What will become of the wheel horse collections?

[JoeM 7,873]

I really don't have a collection, more like a bunch of stuff. 

Daughter ask a while back what are you going to do with all that "stuff"? 

The kids got their machines and more so they won't need it so......I can be a final PIA and they can sort it out. 

Not much on material things but have a lot of memories going out an getting the machines (aka stuff) and meeting people.

Every tractor has a story. 

[squonk 41,079]

I was lucky. My Grandfather was a carpenter/mason. I didn't learn any of those skills. But it taught me a work ethic and appreciation of tools. When I was 4 my Dad bought a brand new 604. I started to work on it at a young age (Tecky powered)  Again I was lucky that less than a quarter of a mile away was a small engine shop run by an old man much like my Grandfather. He taught me how to work on mowers and engines. I'm sure my tools of 50+ years will be sold off . I hope I reach an age where I realize I can't use them anymore and can liquidate them so my wife isn't burdened with that task

[ebinmaine 67,454]

@WHNJ701

Well stated! 

[ineedanother 1,369]

My dad had been "liquidating" all of his belongings over the past couple years and moved into a condo last summer. He had LOTS of stuff. Woodworker for decades, industrious and knowledgeable of most trades. He said his  with snow thrower, dozer blade, deck, tiller, etc. which had been meticulously cared for sold the afternoon he listed it on Marketplace. I'm sure it did.

 

He more or less let his tools, equipment, and those things we never want to live without go for pennies on the dollar to folks who had an appreciation for it. He passed away in April and I'm glad he let his stuff go. I know that wasn't easy for him but he rests in peace for a lot of reasons, but to some extent because he believed that he put his stuff is in the hands of folks who sought it out and will likely cherish it in their own way. I believe there will never be a shortage of enthusiasts for these machines.

[Sailman 1,291]

Great responses folks! Course I expected nothing less from this crowd...

If the powers that be have their way eventually there won't be any gasoline engines allowed so I guess our wheel horses will all end up as museum pieces, modified to EV.....or junk.

[c-series don 8,690]

Okay here’s my take on this. I have around twenty running ready to use Wheel Horses. How I got so many, I don’t know! Each one has its own story, some of them I know the history since new and some I don’t. It kind of became an addiction, but a harmless one and one I still love. My affection for these tractors is well known in my area. So much so in fact that I have had one willed to me after the owners passing. I’ve also inherited two from my family and had three straight up given to me by older gentleman who wanted to see their tractors go to a good home and be properly cared for. So we are not the first ones to be worried about this! Of course I have purchased quite a few over the years since I first purchased my Work Horse brand new in 1984. When I bought my 420-LSE from the original owners widow, it wasn’t even really for sale but she too was concerned about the future of something her husband so cherished. This tractor and a few others I hope will someday go to a museum. 
I definitely wonder what will become of all these machines? I’ve given a few to my son in law, and he appreciates them but he’s not addicted like me ( or some of you reading this! ) Honestly I don’t know any local kids that have any interest in this kind of thing. I wish I did because I probably would pass some of them on to keep the hobby going. I try not to think about the day when I’ll have to part with them because like the gentleman that gave them to me I want them to go to a good home. Hopefully when the time comes I’ll know where that is! 
 In the meantime I’m going to keep enjoying them as much as possible and I hope everyone here will do the same! 🙂

[kpinnc 12,012]

5 hours ago, WHNJ701 said:

Do your future heirs a favor if they don't want it, accept it and sell to someone who wants it and appreciate it's more.  

 

There are very few WH tractors still in existence with the first owner. The majority have had multiple owners. 

 

My kids may have zero use for my machines, but maybe someone will find a use for them. I have no problem with that.

[ML3 1,198]

   Hard to say what will happen not only to my Wheel Horses but ally other stuff, tools, etc. My kids are 17 & 20. They aren't too interested in most my stuff. My son shows some interest in a few of my vintage motorcycles, 2 of which my dad purchased brand new in the 1970s. My daughter definitely wants my vintage BMW. My girlfriend developed a medical condition a few years ago so she's no longer able to drive so I imagine as I get older I'll end up selling off my old cars. I will try to find " the right person" to sell my cars to. For example the guy I sold my 604 to bought it  for his grandkids to enjoy & to start helping him doing small farm chores. Tools?? Does the younger generation even work on anything anymore? 

 

  I do have a 9yr old neighbor kid that sometimes comes over when I'm out in garage. Good kid, being raised by his mom & there's no father around (I haven't asked) I told her he's welcome anytime I'm out in garage. Maybe there's some hope? He did want a weed eater trimmer for his birthday so his mom bought him one. 

 

  My 20yr old nephew is an extremely talented welder/fabricator. He spends some time at my place when he can. He works for company that builds almost all the semi trailers that nascar, Indy, etc use for their teams/pit crew tools. He travels a lot but get to go to so many races. That would been my dream job at his age. 

[Wvtroutbum81 186]

Im 42 and growing up my dad was a wheel horse guy, I had no interest in them and couldn’t understand why he loved them. Until he passed away last year.

I inherited a 312-8 from him which I started to wrench on because it reminds me of him the most. I now have 3 horses that I wrench on and will acquire more. So I now understand the draw these tractors have and I'm sure that future generation will too.

[ML3 1,198]

We can only hope. I'm 52.  Maybe as my kids get older they will appreciate not only my Wheel Horses but my cars, motorcycles, tools, minibikes, snowmobiles, etc. I'd rather pass that stuff on then sell it to a stranger. 

 

I still have & periodically ride my dad's 1969 Bultaco Matador MK3. He bought it brand new in 1969 after getting home from Vietnam. Fortunately, my dad is still alive but this year he's had some serious health issues & is no longer able to ride. I still remember being a young kid back in the 70s riding on the back on way home from bar with dad doing wheelies. And if course....no helmets! The good old days ......

[c-series don 8,690]

Around twenty years ago I worked with an old German guy who had an unbelievable collection of vintage motorcycles. He had literally a small museum of maybe 30 bikes. He was moving to Colorado and couldn’t take all the bikes with him because of the cost and he would not have a proper storage space for them. What he did next, I will never forget. He gave most ( not all ) away! He told me that to him it was not about the money, but knowing that they would be in the right hands of people that appreciate them. Now I’m no motorcycle expert by any means, but I know damn well that some of these bikes were worth a pretty penny. I was there when people he knew through his motorcycle world came from all over, most from far away. I could tell by watching him as they loaded up his treasures it was bittersweet. Once I thought he might cry, but he didn’t. BTW this guy was BIG and looked like he could kill you with one hand!! The smile on the people’s face receiving these bikes eventually made all of us smile. I remember back then thinking, I wonder if this will be me with my Wheel Horse collection? And I suppose it probably will. 

[Handy Don 12,216]

One of my late MIL’s sayings was “There are no pockets in a shroud”.

[Jon Paulsen 290]

If I get my way, my good stuff goes onto someone who cares. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Today might not be so forthcoming. 

[Ed Kennell 38,158]

What will become of my collection of Wheel Horses?   and tools and guns and boats and fishing tackle and Wild Turkey bottles and tree stands and turkey calls and tents and trail cameras and more than a hundred deer, bear, antelope, and turkey mounts

 

I can only hope She doesn't sell it for what I told her I paid for it.    

[pfrederi 17,734]

15 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

What will become of my collection of Wheel Horses?   and tools and guns and boats and fishing tackle and Wild Turkey bottles and tree stands and turkey calls and tents and trail cameras and more than a hundred deer, bear, antelope, and turkey mounts

 

I can only hope She doesn't sell it for what I told her I paid for it.    

 

 

That is what my wife told me about getting rid of all her various craft stuff  if she goes first...

[Wild Bill 633 845]

I have several toys and I am taking my favorites with me. The not so favorites is the responsibility of my wife and/or kids.

[Pullstart 62,840]

8 minutes ago, Wild Bill 633 said:

 

I have several toys and I am taking my favorites with me.

 

like this?

 

 

[midpack 862]

There IS hope. I trailered a Blackhood from Mass to Maine. We needed to stop for quick supplies at a Cumbys in Winthrop. I pulled through the parking lot to a place where I could easily park. there was a really cool (home made?) Bobber motorcycle by the door when I went in that I was checking out. A kid, maybe 13yo was at the door looking too. He said "that's a really cool wheel horse, it's a C-175, right?" 😄

Then he told me he had a 312-8 and how great they were. Totally caught me off guard 🙃. My wife was laughing her butt off. Only you! She said

[Jrblanke 857]

I'm 36 and got into these machines 10 years ago after purchasing a house. I grew up watching my dad run a gravely 2 wheeled tractor, and while I was on the look out for one of those I ran across these red machines called "wheel horses". The reason I wanted an old machine is because they were easy to work on, and I get a lot more for my money than buying one of those plastic box store machines. However, I am the only person my age who is in to old machines like this. Not many folks my age have a yard big enough to warrant a ride on tractor, and those who do have big yards just use zero turns. 

 

I dunno guys. My outlook is a little more negative. I want to think that all these machines will find their way to people that care, but I think my generation is going to be taking a bunch of stuff to the scrap yard. I see folks of my generation not holding on to things like my parents did. My grandparents were born in 1920 and lived in the mountains of southern VA. Growing up in the depression, they learned how to "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." There was no money to hire folks to fix things. My dad was raised to fix stuff, and he has accumulated a ton of tools. I spent a lot of time "holding the flashlight" watching him fix stuff. My first instinct when something breaks is to fix it myself. But more and more, I find myself taking my car to a mechanic, or calling the repair guy. With the pandemic and now inflation, prices of parts and labor have gone way up to the point where I think twice about calling the repair guy, or taking my wife's car in. But I'm the only one that I know who fixes their own stuff. What's my point? I guess my point is, that folks of my generation just don't fix stuff like the older generation. They put things on the credit card. They don't have a garage full of tools. They don't fix their kids toys. They throw them out and go buy another. Honestly, it depresses me to think about my generation and what is going on.

 

Anyways, as for me and my plan. If I die sooner rather than later, my wife knows a couple folks to call, and I've told her to take whatever offer she gets. 

 

 

[Mike in NC 341]

Hopefully my daughter will continue my collection.

[Thatoneguy 197]

I am a firm believer that tablets tv and the internet are ruining peoples lives!!  Now I say this but work in the IT field, but for kids 3, 4, 5 and so on to be on a tablet most of the day and watching tv the rest of the day that is why none of them want to get outside like we use to!  My daughter is 8 and has a tablet however we manage it heavily and give her very limited access to use it. I make them go outside and get dirty and play in the rain!  I hope to one day be re restoring one of my horses with a grandkid or my kids when they are older!  I know as long as I am here I will try to tear every one of them apart and piece it back together!!!