50 replies to this topic

[DougT]

We all know about the GT disease and we all know when we went from reasonable to psychotic.

I can't remember that far back!!

[olcowhand]

Troy, whatever you decide, think LONG & HARD about it! Once they're gone, chances are you'll never get a chance to get those same items back, and you won't know how hard it is without them until they're gone. You may "think" you know what it will be like, but it could be far harder, or maybe even easier than you think. NEVER sell ALL the collection, as you definitely would regret that, almost guaranteed.

[JD DANNELS]

I can't help much on the tractor collection. But remeber all too well the home search thing, after losing our home to a flood in Aug. 2010. We were living in my Dad's camper for two months and then the Church let us move into their Fellowship hall.
We looked at 75 homes that did not meet our needs for one reason or another. Kitchen was not what Jo could work with, Split level and at 60 I did not know how long I could manage the stairs, No space for Garden, Garage not acceptable.ETC.
Just when I was ready to pitch it all in, The perfect place came up about 12K higher than I thought I could manage. And I managed to buy it by offering what I could swing. Yes I still need to build the 30X40 pole building.
We moved in Dec 23,2010. So don't give up too soon, the place of your dreams is out there!!

Edited by JD DANNELS, October 11, 2012 - 11:50 AM.

[JDGuy445]

My dad still says to this day how he wished he and Grandpa wouldv'e kept some stuff. I got an opportunity to buy the one old "B" back as well as the old 3020. We are still looking for all the others except the old 630, old 2520, 4040, 3020 and the B. If you do decide to sell out I reccomend keeping 1 or 2 of your favorites. Also think long and hard of what you really want to do. I know a few folks myself that wouldn't mind having some of them. Problem is I can't get permission to have anymore!

[johndeereelfman]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. Most of you have mentioned about just down sizing the collection. Problems is, how do you down size a collection of round fenders, when you have the complete set? I always dreamed of owning all eleven round fenders and all of the attachments that were made by John Deere for these tractors, and now that I finally collected them all, I have to sort through them, and try to down size? To me, that's impossible and heart breaking.

We aren't going to jump to conclusion just yet, and I'm not looking to contact an auctioneer in the next week or so either. We have seen one place not far from here, that has a huge house, a separate garage, a small shed, and a nice bank barn, but the house will need completely remodeled. I am a Carpenter by trade and can do most of the work myself, but at the age of 45, do I really want to take on all of this work? I know, 45 is still young, and I still have my whole life ahead of me yet, but comitting to remodeling a house for the next 5 years, means a lot of down time on tractor restorations. Don't get me wrong, I like to remodel old buildings, and like putting my thoughts and ideas into motion, but if we buy this house, a majority of the remodeling would need to be done just in the first year. Decisions, decisions!

You guys still aren't telling me though, are you collecting for the fun of it, or as an investment? How many of you have really sat down and thought about getting rid of your collections? Is your collection documented on paper, as to what is to be done with it if something should happen to you in the near future? Do you Will the collection or sell it?

Edited by johndeereelfman, October 13, 2012 - 04:45 PM.

[coldone]

Troy, sorry to hear about your situation. Before you get down and out just remember one word. Patience! Have faith that everything will work out the way that its intended for you. It has taken me years to learn to sit back and quit trying to fit a round peg in a square hole and just have patience and wait for either the peg to turn square or the hole to turn round. It will happen, just like your collection, it will come.

[Bolens 1000]

Very sorry to hear of the possibility of having to sell your collection.
I would definitely think it over and be sure this is what you really want to do.

You guys still aren't telling me though, are you collecting for the fun of it, or as an investment? How many of you have really sat down and thought about getting rid of your collections? Is your collection documented on paper, as to what is to be done with it if something should happen to in the near future? Will the collection or sell it?

To answer your question I am in the Bolens collecting/restoring purely for my own enjoyment and satisfaction. Selling them to flip a profit later on never crosses my mind and I dont think It ever will. Usually a GT collector/ restorer of a specific brand becomes attached to their tractors and the word selling isn't even in their vocabulary. I would probably need to go to therapy/ counseling if I had to part with some of my tractors as I know I would be a wreck even letting one go......
To be honest, If for some reason I had to sell off one of my tractors I restored I dont think I would even get close to what I put into them. People who arent into collecting/restoring often ask me "what do you think you can get out of that when you restore it?" I always respond with a chuckle and say "probably wont get what I put into it" or by saying "I dont know and I really have never given it a thought as I dont sell any Bolens" Usually after this I get some interesting looks and the impression they think I'm a complete nutcase

[johndeereelfman]

Now tell me again about down sizing? How could a man part with all of this stuff? Do you get the idea now that I need a place with more storage? Believe it or not, there are 26 tractors buried in there!

Edited by johndeereelfman, October 11, 2012 - 05:59 PM.

[Sparky]

Troy - it does sound like you are not finished yet with your collection. Sometimes it has to be sold in the same way it is acquired . So you can meet an interesting person or determine the merit in the transaction . Fred

[olcowhand]

I didn't know you had 26 tractors! But then again, I said not to sell ALL your collection. You could sell a hefty bit of it and still have more than most!

[johndeereelfman]

Oh Fred, I'm done collecting. I have aquired everything that I set out to collect. I made my wife a promise a long time ago, that I would quit collecting as soon as I get the last piece of the set, and I did that last year in April. I'd still like to have a John Deere 60 lawn tractor yet, but for the most part, the only tractors I buy anymore are ones that I can buy cheap and turn around and sell for profit. I have a few extra here yet that I'm planning on making into a custom patio set, but other than that I haven't been buying much. I don't know of too many collectors having the complete set of round fenders, at least on the East Coast, so hopefully you can understand just how hard I've worked to get this far. They might not all be the nicest looking tractors and attachments, but they are all complete and waiting for thier turn in the restoration line.

All of you have given me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate all of your input and advice. This isn't and won't be an easy decision by any means, but it's nice to know that you my friends, will still support me no matter what decision I may or may not have to make. I guess I can still be a member here even if I don't have any tractors, right?

Brian, I'm with you on your feelings. I don't want to sell or give up the collection willingly. Selling wouldn't even be a thought or consideration, if it wouldn't be that we can't seem to find anything out there that will fulfill our needs. We saw a lot of very nice houses, and some of which my wife got very excited about, just not enough room for my collection. So I got to thinking and wondering if maybe I'm being too selfish? Making my wife and kids give up on a house that they like just because of the size of my collection, and possibly settling on something that they don't want, but is more efficient to what I need. This is probably the most difficult decision I think I ever had to make. Giving up a life long dream and desire of mine, that gives a sence of accomblishment, or keeping the collection, and making my wife and kids miserable for as long as we own the place they don't want, and listening to them say "I told you so" everytime something breaks or leaks in the house. I guess only time will tell. I guess I'll just wait it out and see just what lies around the next corner, and only cross the bridges as they come instead of looking for a detour!

Edited by johndeereelfman, October 11, 2012 - 06:56 PM.

[Reverend Blair]

You guys still aren't telling me though, are you collecting for the fun of it, or as an investment? How many of you have really sat down and thought about getting rid of your collections? Is your collection documented on paper, as to what is to be done with it if something should happen to in the near future? Will the collection or sell it?

I'm not really a collector, more of a user, but I never do anything outside of work for the money. Probably the biggest investment I have is in empty beer cans...if they ever raise the return rate to 15 cents a can, I'll be richer than Roger Penske.

I would never own a tractor I couldn't use. I like the old stuff though. If I could find a 110 for the right price, I'd trade in the LA105 in a second. If the 110 had a Vanguard engine it, so what? As for documentation, I have nothing. My will consists of, "Wife gets whatever and if she dies first then give it to my nieces and nephews. Spend nothing on my funeral and somebody please look after my dogs." I'm not terribly sentimental about stuff, and quit caring much about money just about the time I figured out I'd never have much of it.

What I do care about is what I find to be cool though. That's what I put work into. You put work into your collection for your own reasons, but really because you thought it was cool. Ray Wylie Hubbard wrote a song about it... ...but he neglected to put in a verse about GTs. Everything in the song is really a GT though...not about the money.

Edited by Reverend Blair, October 11, 2012 - 07:02 PM.

[IamSherwood]

Is there maybe a John Deere museum around that maybe would want to house your collection, while you sort
things out? I know some guys do that with their snowmobile collections.

[Newpaws493]

Psalm 121.

...........................................

I Can't call my obsession a hobby at this stage, don't intend to sell but may trade for something more desireable. Didn't think I had proper space for one and I'm closer to 3 than good common sense would convince me otherwise. Life seems short sometimes and there are things that tend to be kinda out of our hands. That being said, IMO, we chose our poison; of all the misery that could come, There's comfort in these machines. Drawn to them and some to us... A relationship

I have supreme confidence that there's a way through this foggy road.

[dstaggs]

Troy I read this last night and can't belive it. But never having to walk in you'r shoes I have NO IDEAL or words.