Collector Specializes In "Low Hour" Deere Tractors
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New York farmer Kevin Sykes is an enthusiastic collector of low-hour Deere tractors from the late 1960’s to the early 1990’s. His collection began with a 3-year-old Deere 4455 with only 2 hrs. that he bought in 1994. The tractor was too nice to use or sell, so he kept it as an investment.
“It’s extremely rare to find a 3-year-old tractor that’s hardly been used at all,” Sykes says. “After finding that tractor, I decided to concentrate on building a low-houred collection.”
He started scouring farm papers and going to auctions across the country to find tractors. In recent years the internet has made searches easier, but the gems he’s looking for are still hard to find.
“I look for tractors in original condition,” says Kevin. “I nearly always find that what’s advertised isn’t what it turns out to be. Some are fitted with aftermarket parts. Others are listed as having original paint, but on close inspection it’s obvious that’s not true. A dead giveaway on some Deere 40 series tractors is that the tiger stripe on the hood decals never lines up with the front of the side screens.” Despite the challenges of finding well-maintained, low-hour tractors, Sykes, and his brother, who has a partial interest in some of the tractors, have built a strong collection of models.
For example, the serial number on his late model 1977 4430 shows that it was one of the last 100 built. It has a cab, air, power shift transmission, and less than 3,000 original hours. His 1972 4020 has low hours, a bright-as-new paint job, clean decals, and the original muffler, still black and unrusted. Even the shiny red fuel tank cap looks brand new.
Sykes and his brother own a pair of open station 4240’s with power shift. Less than 300 of them were built. Further down his lineup is an open station 4040, extremely rare because less than 400 were built in this configuration. Other models in his collection include a 4000, a 4020, a 4320 and a 4230. All of them are low-houred and in original condition.
A 4055 built in 1992 had only 238 hrs. when Sykes acquired it. Equipped with triple remotes, power shift, all of the original weights, and a clean-as-new cab, it was a rare find. “Only 1,700 were built with this equipment,” says Sykes, “and this one was extra special because of its low hours.”
In addition to holding tractors in his own collection, Sykes buys and sells 20 to 40 Deere tractors a year to customers across the U.S. and in other countries. He always looks for quality, low hours and unique options. He brings the tractors to his farm where he and and three full-time employees work at restoring them to near original condition.
“We use all OEM parts, and even fix things that don’t need to be fixed or didn’t leak,” says Kevin. “Many times we do complete engine overhauls, which includes balancing the motor, reworking the transmission and the brakes. We’re taking the tolerances to the tight side of everything that Deere required.” Their goal is to restore machines to near original condition, including paint quality. Well-know auction observer Machinery Pete says Sykes has a great reputation across the country and beyond.
Another rare model in Syke’s collection is a 1982 4440. It’s a power shift model with 1,400 hrs. that he bought from a Minnesota auctioneer in the late 90’s. “We had one of those on the farm that was a real workhorse, so we sold that one and kept this one with the lower hours,” says Kevin. In 2010 he and a friend saw a similar 4440 with 47 hrs. sell for $59,000 at an Illinois auction. He and his friend are certain that Kevin’s 4440 is in better physical condition. “The paint on that Illinois tractor wasn’t as nice as mine,” Sykes says.
In 2012 Kevin sold the 4455 that he bought with only 2 hrs. on it to start his collection in 1994. He listed it for $150,000, almost $100,000 more than what he paid for it. “I got a call the day after I put it on the internet from a large farmer in Mexico,” says Kevin. “He didn’t quibble about the price, gave me a $5,000 deposit and said he’d have the money wired in a day or two.” Less than 24 hours later Sykes received a call from a Canadian collector who said he’d pay $175,000 cash for the 4455. He was so convinced he would prevail that he flew to New York in his private jet with cash in hand to convince Sykes his offer was real. “I told him thanks for the generous offer, but I’d already made a deal and I was sticking to it.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kevin Sykes, Willow Run Farms, 5920 Oliver Rd., Oriskany Falls, New York 13425 (ph 315 684-7242; ksykes@twcny.rr.com; www.willowrunfarms.net).
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Collector Specializes In Low Hour Deere Tractors TRACTORS Collectors New York farmer Kevin Sykes is an enthusiastic collector of low-hour Deere tractors from the late 1960’s to the early 1990’s His collection began with a 3-year-old Deere 4455 with only 2 hrs that he bought in 1994 The tractor was too nice to use or sell so he kept it as an investment “It’s extremely rare to find a 3-year-old tractor that’s hardly been used at all ” Sykes says “After finding that tractor I decided to concentrate on building a low-houred collection ” He started scouring farm papers and going to auctions across the country to find tractors In recent years the internet has made searches easier but the gems he’s looking for are still hard to find “I look for tractors in original condition ” says Kevin “I nearly always find that what’s advertised isn’t what it turns out to be Some are fitted with aftermarket parts Others are listed as having original paint but on close inspection it’s obvious that’s not true A dead giveaway on some Deere 40 series tractors is that the tiger stripe on the hood decals never lines up with the front of the side screens ” Despite the challenges of finding well-maintained low-hour tractors Sykes and his brother who has a partial interest in some of the tractors have built a strong collection of models For example the serial number on his late model 1977 4430 shows that it was one of the last 100 built It has a cab air power shift transmission and less than 3 000 original hours His 1972 4020 has low hours a bright-as-new paint job clean decals and the original muffler still black and unrusted Even the shiny red fuel tank cap looks brand new Sykes and his brother own a pair of open station 4240’s with power shift Less than 300 of them were built Further down his lineup is an open station 4040 extremely rare because less than 400 were built in this configuration Other models in his collection include a 4000 a 4020 a 4320 and a 4230 All of them are low-houred and in original condition A 4055 built in 1992 had only 238 hrs when Sykes acquired it Equipped with triple remotes power shift all of the original weights and a clean-as-new cab it was a rare find “Only 1 700 were built with this equipment ” says Sykes “and this one was extra special because of its low hours ” In addition to holding tractors in his own collection Sykes buys and sells 20 to 40 Deere tractors a year to customers across the U S and in other countries He always looks for quality low hours and unique options He brings the tractors to his farm where he and and three full-time employees work at restoring them to near original condition “We use all OEM parts and even fix things that don’t need to be fixed or didn’t leak ” says Kevin “Many times we do complete engine overhauls which includes balancing the motor reworking the transmission and the brakes We’re taking the tolerances to the tight side of everything that Deere required ” Their goal is to restore machines to near original condition including paint quality Well-know auction observer Machinery Pete says Sykes has a great reputation across the country and beyond Another rare model in Syke’s collection is a 1982 4440 It’s a power shift model with 1 400 hrs that he bought from a Minnesota auctioneer in the late 90’s “We had one of those on the farm that was a real workhorse so we sold that one and kept this one with the lower hours ” says Kevin In 2010 he and a friend saw a similar 4440 with 47 hrs sell for $59 000 at an Illinois auction He and his friend are certain that Kevin’s 4440 is in better physical condition “The paint on that Illinois tractor wasn’t as nice as mine ” Sykes says In 2012 Kevin sold the 4455 that he bought with only 2 hrs on it to start his collection in 1994 He listed it for $150 000 almost $100 000 more than what he paid for it “I got a call the day after I put it on the internet from a large farmer in Mexico ” says Kevin “He didn’t quibble about the price gave me a $5 000 deposit and said he’d have the money wired in a day or two ” Less than 24 hours later Sykes received a call from a Canadian collector who said he’d pay $175 000 cash for the 4455 He was so convinced he would prevail that he flew to New York in his private jet with cash in hand to convince Sykes his offer was real “I told him thanks for the generous offer but I’d already made a deal and I was sticking to it ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kevin Sykes Willow Run Farms 5920 Oliver Rd Oriskany Falls New York 13425 ph 315 684-7242; ksykes@twcny rr com; www willowrunfarms net
