POLL: NOS Tractor to start it or not to start it

[IthacaJeff 151]

I'm with 6Wheeler and Ken. I don't buy things to look at. The only exception would be a WH that is too small

to be of use, say a lawn ranger. In that case I would sell/re-sell, and buy me a worker.

Jeff

[buckrancher 2,679]

I personally would get tired of pushing an NOS tractor on and off my trailer bringing it to shows just so I can say its never been started. I wouldn't work it but I ain't gonna push it around either. I get more enjoyment out of riding them than I do looking at them so fire in the hole.

I would be taking it to the shows and I'm not pushing it around ether but I would not be working it also . Unless your starting

up a wheel-horse museum I would fire her up I believe it still would be a fine example of a NOS wheel horse

Brian

Edited December 26, 2012 by buckrancher

[refracman 167]

I had a couple of freinds buy the 2006 tractors, both had them delivered in the crate.

One still has it in the crate.

The other just last year decieded to unpack it and fire it up. He did this so he could drive it around at shows and let others see it.

I would gas it up and drive at least at shows and such.

Ya need another line for us guys who would just fire it for showing it.

unless its hermeticly sealed its going to get wear and tear just from seating / pushing it around, might as well run it.

[dw753 208]

I will have to say right now im suprised at the number of people that would use the tractor. I feel that if you guy the tractor you are more than likely paying a premium so why ruin something that you can never find again? I would be crazy to say that i am only a Wheel Horse Worker collector. If that were the case i wouldn't need a third of my tractors. I simply own some just for hte joy of owning them. I own signs and other memorabilia from the era and what would be the best display piece but an untouched, unmalested NOS tractors. No matter how great a restore you will never duplicate that piece of history and it simply becomes like all other tractors the moment you start it. Low hours or not its not NOS.

[SousaKerry 501]

I personally hate it when I see something stuffed and mounted and never used for it's intended purpose. You go to a big museum and see a steam engine or other item cosmetically restored (painted all pretty) rotting away from the inside out due to disuse, if they would actually fire it up once a month or so it would actually last longer and look better. Plus the fact that seeing a piece of equipment being used for it's intended purpose tell a much better story then it sitting under a roof somewhere collecting dust and rust.

Fill er up run it but use it lightly and clean it after use to keep it showroom condition.

[Wheelhorse84 87]

They were made to use.

[rydogg 186]

Doesn't matter if its a Senior, RJ, 420 lse etc. I am putting fuel in it and driving it ...no trailer queens here. The older ones (Senior,RJ) would probably just be show/parade tractors and the newer ones would be put to work as they were intended. I get more enjoyment out of using them than I do just sitting back and looking at them.

[leeave96 487]

This is a hard quesiton is some ways. We all belly ache that you can't go out and buy one of these fine tractors anymore, yet we all look forward to using them. It's a catch twenty-two. You only got one life to live and you got a nice NOS or near NOS Wheelhorse tractor and what to do? Who is to say that when you rid yourself of the NOS tractor someone else is going to work it or keep it new. With my 62 hour 520H tractor, I can see where keeping it in showroom condition vs working it can tear at you. Very interesting topic.

[jay in nc 210]

hell. if i had that n.o.s. 420 LSE. that was shown on here a while back it would have a 48 SD. deck on it an prob 60 or 70 hours by now! Jay

[Rooster 191]

There is no box for me to check either....

I'd sell it!

Let some one who wants to leave it "perfect" pay me the big bucks for it....so I can buy a good tractor!

If its in my barn, its getting used!

[wallfish 16,977]

Going by the replies here, I would never pay the premium for a supposedly NOS tractor if it is out of the crate. It was probably run at some time which makes it just Old Stock with low hours to me. I would leave it in the crate and display it that way. How many people have actually seen a NOS tractor still in the crate? I do buy dumb $&!T all the time to just collect and look at or display. Hmmm, wonder why there's a storage problem here?

I can certainly understand the thrill of running it too so the correct answer is: Buy TWO, run one of them and keep one NOS. Best of both worlds

[Marv 919]

Might have to put it in my family room which is heated and air conditioned. Heirs probably would sell it but I would have the pleasure of it while I am here.

Marv

[c-series don 8,652]

I picked up a N.O.S 1966 Reo RR -46 tiller steer from W.H. Dealer about 10 years ago. It was in an out building and did not look showroom new but it was in very good shape. After having it a few weeks I had to try that Reo-matic transmission and do a little mowing with it, what a blast to drive! I then cleaned it up so you could not tell it was used. I still take it out and drive it around occasionally but don't mow with it. Has anyone seen or do they have an rr-46? I have never seen another one of these and after bringing it to the W.H. In P.A. Several years ago most folks had not either. This unit has handlebar ( tiller ) steer and hard rubber non-pneumatic front tires. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated, as I think I have a very rare piece of Wheel Horse history here, Thanks. Don

[Ken B 3,164]

Any pics of the Reo?

[c-series don 8,652]

Yes but I am having trouble posting. I surely am doing something wrong, I tried to send them from my phone but no luck. My 13 year old daughter will probably figure this out 123 then look at me like I am an idiot !!!!!!! I have a lot of pics I want to post...........

[markjs 2]

Any pics of the Reo?

:wwp:

[Jake Kuhn 1,554]

:wwp: :wwp:

[AMC RULES 37,125]

[ericj 1,578]

if i got an NOS tractor i would build or have built a wagon using wheel horse frame and axles and strap the NOS tractor o it so i wouldn't have to push it around, i could pull behind 1 of my other tractors. but i would definitely preserve it for future generations is that not in someway what we are doing by collecting them in the first place, with aside of the pleasure of getting to use some of them

.

i have several low hour machines and i hate putting to many hrs on them but luckily for me i have enough that i can switch between them and not put a whole lot of hrs on any of them. i try to find well used tractors for workers and keep the low hrs one, less than 500 to 600 hrs ones for show. more hrs than that and they become workers

eric

[welderman85 53]

Its a hard question I think i would sell it to a museum so people could enjoy it and then I would buy a worker to play with. I think a nos should stay nos but I dont have a place for it I like to use them

[rydogg 186]

Here is a picture of the RR-46 tractor from an owners manual

[dw753 208]

Did we ever get pics of the reo?

[squonk 41,013]

I can't afford a tractor that I can't use. My 704 looks nice and I take it to shows,but I can't justify having if if it doesn't do at least a little work like pulling a wagon,roller,lawn sweeper or delivering pizza's in the rain at the Steam Pageant! :)

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

Exercise the ! Sparingly, parades, show 'n tell. Enjoy the Stallion and do show it off!

Let everyone see the engineered little !

No work though, a semi-retired old-timer!

And if did not have one, add and hour meter first!

[smoreau 658]

It would have to earn its keep!! No push queens for me! I wouldn't work it, just for joy rides and shows. For a tractor to just sit there and collect dust for me to show it off at home would be wast full for me. Just keep it looking nice and enjoy it! nothing but tender loving care for it and it should look very nice for the next several generations. Do you think they kept cars this way, only in a museum. and as far as I know, we don;t have a museum. If that was the case, then I guess it could go there if it was older one. That way it could be seen by thousands of people other then the shows.