JR's Mower Salvage Part 2

[HeadExam 1,783]

hope this is a better video, I haven't even watched it.

[rog8811 47]

Wow, that is one large collection, any idea how many of them would run if you gave them 12v and some juice?

[HeadExam 1,783]

Wow, that is one large collection, any idea how many of them would run if you gave them 12v and some juice?

That's hard to say, maybe 10 percent, a few years ago, I would have said 30 percent. This same group has set here since the mid 1990's. At one time there were more, but mostly late model MTD's that were stripped for parts and then salvaged for metal. He has less MTDs now, but about the same amount of vintage GT stuff as I saw here back in 2002. Scrap metal prices have gone down and local authorities have cracked down on the methamphetamine production so less mowers "showing up" at the salvages. It is very prevalent in the US for people to buy dozens or even hundreds of garden tractors and not sell them, but rather set them in a field to rust and rot into the earth. This behavior is a deficiency in ones personal characteristics in that someone wants them to have them, but by having them destroys them. Some call it "The Pride of Ownership", but what it is really is the inability to differentiate. It is one thing to stack the shed and lean too and what ever will fit under the tarps for future trades or use, but when you buy and never sell or protect the machines you do not care for the the machines, it is all about a persons personal feelings and characteristics. Not a judgment, just an observation. I buy the best I can find, even if I can't afford it, so there is some issues there as well. 

[Triumph66 1,256]

Unbelievable! If that was in the UK the condition of those GTs would be far worse I would think thanks to the ravaged of our climate.

[Alan 1,273]

Unbelievable! If that was in the UK the condition of those GTs would be far worse I would think thanks to the ravaged of our climate.

I'll second that.  A lot of John's stash suffered from the weather, although covered up initially.

[HeadExam 1,783]

There are many parts of the country here that are very dry, even in Oklahoma there are parts like that in the Sout West part of the State. The whole southwestern US enjoys very low humidity (and rain fall), and many other areas of the Midwest and Central Plains are fairly low in humidity. For example this rifle was found leaning against a tree in Nevada, it had rested there close to 132 years and I believe it could made to be serviceable without much trouble.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/15/us/nevada-century-old-rifle-park/

However in North East Oklahoma with all the large lakes and forests the humidity is quite high and the ground quite damp, as you know it does not take long to render a machine rust and dust. Our North East suffers from what is known as acid rain or caustic pollution that falls with rain. This comes from factories run by individuals who hold sway over the government with the threat of reducing jobs if clean air is required to emit from their factories. This acid or polluted caustic rain burns the top of trees and attacks any metal objects as well.

[Wristpin 400]

Here's a man who has bought, spent a fortune on restoration and enjoyed his collection but is now making them available for others to enjoy - at a price!

 

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/huge_and_historic_collection_of_vintage_tractors_to_go_under_the_hammer_1_4158203

[HeadExam 1,783]

Mr. Paul Rackham is a very special man in my book, thanks for posting that story Wristpin, reading it gave me immense joy. I do not posses the wealth of Mr. Rackham, and may never, but I know that if I ever do that I will do the same thing he has done with garden tractors. If I came into a fortune saving, collecting, and restoring garden tractors would be my hobby, but my work would have to be giving money and aid to those less fortunate. Since one cannot take assets with them in the afterlife the only sensible thing to do is be be generous and charitable with those assets. Oh how great of world we would live in if people did not go to bed hungry. 

 

The Dumont Museum in Iowa offers collection of all kinds, trains, dolls, big tractors and little tractor. Mr. Dumont has every model of Red International Cub Cadet ever built, he has every John Deere  Patio tractor ever built, the 100, 120, and 140 models with almost every attachment offered, He also has every model of Massey Ferguson Garden tractor built, from the early yellow 7 and 8 hp Massey Executives  to the Later MF series of 7-16 tractors. he also has extensive collection of Oliver tractors and other are big tractors. Check out the photo album.

http://www.dumontmuseum.com/

 

Another Mower Salvage in Eugene Oregon, Burt's

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/lawnside-classics-burts-riding-mower-and-garden-tractor-heaven-including-one-of-the-oldest-riding-mowers-ever/