We frown whenever we see a muscle car that’s been left at the mercy of the elements for a long time. Alas, agricultural equipment seems to get this kind of treatment more often, as people asume that just because pieces like this old John Deere tractor were built tough, they can spend decades outdoors with zero attention and still be okay. However, with the orchard tractor recently being picked up by a new owner, there’s still hope for this one.
We’re looking at a John Deere AO here, with the vehicle still packing what is presumed to be its factory serial plaque. Couple this with the fact that the vehicle is somewhat rare, and you end up with a machine that seems to be worth saving.
These were some of the main arguments that convinced YouTuber Bruce Wilson to take the tractor home. The vlogger, who has a 580,000-strong subscriber base (at the time of press), bought the tractor and took it to his shop in Florida.
That’s where the YouTuber likes to revive all sorts of machines, from the forgotten cabover trucks—most drivers prefer the more spacious conventional trucks these days—to small aircrafts.
How much did the orchard tractor cost?
How much did the enthusiast pay for the tractor? That would be $1,000, which may sound like a lot of money if we consider the poor condition of the vehicle.
You see, the previous owner got the John Deere A-Series back in the 1980s when he retired. And while he plan to restore the vehicle along with others, he never got to this one. Still, at least he accepted the situation and let go of the machine, which may still have a chance of returning to the field, albeit a slim one.
The tractor had already been sitting for 15 years at the time and all the guy managed to do was put some oil in the cylinders, so the engine wouldn’t rust and become seized. Now, Bruce tried to start the gas motor of the tractor by working the flywheel with a lever. And, with the spark plugs removed, the liquid coming out of the engine looked more like water than oil.
Alas, due to the carburetor and the starter being in bad condition, the vlogger, who didn’t have such hardware around the shop, decided to give up. As such, he turned the tractor into a lawn ornament, at least for the time being. And we can only hope this sad story will convince others who have abandoned their machines to give them some TLC before it’s too late.
However, given the somewhat rare nature of the vehicle and the fact that it still comes with the identification plaque, perhaps somebody can come along and fight all that rust.
