Sandstone Heritage Puts Vintage Tractors on Auction
Sandstone Estates recently held an auction to dispose of some surplus modern equipment, including tractors large & small, trailers, balers & an assortment of tillage equipment, not to mention various trucks.
It was decided to place a small selection of vintage tractors on the auction as well. These were all duplicates of restored or complete runners already in the collection.
All 9 tractors were runners, some restored, and the reserves reflected going international prices.
The tractors on offer were:
1) Farmall M, FKB95275, restored condition with good paint & decals, in nice running condition, virtually new back tyres. This unit attracted a top bid of R9500.
2) Fordson Major E27N, GR45, Restored, good paint, not running well due to excesive dirt in the fuel tanks.
It has one original front light, the other missing.
3) McCormick W6 27792W3 - Excellent restored condition with new tyres, easy starter & good runner. This too attracted good bids.
4) Farmall Super C - 107963 - Restored, original, excellent condition with good tyres. Also attracted good bids.
5) Ferguson TED - complete & running, unusual with magneto ignition, professionally built fan belt idler to replace generator & no starter. This unusual configuration attracted a lot of interest and a top bid of R8500 was realised, exceptional for a Vaaljapie.
6) Farmall H - 279595 - "rough but full of character" very off farm condition, engine running sweetly.
The block had been patched to cover a hole presumably from a thrown con-rod. But the patch was riveted and beaten into the original metal in a way that could hardly be duplicated today, and survives as a monument to skills & dedication that have not survived.
7) Case D -0 5406376 Restored condition, originally an orchard version according to the serial number.
New back tyres, fully re-wired. sweet runner.
8) John Deere 730D - 73210200 - Running but unrestored, missing a starter motor. Although in rough ex- farm condition, this tractor is basically mechanically sound - a very important consideration as 2 cyl diesels can be wery expensive to re-build.
Although none of the tractors reached their reserves, the serious interest and bids offered indicate the vintage movement in SA is coming of age.
