Carl Gordon breathes new life into old tractors
Carl was a truck driver for many years, and he loved it, but he knew there would come a point when it would be time to retire. Fortunately he also realized that after he retired, he would need a hobby to spend his time on and keep him busy – but what?
Carl did put a fair amount of thought into what he would really like to tinker with, but he also wanted something inexpensive so he wasn’t spending all his money on his hobby.
He soon had his eureka moment and knew what he wanted to do – work on old tractors!
It was back in 2006 that he started buying equipment that needed some work. By the time he retired in 2017 he had a few good pieces to startto work on.
His long history on the family farm and his love of fixing things made this hobby perfect and he would have a fully functioning piece of equipment when each of his projects was completed.
 We were able to visit Carl in his shop to peruse his ‘works in progress’ including tractors and combines and talk to him about his hobby. His shop is brimming with beautiful relics. Carl’s beaming smile as he shared histories on his equipment, what work had been done and what still needed to be completed made it more than clear that he was passionate about his hobby.
 A Cockshutt 30 tractor purchased from Harvey Myers sat waiting to be put to work. Its original paint faded over time making it a stunning and useful piece of history. Carl admitted he had considered giving this beauty a new paint job but decided against it.
The next tractor he shared was a Farmall. Farmall tractors were manufactured by International Harvester, a name at that time, synonymous with quality equipment. Carl discussed, ‘overhauling everything on that tractor’.
Another tractor under rehaul, a 1953 Fordson Major, was built by the Ford Motor Company. It was in 1951 that Ford decided it was time to update their original tractor design, but kept the original name.
The wide front end Farmall sourced from Carberry, a Super Major tractor and Cockshutt combine from Garson, and many more – each and every piece of equipment housed in Carl’s shop is more than just a tractor or combine, they are all part of farming history and true masterpieces.
Carl has breathed new life into each of these beautiful and functional works of art endearing themselves to him.
PHOTO CAPTION: Carl Gordon has kept himself busy with his new hobby. PHOTO BY SUZANNE PADDOCK
