W30 tractor will star at Quambatook

W30s were produced in the United States between 1932 and 1940.

Mr Kelly said he wasn’t sure whether his father had purchased the tractor new or second-hand.

“It was on steel wheels originally and we put rubber tyres on the front first, then the back wheels were converted later,” he said.

“I can remember the old man driving it from the seat of a Sunshine harvester with extension steering. He had a sunshade made of old wheat bags sewn together.

“We didn’t have a truck back then, so Dad used to pull a trailer loaded with seed and super out to the paddock at sowing time. In later years the tractor was used to drive a saw-bench to cut firewood.”

He recalled having a Don McGreggor from the garage in Lalbert do some work on the tractor in the early 1980s so it could be driven in the procession at a Lalbert ‘back-to’.

At a recent working bee, association members gave it another ‘smartening-up’, fitting new front tyres; removing and repairing the radiator, the water pump and generator; and once new rear tyres are found — and spark plugs — the hope is to have the tractor going in time for harvest day.

The association’s collection of harvesting machinery and tractors from a bygone era will be on display at Meering Rd, Quambatook on January 28.

There will also be machinery demonstrations with a crop grown for the purpose and a vintage tractor-pull at 4pm.

Outside entries of cars, trucks, tractors and stationery engines are welcome.

Organisers said there was ample shade and the event was fully catered, including a roast meal on the Saturday evening.

Cost is free for those who bring entries on the day or $10 for all others.

For more information phone Doug on 0427 346634 or Ian on 0427 571381.