Where are all the Tractors going ?

[GlenPettit 1,717]

Just read an article in "Farm & Ranch magazine" from a guy in Tallahassee, FL:  

He noticed three semi- loads of old tractors, with many garden tractors & including Wheel Horses, and implements being loaded onto a large oceangoing freighter at a small private dock in Panama Beach, FL this past Fall.  

When he asked the dock manager about it; "was told the ship came in to port every three months with a load of steel pipe from and made in Colombia, and then returns to Colombia with a load of scrap paper in the hold and 3 or 4 loads of farm equipment strapped on the deck.

A guy in Alabama buys old tractors, implements and garden tractors all across the South and then sells them for a good markup in South America.  The South Americans don't want anything with modern electronics; they want heavier-stronger older tractors and implements that they can fix and make parts for themselves.  Over the last 10 years, there have been thousands of old tractors shipped from here to South America. After being reasonably restored in Columbia, they are shipped to neighboring countries down there and maintained by the farmers that will continue to use them."

 

And now we know where all the Wheel Horses down South are disappearing!

 

Glen

 

[64s 83]

I heard the same thing about cars, mostly 30's - 60's.  The South American and Mexican market is supposed to be hot, so premiums are being paid.  I also heard parts are finding their way to Cuba via other countries.

 

There's a couple of ways to look at it;

- there's enough to go around, so why not share

- we don't appreciate what we have and letting it slip thru our fingers

or

- Capitalism is alive and well and ultimately we always go to the highest bidder.

 

IMO, we do need to hold onto our heritage, but I won't bash someone who'd feeding his family. 

 

On a side note, I've been selling some stuff, both Wheel Horse and cars parts (mostly a collection of emblems).  100% of the Wheel Horse parts have stayed in the US, but about 25-30% of the emblems are leaving the country.

[GlenPettit 1,717]

Another thing, especially like in Columbia; they have iron and metal in the hills, the farmers can make a part out of wood or wax, then make a mold in the sand and melt metal to replicate broken parts very easily, and they work fine.  

It's the old joke about fixing anything with "Bailer twine, Duct Tape or Chewing gum", they sure know how to do it with nothing.

They can also make a gas that runs these engines.

And on 'electronic stuff', for me – problems, problems, problems, sometimes it's just not worth it.

[dennist 139]

Glen, great info in your post...thanks for sharing

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,527]

I promise not to sell any of my tractors outside of the US....

[rexman72 210]

wow that's very interesting

[SousaKerry 503]

Makes sense especially on the electronics end, I battle getting electronic components into Brazil at work all the time. 

[dodgemike 52]

Every human has the right to a "standard" of living.

But not at our exspense. I have

been trying to get out in the rural

ag areas and see whats there. It is

too bad all of us could not by 3 ot 4

parts tractors. And yes that takes

time space and money. My son

all ready wants my C121, which

was my Dads. And I have first dibbs

on Dads 312. He is looking at a Toro

ZTR. And keep the 312 for snow

plowing. He is 85 years old and

the only way he accepts my help is

if I just go do it. He wont ask. He is

a Korean war vet and part of the

great old self reliant generation.

Our family is trying to do our part.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

[953 nut 59,743]

Glen, this is nothing new, in the mid 80's the greenhouse I managed went from growing tomatoes to cucumbers and peppers. Since that required all of my packing equipment had to be replaced I set about looking for a buyer for the old, and I do mean OLD, equipment. No one in the US wanted it, but an oufit in Columbia was glad to have it. The reason was all of the parts were off the shelf easy to fix and they loved it. The fellow I sold it to tried to buy the Ford 8Ns we used also.

[boovuc 1,090]

Interesting post Glen. I was going to say they may be headed to Europe and the Bill of Lading had a guy named Neil on it but I finished reading they were going to South America. 

 

It has always amazed me how Cubans are able to keep the old 40's, 50's and early 60's automobiles from the US running to this day. They and all the farmers using our old but heavily engineered cars and equipment may not have reliable stuff for every single day use but it works for their way of life. People do what they have to do to get by!

[neil 2,410]

Interesting post Glen. I was going to say they may be headed to Europe and the Bill of Lading had a guy named Neil on it but I finished reading they were going to South America. 

 

It has always amazed me how Cubans are able to keep the old 40's, 50's and early 60's automobiles from the US running to this day. They and all the farmers using our old but heavily engineered cars and equipment may not have reliable stuff for every single day use but it works for their way of life. People do what they have to do to get by!

 

 

Yes , That Guy named Neil , would be ME .

 

I know some of you guys dont like stuff going out of America & may resent  me for shipping them out of the country , The tractors that i have bought & had shipped to UK / Europe are for my own collection & i not intend to break them down for parts  or resell for profit etc , .  I love the Wheelhorse Brand and want to preserve the history of these tractors  as much  as anyone .  I have shipped 5 tractors to UK which i think hardly noticable , at great expense to myself  & if i ever tried to sell them again would actually lose money .

 

Yes , I have had a good few nasty emails from different people showing resentment that i have brought a Senior & RJ35  tractor to Europe to the point where i almost gave up on this hobby . Thankfully i have had just as many emails with congratulations .

 

 

I think it is a great testonomy to  American industrial history that other countries desire your quality machines .

[boovuc 1,090]

OMG Neil......I didn't mean anything by my email. Just razing you a little. (Notice the "smiley" after that sentence in the post).  I would have hoped no one on this site would be upset over anyone collecting WH or any make of tractor wherever your from. I have corresponded with a few collectors from Leiden, the Netherlands and Kruezlingen in Switzerland where my company has facilities that I have actually given them parts or arranged shipments. (BooVuc knows international shipping. It's what I do). And Wheelhorse was manufactured in Europe for your market so NO ONE should be upset about you or anyone getting parts, tractors, support or anything from this site.

It is a credit to how things used to be engineered and manufactured that folks desire these older tractors.

And I'm sure that in the UK as well as throughout most of Eastern Europe, your countries manufactured plenty of old iron that is desired more than what is available now to you.

 

I am sorry I struck a nerve but believe me Neil, it was not intentional. I apologize as I had no idea you received nasty emails from people on this subject. I have nothing put ill will toward these A#*holes that feel that way. I have no time for stupid people, narrow minds and racists! None! (And no I'm not a Democrat or Republican, I'm not a conservative nor am I a liberal). I'm a registered Independent! I'm a middle class, where the hell did common sense go American.

(And as Elvis would say.............Thank You! Thank You Very Much)!

[neil 2,410]

My apologies to Boovuc , for throwing my toys out of my pram .

Please accept my apologies for outburst . (PM sent )

Since importing my RJ35 & Senior to UK in autumn 2013 i have had numerous emails (non from Redsquare) thankfully , about how i shouldnt have taken them out of US .& i must confess left me quite deflated .

I know that this can be a touchy subject about shipping parts , tractors out of the country so i will leave it there .

 

great subject though    

[roscoemi 245]

Neil, I would only have a problem if they were shipped out to be scrapped to make widgets. You have gone to some lengths to spend time and money, probably better spent else where, to save those tractors and I commend you.  If others are so upset about seeing somebody overseas save these, then maybe they should get after it themselves?   You guys have some interesting equipment over there, and believe me if I had a wallet big enough I would bring some over here. I would love to have Nigel's Holder!

[boovuc 1,090]

We're OK Neil! As we PM'ed I had no idea anyone would be upset over the purchasing and importing of WH tractors for a member in the UK or anywhere for that matter.

 

I agree with the above post, (roscomi).

There are some really cool tractors that were made in Europe that would turn heads here in the states and would be a blast to own and drive!

 

In regard to the shipping of farm and garden tractors to South America, I am not too surprised by it. To me, I have always read that our members in the Southern parts of the US have had trouble finding whole WH tractors over the years. I am sure that the exporting of simple cast iron lawn, garden and farm tractors has been going on for many many years.

In the name of capitalism.......if some fine young entrepreneur wants my tractors, implements and parts to export to South America, all they have to do is allow me an early retirement and my mortgage paid off.

(Yea....I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon)!

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Sounds like when I retire next year I need to move down there and Intercept some of these!

 

~Duke

[formariz 12,040]

It should be admired and apreciatted that there are people in all corners of the world that can see and realize that the machinery and tools produced at a certain time in this country were of such high quality that many of them over 50 years later are still usable and will still outlast whatever is built anywhere today. We should treat it as a compliment and not be upset by it. It should instead awaken us, not only to preserve what we have, but to also strive to still be able to produce such quality and craftmanship. I have countless times been with people overseas which proudly take me to their barns or garages to proudly show me their American made tractors and machinery and boast how great they still work.

 

Coming from generations of woodworkers in Europe I remember my grandfather having a few American made tools and the reverence with which he treated them.Not everyone was allowed to handle or use them. Well, they have come home!I have inhereted them and so will my children.

[6wheeler 669]

It is not just garden tractors that end up heading south of the border. Many 2 cycle Detroit diesel engines went south in the last 20 years. No emission control equipment down in Mexico or South America. The company I work for sells off 10 of our older ready mix trucks each year and Mexican and South American companies are always here to pick them up. Some smaller American ready mix outfits will take a couple as well. But, the lions share usually go south. These companies always want all of the pusher axles and bridgemaster axles removed as they don't have weight restrictions down there either. If they go to Mexico, they are generally driven there. The ones that go to South America are driven to Florida or someplace like that and loaded on ships. I don't even want to know what it costs to ship a half a dozen or so 30,000# concrete mixers by boat. But, I suppose that if you could buy the trucks for around $50,000.00 and pay the shipping? It would still be alot cheaper than $170,000.00 for new ones. Neil, you can buy all of the old iron you want IMO. Having running WH's in all 4 corners of the world is fine with me.