The 29th Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion, 1990-09-05, Page 18PAGE A-18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1990.
Love of tractors takes men west
Jim Dickson (left), Joe Courtney (centre) and Gary Courtney travelled to western
Canadaearlierthisyeartobring backeight John Deeretractors. The tractors will be
restored and some will be on display at this year’s Thresher Reunion.
The hobby of repairing and showing old
farm equipment can be addictive but three
local men this spring went to new lengths
to get their “fix”.
Jim Dickson and Gary Courtney of Blyth
and Gary’s father Joe of Dungannon took
off for western Canada in la te April to scout
for old John Deere tractors to be brought
back to Ontario and reconditioned. Joe
wanted to go “pretty bad” and the
younger men agreed they’d do the driving
to make the trip.
They drove non-stop in a van to get to
Saskatchewan where friends in Humboldt
had been scouting around to line up old
tractors. They also just drove around. In
one case Gary spotted a John Deere in
someone’s driveway and when they stopp
ed to ask about it, found the owner had a
barn full of others. The people in the west
were tremendously friendly and helpful,
they say.
They brought back eight tractors ranging
from a 1939 John Deere AR tractor on steel
to 1960 vintage, all of them the old
two-cylinder variety. Jim, who owns Dick
son’s Auto Repair on Blyth’s main street,
says the larger tractors all needed only
minor repairs, aside from a paint job.
“Everyone of these tractors is capable of
going to the field and doing an honest
day’s work,” he says. “They still have
more pulling power than modern tractors.”
That pulling power was tested recently
at the antique tractor pull at Dungannon
when an 820 John Deere came third.
The three men have been John Deere
buffs for years. Jim got his first tractor, a
1950 M when he was 14 and Gary got his
first, a 1948 B when he was 12. Jim grew
up with nothing but John Deeres on his
family farm while the Courtneys had
mostly John Deere but a few other kinds.
Both Gary and Jim are members of the
Two-cylinder Club, an international organ
ization of tractor buffs. They’ve taken two
of their restored tractors down to a tractor
show at Ingersoll.
The John Deeres they brought home
were the workhorses of western agriculture
in their time, Jim says. They were
designed to power pull combines before
self-propelled combines took over.
After they bought the machines they had
to have them trucked home. Larry Robin
son of Belgrave was one of those who did
the trucking.
They’re working away to restore the
tractors some of which will.be sold if the
right offer comes along and some of which
aren’t for sale. While all the tractors aren’t
up to display standards yet, Jim and Joe
each plan to have two tractors at the
Thresher Reunion and Gary one.
There are toys for boys of all ages at the
Thresher Reunion each year. Here a
happy youngster tries out a model of
tractor that’s just his size.
WELC0MET0 BLYTH
and the
29th PIONEERTHRESHER REUNION
DAVE'S CAR OILING
DRUMMOND ST. E„ BLYTH 523-4343
"WE USE HOT, ACID FREE, NEW OIL
CONGRATULATIONS THRESHERS ON
YOUR 29th ANNUAL REUNION...
SAVE ON THESE ITEMS TO HELP
GET THE CROPS OFF FAST...
FALL PLOUGH SPECIALS CHISEL PLOUGHS &
SOIL SAVERS
Hood Trunk Lid
Inner Fenders Inner Fenders
Doors &
Door Posts
Starting September 4
Open
including thresher weekend
•Kongskilde SK 660, 6 furrow with
hydraulic trips "reconditioned" $8500
•Kongskilde SK33, 3 point hitch,
like new, $3495.
•International 5 furrow,
variable width $5995.
•Melroe 4 x 16 automatic $1500.
18 more in stock to choose from
•John Deere F1710, 13 shank $4500.
•Allis Chalmers 3 point hitch,
12 shank $1400.
•Kongskilde, 13 shank, soil saver
[Demo] $5295.
•Howard Para Plough, 4 furrow,
like new $6450.
•Tebban, 5 shank, deep till
[Demo] $6295.
TRACTOR SAVINGS LAWN & GARDEN VALUES
•Ford Jubilee, excellent $3200.
•Ford 3400 Industrial with loader $8995.
•Case 1370 only $12,500.
•MF 1805, 4 wheel drive,
totally reconditioned $1495.
•Cub Cadet 282 Hydrostat $1395.
•Ford LT11 $1095.
•AllisChalmers 16h.p. Hydrostat$750.
Plus several other models from $400.
ODDS‘NENDS SAVE BIG ON DRYERS
on the
29th Annual Thresher Reunion
•Brady 16’
Stock Chopper $4500
•Brillion 12’
Grass Seeder $4500
G.T. 570’s & 580’s
priced from $6500. up
Plus a great selection of
recent trade-ins
TIRES
• RADIALS • RICE • DEEP TREADS
• PLUS ORDINARY TIRES
WILLITS TIRE SERVICE
ON FARM SERVICE
LUCKNOW 528-2103
FARM EQUIPMENT
LIMITED
"Your Short-line Specialist "
Est. 1936
WALTON
887-6365 527-0245 WALTON
Ask for Neil or Bob or Brian 527-0245 887-6380