He Specializes In Obsolete Deere Parts

He Specializes In Obsolete Deere Parts SPECIALTY/SERVICES
If you’re looking for old or even not-so-old Deere parts a good place to start is The Old Tractor Company Greg Stephen started running parts while in high school when his dad Dean bought a Deere dealership in 1975 He jokes that he memorized parts numbers because he was too lazy to look them up The dealership closed in 2006 but the parts business continues Stephen admits he may not have all his parts numbers memorized but he does have a good idea where to find them
    “We have well over 100 000 line items perhaps as many as 150 000 to 200 000 ” says Stephen “I don’t know for sure because we have pallets of parts yet to be inventoried ”
    Stephen and his dad began buying up parts inventories as other Deere dealerships went out of business around the country In addition to original equipment they also handle many reproduction parts
    “I liked the old stuff and started concentrating on that ran some ads and started promoting it and writing articles for Green Magazine ” says Stephen “I have long-time product knowledge I may be weaker on the newer stuff but I know the old Deere stuff including anything available after market ”
    While tractor parts continue to be the core of his business he sells “everything Deere” from bikes to garden equipment to barbeque grills Stephen cites a growing demand for antique combine and implement parts
    “People with tractors want to do something with them ” he says “An old B with a plow or sickle mower is kind of neat ”
    Stephen advises people thinking of restoring an implement to first buy the parts and service documentation for it as they are often hard to find He also suggests paying more for a complete implement or picking up a second for parts
    “Implement parts are often hard to find because many weren’t kept when the model was discontinued ” says Stephen “Spend the money on the parts book for the implement you want to collect You’ll need it Always look for tractors or implements that are in good shape A $100 price may be attractive but all the parts needed can get costly ”
    Stephen carries a wide variety of implement parts such as roller chain but also specialty parts no longer made by Deere or others In some cases such as lift handle latch plates for spike tooth harrows the Old Tractor Company has had them reproduced
    Stephen advises people looking for parts to have the model number and year handy if they have it If a casting number is available have that as well He suggests talking to your local Deere dealer about being sponsored to get access to JDParts com Deere’s parts website
    “They have all the parts catalogs online and you may be able to figure out the part you need ” he says “Then we don’t have to play a guessing game over the phone ”
    He warns people to be persistent and patient if calling His Joe’s Tractor website has a parts search link but the parts number is needed Contacting him by email is a good option
    “I’ve kept the old parts boxes and now they are becoming collectibles too ” he adds “It is fun looking over the old boxes with their ivory and green stickers some of them from the 1930’s and 1940’s ”
    Sometimes what he finds looking through old boxes surprises even him “I pulled a box apart one day and the parts were packed in newspapers ” he recalls “A headline read ‘President Hoover Visits His Mother’ ”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup The Old Tractor Co P O Box 709 7460 E Hwy 86 Franktown Colo 80116 ph 231-846-8243 303-841-2299; parts@theoldtractorcompany com; www theoldtractorcompany com; www joetraktor com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.