline G900. I have memories with him from about 6 years old til i was about 12 or 13 riding and eventually driving that tractor. That's why I love these old Moline tractors. now , after having done a lot of research and reading the history on them, I have become a Fan of Oliver and Cockshutt Tractors also.
Ross, I just love stories like this. I think of my family and see so many similarities. I think it builds a man to know where he comes from.
I totally understand about your being attached to that 1650. While I do not live on a farm or collect tractors, I have had a 1955 Chevy since 1995. I had been sober for a couple of years and was a part of a men's accountability group that met every Tuesday night at a river camp on old Henderson Road in Union Township. The guy who owned the camp had this car and had two teenaged sons. Apparently, they had been playing with the car and were jumping it between huge piles of dirt out at his place and he was afraid that if they kept driving it very long, they would destroy it. He did not want that. A group of us had a group conscious and decided to put a new pressure-treated deck on the back of the river camp. For the next month, the two of us met every Friday, had lunch, and I helped him install five-quarter on the deck surface. After we finished and installed a railing around the outside of the deck, he told me he felt like he owed me something. He told me to meet him at his mechanic's shop the following Tuesday (the guy had installed new brakes on the front of this car) and we drove to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and he signed the title to the car over to me. I have had the car ever since, have driven it over 100,000 miles and replaced virtually everything on it since then. I am presently replacing rusty sheet metal in the trunk area above the bumper and the tail pan. David Coker
This was an EXCELLENT video Ross!!
It is unfortunate that I have no pictures of the first tractor I was able to operate all by myself. I know I was 5 years old and it was an Oliver. I wish many times I could recall the size and model. I pulled a drag disc and felt like I was really doing something. Your video took me back to my younger years. I'm 64 years old, going on 65. When I was 6 or 7, dad traded the little Oliver and the farmall M, for a Massey Harris 44 diesel. We had a 44 gas and my oldest brother was always getting headaches. The diesel had a narrow front and so he had to switch to a wide front end. My two older brothers had different tastes in front end. My brother just above me preferred narrow and my oldest preferred wide front. So dad switched the front end from the gas to the diesel. My older brother ended up a tractor with the narrow front end, which was the same front as the M. My oldest got his wide front end and didn't have headaches from the diesel. I, on the other hand, lost out altogether as I was too small for anything else we had on the farm at the time. Lol. I was probably 9 or 10 before I was able to run anything by myself. I don't suppose I will ever forget that little Oliver. I really enjoyed the stories in this video. I understand the feeling you have with the sentimental attachment to. I have my grandfather's Farmall B, and my uncle's wheel horse 1059(I'm second owner of it). Memories of those two are awesome and mean a lot to me.. thanks for sharing. See you later. Sorry for the long comment.
Really enjoyed the video
Great video! I think that’s the best thing about tractor rides and events is being around others that love tractors just as much as you. Heck I’d probably talk to a rock about tractors if I thought it would listen. Grew up on the fender of a 88 and 1850 oliver and I’ve loved them ever since
the first tractor that i bought with my own money was a m farmall
Hope get it going bud
Ross we have dad's last row crop tractor. It's not going anywhere!!! We have dad's tools , we have some of his dad's tools. They are not going anywhere!!!
Great stories
Ross the oldest tractor I own is the same age as I am 70 yrs old It is a model 70. My 4010 is a 1962 model , my 4020 is a 1967 model. Dad's last row crop tractor is a 1973 model. All John Deere. The only tractor that is not a working is the 70.
Nice story time Ross! I know exactly what you're saying. I have a 55 WD45 my grandpa bought new along with that WD9 loader you were talking about, and a 2 row front mount cultivator. The tractor is a wide front, so it was a pain to put the cultivator on. I was born in 57 and sometime when I was in early grade school, dad bought another 55 WD45 narrow front to put the cultivator on. I remember we were out for recess at school when dad drove by with it after the auction. I still have both of them, but the one my grandpa bought new will never leave as long as I'm breathing! It needs front and rear main seals, but other than that is in good shape. I use it a lot for light work, but I want to semi retire it, and restore it to near new shape. I hope I live long enough to get that all done! I have arthritis in my knees I think and its kinda hard to get on and off of, but I will never let it go! I'd like to maybe find a D17 to use just because I think it may be easier to mount! Keep the stories coming Ross!
Good morning Ross. I know we could just sit around and swap stories like this .... I enjoy them immensely 😁👍 I have a technical sort of question though. Did the late 1850's have the under over hydraul shift as an option? And the 1650 and 1655 for that matter too? My 560 isn't the handiest tractor for somethings and well a person starts to dream when he's tedding hay...
Keep up the good work 👍 👏
Ross its funny to me how people can be so negative about everything you do, I say the heck with them ! There the kind of people if you gave them a million dollars they would be like oh only a million ? Your money your life so do as you please and dont worry be happy ! LOL We tend to have old iron disease and thats a fun one to have ! LOL Bandit
We had a 1800 checker board model and we ran a IH 234 picker on it after changing out the larger tires,to narrower ones , heck we ran it almost in Rd gear as we had plenty of power even to handle the sheller rear attachment we also had available and ready to change over so to to fill the grain bins after the corn cribs were full,we usually filled the cribs first as the bins required drying and that was expensive to do .Around 400 arcers of corn or more a year,,we farmed around 850 total,and had 400 to 500 head of feeder cattle and 300 to 400 hogs. It was very busy farm with that livestock to support for sure,esp during the Iowa winters
Still have the 806D that I started out with, in 72. And the 1206 that I got from my neighbor, 40 years back. Yes your correct about not being able to know more about your viewers. FWIW, in my case, my son, about your age, has started a small you tube channel of his own that briefly cover a bit of our tractor hobby. "farmhaus" You might get a kick out of our brief videos. Not nearly as high quality as your endeavors, but hopefully it will improve with time.
Nice video Ross
Very cool video Ross! Thanks for sharing!
Good morning Ross.
I’ve got a 1650 diesel, bought new in 1966. It will never leave my place. It needs some transmission work done and I’m hoping to fix it sometime soon.
Enjoyed the history
🚜
Loved the video! I have emailed you some pics and plans I have for my PawPaw’s tractor. Hope the email finds you.
Sometimes people attach to things that maybe don't make sense, but it means something to them. My grandpa bought a 1964 John Deere 2010 that was two years old from the original owner that he barrowed when his tractor laid down one time or another. He bought two other utility tractors after that one, but he kept the 2010, today that tractor has very little monetary value but if I was down to one tractor that would be it. The clock has gone around once and is halfway the second time, he's still in work clothes from original, those tractors were supposed to be junk. Just never can tell which dents in the fender matters, or the hood crease from setting gas cans on it. I know the son of the man that bought it new and see him once every blue moon. He'll sometimes ask how his daddy's tractor is doing and if he can buy it back, the answer is still no.
It's the 2255 front wheel asest
😄😄😄👍👍👍👍
No sir about your steering wheel find the same exact way everybody says I saved the stupidest stuff for the stupidest reasons but it's my reason and I could care less what they think like I said brothers from a different mother
Well my stories would all be about what repairs I had to do under miserable conditions; seems like that was always when something would break. Especially with idiots running the equipment. If I had to pick a favourite tractor ... I don't know. The 2255 was impressive as hell (yes I had to do a big nasty repair on that) and the Super 88 was ol' dependable ... I can surely tell you how much I HATED the Farmall 400 TA though! *LOL* Anyway all the equipment and even the pictures (had some video) are gone now along with all the other momentos from my life as the house burned down in April and destroyed everything.
Ross what sound in IMovie do you use for your intro
Such a fantastic story. Anything to do with the farm of farming life is just fantastic to me. They may only pieces of metal to some people outside of farming, but without them we would really be a hurting bunch of folks. They are part of what we love and do. Thank you so much for sharing your history and the 1650 history.
I have two of my Grandfathers tractors. Wouldn’t sell them for anything.