The Rural Voice, 2019-07, Page 31•By Bob Reid •
In the business of tractor transplants
Old farm tractors, like old soldiers, don’t
ever really die but slowly fade away.
That is unless their owner doesn’t want
them to fade away in which case he or
she might make a visit to Fawcett Tractor Supply
Ltd. on the outskirts of St. Marys.
The family-owned business contains thousands
and thousands of spare tractor parts salvaged from
tractors no longer in use but capable of extending
the working life of similar models through a parts
transplant. Sturdy cast iron bodies and simplicity
of operation typical of older tractors allows
mechanically inclined farmers to extend a tractor’s
working life for decades.
“They (older tractors) were solid, reliable and
fixable,” said Micah Tavares, sales manager with
Fawcett.
Tractors like the popular Ford 8N or series of
Farmalls made by International Harvester were
once the mainstays on a hundred-acre farm.
Models of that vintage seemed to last forever with
a bit of attention when needed, said Tavares.
“Put in a new set of points and they would fire
right up,” he added.
Every farmer has a favorite make of tractor iron
– Ford, John Deere, Allis Chalmers, Massey
Ferguson, Cockshutt, Case-IH – all represented at
Fawcett. Until about 15 years ago they were all
quite simple to repair for someone with some
mechanical skills.
The advent of electronics and computerization
incorporated in recent years in all tractor lines has
changed that, at least for those less comfortable
with that rapidly evolving technology.
At the same time, it has brought a lot of later
model tractors to Fawcett’s salvage yard via
insurance companies.
“There is a danger operating electronic stuff in
dirty conditions. That is what catches on fire,”
explained Tavares.
Fifteen years ago Fawcett stopped salvaging
combine parts for a similar reason.
“When a combine goes up in flames it really
goes up. There is not much left,” said Tavares
attributing that to all the chaff and dirt that collects
on combines in normal operating conditions.
Also, as combines got increasingly bigger there
was a lot of heavy metal to haul around and store
on the property.
Machinery
July 2019 27