Zac's Tractors

eBay Auctions Ending

2011-10-19T15:23:00.001-07:00

Check out my eBay auctions that are ending in about 4 1/2 hours from now. There are several rare items including a Big Bud 747, many Farm Show and dealer editions, and 1/32 scale items.

I didn't know they still made these.

2011-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

While walking around the Farm Science review a few weeks ago I found a nice Buhler Versatile that reminded me of the old Ford Versatiles from a few years ago. This was a very nice 4wd. I don't have much information, but here are a few pictures.

eBay auctions ending, New Items listed

2011-10-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow 2 eBay auctions will be ending including the STX600 & MX305 Dealer Meeting edition that is very rare. The other auction is for a MX305 2011 Farm Show Edition. Check my auction page.

2011 New Holland Farm Show Edition T9.615 4WD

2011-09-27T20:46:00.001-07:00

This years farm show edition from New Holland is the T9.615. This is a nice model based on the newest 4WD release from Ertl. This tractor features large newly designed front and rear duals.

Cab top inscription. Nice detail on the GPS beacon.

Newly designed muffler, hood and rear fenders with cab top lights and rear lights.

Front weights.

Nice view of the rear weights.

Here is a picture of the real T9 4WD at the 2011 Farm Science Review.

2011 Case IH Farm Show Edition 315

2011-09-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

This years Case IH Farm Show Edition is the 315 tractor with FWA and front and rear duals. This tractor has been produced in toy form several times and features excellent detail. In my opinion these are the best front duals that were ever offered on a model. There are also rear wheel weights. Imprinted on the top of the cab is a silver imprint that says 2011 Farm Show Edition. I do have a few extras of these tractors, so if you need one please visit my eBay page.

Rear oblique photo shows the big rear duals.

Nice detail on the hood to show the vents. Also notice the GPS beacon.

Cab top imprint has Farm Show 2011 in silver lettering.

Here is the collector box.

I have 2 of these tractors available on my ebay page.

Orange County Chopper at the 2011 Farm Science Review?

2011-09-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

When I went to he Farm Science review this year I expected to see combines, planters, balers and forage harvesters but I didn't expect to see a motorcycle from everybody's favorite motorcycle based reality show. Apparently Beck's Hybrids commissioned OCC to build 2 custom motorcycles. The first one pictured is a traditional chopper that is adorned in a Ohio State paint scheme (yuck) and has some beck's hybrid labels painted on. There were red led lights on the underside which seems to be a recent trend with OCC. The second "motorcycle" utilizes the same paint scheme however is a reverse trike design that has a similar front end of a 4-wheeler (quad). The most interesting part of the reverse trike is the pseudo corn head out front which you don't really expect to see on a motorcycle, but since it was created for a seed company it is quite interesting. One of these motorcycles is being auctioned off for charity (I believe the traditional one).

Seems to follow a traditional OCC design. Looks fun.

Here is the reverse trike that does look similar to a can am motorcycle. The rear tire looks to be a Z rated automotive tire.

From this angle this looks like a very unique quad more than a motorcycle.

Close up of the combine head inspired front end. Also makes a terrific cattle catcher.

Case IH 2011 Dealer Meeting Magnum 340 & Steiger 600

2011-09-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

I recently found a few sets of the Case IH 2011 Dealer meeting edition. This set is sometimes released at the annual dealer meeting that rotates to different parts of the country when new model are produced. The 2011 edition features a Magnum 340 with single front and rear tires and a Steiger 600 with large front and rear flotation duals and front weights.

The cab tops of these tractors have a silver imprint that says "CASE IH, Nashville, TN, 2011. These are very nice models and in the past have been highly collectible. There was a similar set at the phoenix dealer meeting a few years ago that became very valuable. I was able to acquire a few of these sets and have them for sale on eBay. Below is a close up view of the Magnum 340.
Here is a close up view of the magnum 600. Notice the front and rear weights, cab lights and fender lights.
The back of the box has some nice artwork displaying the tractors in the field.
Here is the cab imprint on the top of the magnum 340. This imprint is on top of both tractors.
You can buy this set on my eBay page.

The item number for this auction is: 14807A

More Farm Science Review Pictures

2011-09-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well done kinze. Although these new planters and grain cart may have been released some time ago, I wasn't aware of them so they are new to me. I really like the new commodity tanks which look like they belong on the space station rather than a farm implement. Lets hope some 1/64 editions are soon to follow, please, please, please. Here is the 3600, updated!

Here is a 3660 with seed and commodity bins.
Here is a 1300 grain cart.

New Model Release Case IH Authentics #3 Steiger STX 450

2011-09-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

The first real 4wd tractor in the authentics series was released earlier this year and it is great. The Case IH STX450 has been around for a few years but is an excellent representative of Case IH's Big 4Wds. This model is the first real big 4wd in the series from Case IH or John Deere is features clear cab glass, nicly detail wheels and tires, a detailed articulation and very nice details.

More 2011 FSR Pictures

2011-09-20T14:37:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more pictures from the FSR. Also the new header for my blog is a Realtree New Holland 4wd T9.615 that was on display.

Here is a nice Krone "Big Pack" Baler.

The gleaner S67
Claas forage chopper
Here is the Claas Lexion 730. I really wish they would go with a classic green and white paint job.
Here is a Realtree customized New Holland CR 8090 Combine.
Here is a cool Preditor sprayer.

Interesting Photos from the 2011 Farm Science Review

2011-09-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

This year I made a trip over to the Ohio Farm Science Review in London, OH. I took some pictures of the new and interesting "real" tractors I cam across. There were several outlets selling toys including Moore's Farm Toys. Of the dealers Case IH and

New Holland had the best selection of miniatures for sale.

On the other hand John Deere had no tractors but gave out spiffy jump drive bracelets that contained digital copies of all of their new product literature instead of cutting down 700 trees so that every kid in the midwest can litter their bedroom floor with glossy peripherals. So John Deere, instead of giving out or even selling a model of the hundred thousand dollar machine you are trying to promote you thought to yourself "How can we make ourselves make look more professional? I know, how about some gold bracelets!" Somebody in Deere marketing has seen napoleon dynamite a few too many times. I will say Deere's exhibit was very impressive, and they had the only actual 1/64th scale farm display that was at the show (pictured below). I will say, if you are going to go to the trouble of making a display how about using models that you are introducing at the show. For a few hundred bucks (I would do it for free) some farm toy customizer would make custom decals and details for your tractors so that you can correlate what you are selling inside and outside the tent.

Here is the S680 Combine that will soon be the subject of Authentic #3. Its Big.
Here is the 9560 RT climbing a small mountain of mulch.
The New John Deere 9510R
More 9510R
S670 Combine
Other Side of the S670

John Deere Authentics Series #3 Released

2011-09-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

Recently Ertl put out a flyer announcing the release of the 3rd tractor in the Authentics series the John Deere S690 Combine. This model follows the 8530 and the 7930 as John Deere's promotional tool for new models, and satisfying toy collectors desires for high detail models. This model is overdue since there has not been a major redesign of a new model John Deere toy combine since the 9750 was released 12 years ago.

The S690 in the authentics series should feature opening panels, opening cab glass, raisable feeder house, and positionable rear wheels. The detail on the Case IH 6088 and 7088 has been very nice and we should expect the same level of detail from the S960. Early prototype pictures of the combine are available on VanKley's Website.

Below is an interesting picture from the John Deere UK website that has front tracks which could make an interesting custom.

Here is a video of the S690 in action following unveiling at the Farm Progress Show.<

New eBay Auctions!!!

2011-07-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

I spent some time cleaning out my toy room and garage recently and found some things I no longer need or have duplicates of. Check out my eBay auctions page:

Some of the included auctions are: Video Games, RC Cars, Combines, Tractors, a High Detail Spec Cast Planter, A DCP grain truck, Many 1st edition pieces, New Holland Dealer Edition, John Deere and Case 4wd tractors and a bunch more!!!

New Steiger Pedal Tractor

2011-06-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

I usually don't follow the latest trend in pedal tractors so I can understand how I missed this announcement, however Ertl is releasing a Really Cool Steiger Pedal Tractor later this summer. According to the Ertl Blog the Green Steiger is due in late summer. Ill try to post when I see it hit the stores.

2011 National Farm Toy Show Tractor

2011-06-19T19:29:00.001-07:00

This year the Toy Farmer and Ertl are continuing their series of older 4wd tractors with the Versatile 935. This too looks to be an excellent model with rubber duals, cab glass and a realistic hitch. It has been a while since we have seen a decent quality Versatile (Yes including Scale Models attempts) so this will be a nice addition to many collections.

(The above photos are from the toy farmer website)

2010 National Farm Toy Show Pictures

2011-03-15T10:32:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to post pictures from the 2010 National Farm Toy show for several months, but have not had time to spend on the blog, so I apologize. My stimulus for posting today was that I decided to post pictures for the 2011 farm toy show tractor, but I thought I better get the pictures from the 2010 show up first.

New Model Release - JD R450 SP Windorwer

2010-11-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is more of a new-ish model release of the John Deere R450 self propelled windrower. With Case IH and New Holland versions recently released it would be unlike John Deere to not have a toy version of their own hardware on the market. This toy features free rolling rubber wheels, clear cab glass, and realistic graphics and details. For about $8 this a very nice model with great detail.

New Holland Bale Wagon

2010-11-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

While traveling through northern Michigan I stumbled across this bale pickup wagon. I have seen several of these in real life, but this one was in great shape. I have seen a few toy replicas of these, but I have yet to try it for myself. I will definitely be on the lookout for one of these at the National Farm Toy Show which starts officially in about 40 hours.

Hauling Pumpkins

2010-11-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween week (AKA I forgot to post this on Halloween) here is a picture of a tractor tat I took when I was buying pumpkins this year. The sign was in the same guys yard and I thought it was appropriate for the blog.

1 Day left in the auctions

2010-10-24T21:05:00.001-07:00

There are some good deals on several of my eBay auctions currently so if you get a chance check them out tomorrow night they all end. Pictured below are several items that are being sold individually or in lots. The New Holland set is a dealer edition. The Mack truck and grain trailer are a custom combination and the forage harvester is a "first edition."

Link: eBay

New Model Release - Big Bud 500

2010-10-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

The Big Bud 500 was released with Ertl this summer with the Big Bud 440. The 500 was limited to 2500 units. It features rubber tires, clear cab glass, and realistic graphics. The 440 features the "Williams Brothers" logo on the side of the door. At VanKleys the 440 is priced at $18 and the 500 at $16. Below are several pictures of the 500. In addition there were 156 pairs of gold 440s and 500s released which are priced at a stratospheric $425 for the pair. For more information on the Big Bud tractors and the Williams brothers store visit Williams Big Bud.

Check out my eBay auctions.

New Model Release BB9080

2010-10-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

When this was announced I knew it would be a crowd favorite because 1/64th scale collectors have been clamoring for a 1/64th scale big baler for years. Ertl didn't disappoint us with the detail on this machine. The chute extends form the back to allow bales to fall behind. It also has twin axles and detailed bogey wheels. Below are some pictures.

New Model Release Case IH 7088 Combine

2010-10-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

This combine was actually released a few months ago, but I neglected to review it. I LOVE the Ertl authentics series. It is by far the best detail you can get in 1/64th scale for the price. If I could pick a "bang for your buck." series of tractors the authentics would be it.

This combine is virtually identical to the 7088 except with different decals. The major improvement on this combine is the inclusion of an 8 row corn head and a 36 foot grain head. Neither of these were included with the 7088. The raisable feeder house, steerable rear axle, and opening cab door make this model a great buy.

Here is a video of the Case IH "Rotary Revolution" that has some clips of the 6088 in action.

eBay auctions have about a day left. Bid often!

New Holland Farm Show Edition 2010 T7070

2010-10-23T23:24:00.000-07:00

The 2010 New Holland Fall Farm Show edition this year is the T7070 Power Command. This is a nice looking tractor, with every unit from Ertl painted mazarati blue. On the front of the box it states that this is the "Tractor of the Year." I'm not sure what that entails, but the model is very nice.

Below you can see the farm show lettering on the hood and the auto command decal.

Below is the left cab top that states "Blue Power." Very cool.

Tracks on the Back

2010-10-23T16:19:00.001-07:00

While driving through northern Michigan I spotted this Kubota at a delaership. I though that this must be a custom tractor that someone produced for the harsh northern michigan terrain and winters. But upon review at the kubota website this is actually a "M128 Power Crawler." This tractor features tank like rubber treads coupled to an 8 spped transmission and 108 PTO horsepower. Very Cool. For more information about Kubota M series tractors.

Here is an interesting video of a wheeled M128X Kubota getting un-stuck form the mud. If you get bored just fast forward to the 1:16 mark and watch the tractor pull out.

There are a few Kubota toys out there (None of the M128X Power Crawler unfortunately) but from what I have seen Outback Farm Toys has the best selection.

Case IH Farm Show 2010

2010-10-20T22:02:00.001-07:00

The 2010 edition of the case IH farm show edition is the Steiger STX 535. This tractor was released about 3-4 months ago and uses the same Steiger chassis that Ertl released in 2008. This is a nice model because it features triples, which haven't been seen on a STX steiger in about 8 years. As the "special edition" Ertl produced a "limited" number of chaser Red Chrome tractors. Pictured below is my red chrome edition.

Check out my eBay auctions which have about 2 days left:

Zac's Tractors eBay Auctions

Five Favorite Farm Show Finds

2010-10-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

With the National Farm Toy Show only 17 days away I'd like to talk a little about what makes it exciting for me to attend. I really enjoy hunting through the hundreds of tables for either that one tractor that I have been searching for for years or surprised by something I have never seen before. Despite going to many shows and looking on line constantly I still find interesting models that I have never seen. It seems like there is a whole segment of the farm toy industry that has not integrated the Internet into their business.

So for the the excitement is the anticipation of the next big find. Here are five "Big" finds that I have come across in the last 3 National Farm Toy Shows:

5. The John Deere 12A Pull Type combine: Last year I was making my final sweep of the high school hallway and I saw a table that was selling nothing but pull type combines. The dealer had orange, red and green combines that were modeled in resin after common implements. With a rotating beater and what looked like accurate to scale detail I bought it in a hurry. Even though it is resin cast I am extremely happy with this purchase, and I hope to buy another color soon.

4. Grain Augers: I have been looking for some simple high detail grain augers for a while. Ertl made a low detail version in the 80s which is currently overpriced and standi makes a version that also has poor detail in plastic. These augers are from scratch cast and if you have seen their products you know scratch cast is high quality stuff. They have allot of accessory type products that are not cheap, but you can see the man hours involved in making them.

3. Big Bud HN320 4wd: Last year I was bummed because Long Creek didn't have the 600c ready for the farm show which was going to be my big 4wd purchase. I walked by this big bud 4 times thinking it was going to be $100 because of its condition. When I saw the price was considerable less and that it was in great shape I bought it quickly. I thought I would regret it, but it turned out to be my find of the Show.

2. Woods and copeland 300C: This guy is a beast of a 4wd, and when I saw it know that I would like it but that I didn't want to go over budget. I talked to the dealer about the tractor and she informed me that it was 1 of 17 in the world that they had made for the toy show. That was all I needed to hear and I bought it. Again, I thought I would regret it and it ended up being the best find of the day.

1. My second trip to the National farm toy show needed to succeed where the first failed. I needed to find a Wagner. The local shows in Michigan just weren't turning up the prospects I wanted, and this was the place I was going to find my Wagner. It wasn't green or yellow, but finally I landed my Wagner. It remains the #1 most expensive 1/64th scale Item I have bought, but is also one of my favorites. Since then I have bought 2 more Wagner kits for less than half the price, so it feels like it all evens out. Sort of.

Other notable finds include:

The Muddy Rite tractors (1/250) - and these muddy tractors sell for the SAME price as the non-muddy versions which gives the collectors (US) a chance to buy one instead of the dealers making huge money on the markup (Ertl please take a note)

New Models From SIKU

2010-10-19T15:06:00.001-07:00

SIKU, a manufacturer that I have really never discussed just released a few new models of all types at the end of september. Here is a poster displaying their new offerings. They generally have a few farm toys for us.

A quote from the SIKU website:

The highlight for all 1:32 scale FARMER collectors and fans.The Claas Xerion
5000 (item 3271) is an impressive continuation of the traditional Claas
brand in
the segment of powerful and sturdy large-sized tractors. SIKU now
produces this
powerful, but beautifully crafted original to 1:32 scale as an
authentic toy
model. In addition to proven features such as the steering
mechanism, opening
engine bonnet and SIKU coupling devices, this model is
fitted with two universal
lighting systems on the cabin roof and with
folding mirrors. The cabin is fully
glazed and removable. Original detail
wheel rims and tyres with agricultural
track complete the look of this
high-end model.There's space to transport
tractors like the Claas Xerion
here: the 1:32 scale Scania tower truck with
3-axle low loader (item 3295).
The truck is almost entirely produced in die-cast
metal with original detail
finish. Steering is possible using a lever behind the
driver’s cabin. The
coupler can be electronically opened and shut. There's more
work to do in
the forest!That’s no problem for the John Deere Forwarder (item
4061).The
4-axle John Deere Forwarder transports harvested tree trunks across
inaccessible terrain to the logistics depot. The model is fitted with a
rotating
and manoeuvrable loading crane. Tree trunks can be loaded and
unloaded – exactly
as in real life!The freight carriage (item 1072) is a
brilliant addition. Front
and rear coupling systems make the model easy to
link to several freight
locomotives, which can be coupled to model #1653
freight train.The Claas Xerion
(item 3271) and the Citybus (item 1894) will
be released in October.The models
John Deere 8345R CONTROL (items 6772/73),
crawler excavator (item 1891),Claas
harvester (item 1991) will be released
in November – wait for a separate
announcement. The plough CONTROL (item
6783) will not be released now until
early 2011 due to technical production
reasons.

eBay Auctions Cooking Along

2010-10-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to remind everyone that there are about 65ish items on eBay spread across about 20 auctions form my collection (Need to make room for new additions).

Zac's Tractors eBay auctions

Above is the 2008 Farm Show Edition 8120. Many nice features and is currently selling for $34 on Van Kley's website.

STX500 is on of several Case IH items in a large lot of toys.

The hard to find international CXT truck features great detail with chrome accents.

New eBay Auctions

2010-10-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

I have put up several new eBay auctions containing a variety of 1/64 farm vehicles. I also am selling a 1/10th scale RC Motor and ESC and a RS4 Nitro Car.

http://shop.ebay.com/zfriess_umich/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

There are 20 auctions total, here are some pictures of a few selected auctions.

The Fred Ertl Private Collection Auction

2010-10-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

The other day I was searching on the Toy Farmer website for information about the 2010 National Farm Toy Show and I found a link to an auction for the private collection of toys belonging to Fred Ertl. He was the son of the Ertl that started it all and the CEO of the Ertl company for many years. I assumed everything would be astronomically priced but I managed to find a tractor in my budget and was able to buy a piece of history in my very own Big Bud 525/84 that belonged to Fred Ertl. Even more to my suprise but the tractor had been tagged on the bottom after being displayed at the national Farm Toy Museum and still had the catalog stamp on the bottom. Im interested to see if any of the bigger ticket items make their way to the National Show Auction on November 6th.

Here is the link to the Fred Ertl Auctions: http: //www.gomotorbids.com/Partner.cfm?Partner_ID=57&Partner=Fred-Ertl-Jr-Farm-Toy-Collection&Page=1

Ertl Fall 2010 Toy Releases

2010-10-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

I was looking at Ertl's website today and found some new flyers detailing what is in store for us in the next few months. I think the most interesting things in 1/64th scale are the Case IH Air seeder and trailer and the matching New Holland Air seeder. We have had a John Deere version for about 7 years so it will be nice to see in other colors. There was an older Case IH air seeder and cart produced in the 80s and again in the early 2000's, but the construction was rudimentary and felt cheap. Hopefully the new version will be sturdy. The John Deere flyer also has an interesting release with the 1/16 soundgard 4960 Precision with FWA. Its the nicest looking precision I have seen since the 3588 came out a few years ago. It will definitely be on my Christmas list. Without more of my blathering on here are the new release flyers. Oh and yeah I haven't blogged for a while, but I've moved twice and I'm ready to do some serious posting (until I get too busy again and stop.)

Link to the John Deere Spring Flyer: http://ertl.com/images/jd/2010/JD_2010_spring.pdf

2010 National Farm Toy Show Tractor

2010-04-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

It was recently announced by Toy Farmer that the 2010 National Farm Toy Show tractor will be the International Harvester 3788. This is another variation of the Ertl 2+2 casting that was released a few years ago. Since then they have released a 1/64 scale 3388 and a 1/64 6388. This will be the first 2+2 that has an updated casting in 1/32 scale. According to the pictures the 3788 looks to have cab glass and a movable 3pt hitch. This will be the first of the 3 models to have a 3pt hitch. This will be a great addition to the 4wd series of National Farm toy show tractors but leaves me to ask: why not the 7488?

New Model Timeline?

2009-11-24T18:37:00.000-08:00

As an addendum to my previous posts I wanted to give the dates that I'm aware of for some of the model releases:

1/64 6388: Available now!

1/64 Case IH Baler and New Holland Baler: April 2010

1/64 Case IH Magnums regular and red chrome. Sometime next summer before the 2010 NFTS.

1/32 9120 With Tracks: Late November/ Early December? (hopefully)

Also available soon is a new 1/64th authentic. The 6088 will be a variation of the 7088 that was released last year. The biggest differences will be the decals, and the 6088 will come with an 8 row corn head. Below is a picture of the actual 6088.

I also mentioned in my post about the national farm toy show that there will be a Woods and Copeland 600C released soon, I was told that tractor will come out in the first quarter of 2010. Below is a picture of the prototype 600C.

A few other new items that I haven't reported yet are the Kuhn Knight Slinger 8118 and the Kuhn Knight Reel Auggie 3130. These items are made by Norscott and will be sold through Kuhn dealers. Otherwise I have no other information. Below are the prototypes.

2009 National Farm Toy Show Tractor

2009-11-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

The 2009 National Farm Toy Show (NFTS) tractor this year is the Steiger Panther KM325. This is another variation of the Steiger castings that were produced a few years ago. One big difference and nice addition is the new tires with Goodyear written on the sidewalls in white. This adds a nice touch to an already nice model. Missing from this model is the 3pt hitch that we have seen in previous NFTS models over the past several months.

Excellent engine detail and silver stripe.

Triples? TRIPLES!

2009-11-21T20:10:00.000-08:00

Part of the allure of buying 1/64 scale farm toys is to own a piece of equipment that weighs several tons in the field, yet you can set the model on your shelf. Its also interesting that these models cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in real life but you can buy the miniature for $9. So when buying a model if what you are after is the biggest and best then a model with triples is probably the largest tire/wheel combinations that you will find except in rare occasions. This John Deere 9430 is an excellent model to start with, but the addition of row crop triples makes it very interesting. It is also nice that we now have a 1/64th scale row crop model that fits perfectly with the huge 32 row DB90 planter.

New Models Coming Soon

2009-11-21T19:29:00.000-08:00

First displayed at the 2009 National Farm Toy Show the following models will soon be available for purchase. The first model featured is a 1/32 9120 combine with tracks. This is an excellent model and as far as I'm aware the first 1/32 Case IH combine with tracks. This model will be in the "Prestige" Series and has excellent detail. Ertl is claiming late November to early December shipping.
Below is the 6388 which is a casting variation of the 3388 that came out about 5 years ago. The 2+2 is a very popular IH model, and until now we have had to custom make models beyond the 3388 and the 3588. This model has a red cab top with the black and silver stripe. Anyone who now wants a 7488 can have one with a simple decal swap. That gives me a great idea for a future article, stay tuned.
Below is something 1/64 fans have anticipated for years. A 1/64th scale big baler has been a very popular request at shows, and until now the quality of the models you could buy was questionable. As you can see this is a very nice model, and as soon as they are released ill have a full review.
Below is the Case IH variation of the Big Baler. Just as big, but for most people when they think balers New Holland is a more popular choice.
Below is the 2010 Farm Show Edition. I was surprised to see this considering it wont be out until next summer, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Ertl producing another tractor with triples.
Below is the red-chrome "chase" edition of this tractor. As usual this will be limited in production, and as usual toy dealers will open the boxes and put them on eBay so that the average collector cant afford one (Don't get me started).

Pictures From The 2009 National Farm Toy Show

2009-11-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

The 2009 National Farm Toy Show has officially concluded, and for many farm toy collectors tomorrow will be like December 26th and we all have to wait 363 more days until next years show. I took some pictures at this years show, so when you have that midnight Dyersville craving you can visit my webpage.

Above is one of the winning 1/64 small scale displays from this years show. I thought this was interesting because I have never seen an auction depicted on a farm toy display. The picture below shows the crowd gathering around the tractors and implements being auctioned off. On a side note I think its interesting that the trophy is being displayed in the sludge pit.
Below is the National Farm Toy Museum. During the show admission is free, and you can see them different displays showing toy tractors from many different eras, and displays showing the manufacturing process and the people that have created the hobby. You can also see that the weather for the show was amazing.
Below is one of the newer displays from the national farm toy museum displaying all of the anniversary tractors that have been produced for the Toy Tractor Times. In the bottom left corner you can see the Big Bud HN 320 which was on my top 10 list of best toys produced last year.
Below is a tractor from Long Creek toy company that is slated for production early next year. The 600C is the 4th tractor in their line of Woods and Copeland 4wds. A you can see this tractor has excellent detail and nice duals. I will review this tractor in detail when its released in the spring.

eBay auctions up

2009-10-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

I have listed a few new eBay auctions including a couple of customs and some elite nascar replicas. If you want to get your christmas shopping done early check them out. Below are some pictures of some of the auctions. Link to my auctions.

2007 Case National Farm Toy Show Edition
1/64 John Deere/Bauer Built DB90 Planter
1/64 2008 Case IH 8120 Fall Farm Show Edition
1/64 Case IH "Black Knight" Custom Combine

Farming With A Lamborghini

2009-08-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

Honestly I’m not really sure what the fastest tractor on earth would be, but if you were to guess woudln’t you put your money on the silver tractor with the lamborghini badge on it. For most people when they heart the brand lamborghini they think of one of these.

For farmers in Europe they hear lamborghini and they see images of a very beautiful and functional tractor. I really had only heard of the lamborghini brand before I saw it first hand in europe and was able to stumble upon a silver model in a Paris hobby shop.

This model is a 1/32 scale, which is very popular in Europe. It doesn't have cab glass but it is all die cast and has steerable front wheels, and tire rubber that is very realistic. This model is made by Siku and is very well detailed.

The corporate Lamborghini website is very nicely done and reviews all of their current lineup. You can read about all of their new tractors here: Lamborghini Tractor Site

History of Lamborghini Tractors
Although as I said before most well known for his cars Mr. Feruccio Lamborghini actually had a very interesting history in the agricultural industry:

“While his passion lay with cars, it was the tractor that Lamborghini assembled for his father out of spare parts that set him on the path that would make him a wealthy man.[3] The machine had a six-cylinder Morris engine, a General Motors transmission, and a Ford differential. The contraption worked so well that his father's friends, also farmers in the midst of Italy's postwar agricultural reconstruction, soon clamored for their own examples of Ferruccio's design. To meet the demand, in 1949 he opened Lamborghini Trattori S.p.A., building tractors in his Pieve di Cento garage. By the mid-1950s, his factory was churning out 1000 tractors per year; over the course of the decade, Lamborghini became one of the largest agricultural equipment manufacturers in the country, turning Ferruccio into a wealthy industrialist.[3] In 1959, he opened an oil heater factory, Lamborghini Calor S.p.A., and a year later, an air conditioner factory, both of which met with success.”

If you are interested in purchasing a Toy Lamborghini tractors eBay has several models on sale for various prices, although you may have to have them shipped from the UK. Another option is Bossen Implement which has several variations for sale.

Soundgards' a plenty

2009-08-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

As promised earlier this year here are the new soundgard tractors with front wheel assist. Besides having more realistic FWA than earlier models that had regular sized flotation tires with shallow treads, these tractors have a few extra details. Most notably all three of these tractors have cab glass. My only real criticism of these models is that all of them have real singles, and many of the real machines you see on the farm day to day have duals. Also I think the front wheels would look better if the hubs were painted yellow to match the rest of the wheel.
Above is the 4955. Notice the single step and brand new front and rear wheel casting. THis is the first time these wheels have been used to my knowledge.
The 4850 is the model I have been especially excited about since there were many of these around my house when I was growing up, and I customized a few 2 wheel drive soundgards to have FWA and 4850 graphics. Look for a future article that shows how to put duals on.
Above is the 4960 also featuring new front and rear wheels and a 3 step ladder.
All three models ready for the fall harvest.

Remember to submit your CONTEST entries for a chance to win a 1/64th John Deere 9630T!

Interesting Finds at the Frankenmuth Toy Show

2009-08-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

This past saturday was the 23rd annual Frankenmuth farm toy show in Frankenmth, MI. This was the first time I was able to attend the show, and I really enjoyed it. I would say there were around 25-30 dealers with 3-4 big displays.Some antiques for you fans of the 80's include 2 Big Buds from 1987, and a gleaner R50 from the late 80's/early 90's. I have wanted to grab one of the earlier RoGators because they were used extensively around where I lived so I picked up one relatively cheap. The forage harvester set with the Case tractor and dual axle forage wagon is the newest release I picked up. This is an interesting set with one side of the tractor having duals and the other a single tire. The forage harvester is a unique piece because it comes with a hay head. So for 2/3 of the price of the hay head alone I bought the whole harvester. Finally in the lower right you can see the Byron grain cart I found. It is made of styrene and painted Byron Orange. It is fully functional as it lifts and dumps. This was hand made and the builder was present at the show.

Here you can see the side of the Case with singe rear tire and the cart in dump position.

The Contest

2009-08-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

To commemorate the 25,000th visit I am going to give away a free 1/64th scale John Deere 9630T Tractor. In order to be eligible to win the tractor you must submit your entry via email to zacstractors@gmail.com. The deadline for entries is August 31st, 2009. At that point a winner will be selected from all qualifying entries.

Simply submit an answer to the following questions in an email, and put "9630T Contest" in the subject line of the email and send it to: zacstractors@gmail.com

1. How old are you?

2. What scale of toy tractors do you collect?

3. What is your favorite brand of tractor (real or toy)?

4. Do you customize toy tractors?

5. What could be done to improve the content of this blog?

6. What is your favorite toy tractor of all time?

7. What is your favorite real tractor of all time?

8. Why do you collect toy tractors?

9. How many tractors are in your collection?

10. Are you a farmer in real life?

The information from the entries will not be shared with anyone or posted on this website without written permission by the person submitting the entry. The tractor will be shipped free of charge to the winner within 4 weeks of the contest end date. This contest is open to international participants.

New Look & Show Schedule

2009-08-08T19:24:00.001-07:00

After almost 2 years I decided that it was time for a new look to the blog. Since it has been green its entire life I thought Id go for a more red look to allow the "Force" to be balanced. Also sometime thic summer the blog passed 25,000 visits, which I find amazing. Thanks to all the people who keep visiting, and thanks to those of you that post comments. If I could ask anything of this blog's readers, please comment on the content and what you would like to see in the future.

Also I would like to give a heads up to a few of the upcoming farm toy shows. I was recently at the Frankenmuth farm toy show in Frankenmuth, MI and I found some fliers. I will have to double check to see if these are in the Toy farmer index or not, but in the meantime here are some of the shows I have found. Also it's time to start counting down to the National Farm Toy show once again so here is the timer. I'm not sure if I'll be there this year, but try to make it if you can.

Little Deere

2009-08-08T19:00:00.001-07:00

For a while toy collectors have been asking for smaller tractors in 1/64 scale. Smaller utility tractors are very common on many farms, and in many cases are more common than the big four wheel drives that we love so much. I know in Florida for every giant 9420 that I saw I would see at least fifteen 5000 series john deere tractors. Ertl did a nice job with two smaller utility tractors. They have the now common cab glass, and the detail is good for about $6.

The first tractor is a 6140D. It is a 140 horsepower tractor (Hence the 6140 moniker). If you would like to read more about the 6140 check out http://www.deere.com/servlet/ProdCatProduct?tM=FR&pNbr=6140DP

Next is the 5105M. As you could have guessed it has a 105 horsepower engine. Here is its homepage http://www.deere.com/servlet/ProdCatProduct?tM=FR&pNbr=5105MLV

4 Months Ago

2009-08-08T18:45:00.001-07:00

Apparently people are still visiting my site, which I appreciate and thank you for. I feel bad that I have had no new content in 4 months, but hopefully I can get back to posting semi-regularly. There have been some new releases since the last time I posted, and I will review the ones that I think warrant our attention.

One of the most recent releases is the Case IH Steiger “Pink Panther.” I dont have allot of information about the real pink panther tractor but Toy Tractor Times has a full blog dedicated to the 1/32nd version. (http://pinkpanther.toytractortimes.com) This tractor is basically identical to the green steigers that we have been seeing for the past 3 years with a coat of bright pink paint. Here are some pictures of the new(ish) 1/64th version.

Of course don't get the tractor confused with this Pink Panther....

The International Harvester - Steiger?

2009-03-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

Ok so this tractor never really existed (to my knowledge) but I thought it would be interesting to paint one of my custom 7488's steiger green. I especially like this model because the green wheels match the color pattern of the original steiger tractors while maintaining the look of a 7488. I painted the cab top gloss black to break up the green paint a bit. I think this model has a really unique look and is one of my favorite customs.

eBay Auctions

2009-02-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

The Auctions for the Modern and Classic lawn tractors are ending tomorrow, and a few new auctions will be put up tomorrow night.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZzfriess_umich

The New John Deere Soundgards - 4850, 4955, 4960

2009-02-19T14:35:00.000-08:00

Pretty soon (April 27 according to http://www.vankleyfarmtoys.com/) Ertl will be releasing models of the 4850, 4955, and 4960 based on the soundgard tractors that they have been producing for about the past 5 years. The castings are different, and they have added cab glass and more realistic FWA, but these are basically the same level of casting detail as the others. When Ertl released this set it was a VAST improvement over the original soundgards that I remember from my childhood. When this new set is released I will be buying it, but I just wanted to post and show everyone a 4850 that I made from a 4450 casting. These are fun because the castings are relatively thin and I was able to morph FWA into these so that they were more accurate than the weak attempt by ertl of just using treadded front tires (Note: The new tractors look like they have really nice FWA wheels and tires). I also made some custom 4850 graphics, painted the wheels, added front hubs, and a hand railing.

Here is the original picture from the Ertl catalog that shows what the models are based on. Its always fun when the manufacturer doesn't have pictures of the prototype to put in the catalog or doesn't want to release a picture of the toy because it leaves us collectors to speculate as to what the configuration will be. I have seen people in heated arguments debating whether the 4850 will have duals or not.

Here is an updated picture from VanKley's website (below) that shows what the toys may look like. As you can see the FWA looks better, but using history as a guide about 50% of the time on a new model something will be different from the original publication photo. Usually its a model number, wheels or tires, cab glass, or in the case of the recent 9870 combine what header it is packaged with. Nevertheless these models look great and I will be reviewing them fully when they are released.

Case IH Fall Farm Show Editions

2009-02-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

Ertl has posted a flyer on their website with the Fall Farm Show Edition models. This year they will have a 1/16 Magnum 180 Stars and Stripes and a 1/64th 9120 Combine with front tracks and a 16 row corn head. Coincidentally I made a 7010 with front tracks about 2 months ago that I was going to show on my blog in the future, but I guess now would be an opportune time. This is a regular edition 7010 that I removed the wheels from and epoxied brass stock into place on the bottom. I then put the axle that goes through the top wheel through the normal axle housing, and a second brass rod to suspend the tracks through the bottom of the tracks. It is an interesting model and I'm happy Ertl will have one out too. Most importantly we get to have a 1/64 scale 16 row corn head to harvest with this fall.

Progress of a Custom - Time to Detail

2009-02-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the 7930 with all of the detail accessories in place. I have added turn signals, railing, front hubs, mirrors, and a rear hitch. Above you can see everything except for the rear hitch in painted form. Below I will show the details unpainted.

Here you can see the left front hub, mirror, turn signal, and railing.

Here you can see the right side of the tractor in addition to the custom made hitch. The hitch was made out of styrene and super glued into place.

Here is a picture of the painted tractor.

Rear view of the painted tractor with hitch. You can see that the cab details have been painted.

Front hub installed and painted.

Rear hitch installed and painted.

This will be the last update on this tractor for about a week since it will take me a few days to make the details and paint the 3pt hitch.

New Model Release - Case IH Spirit of 76 Set

2009-02-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

I took these photos several months ago but I forgot to post them. So this is more of a "relatively" new model release. These are basically repaints of existing castings, but they are very nice, and if you read my artice on the top 5 of 08 you will notice that the Steiger was on there.

1/64th Scale Lawn Tractors

2009-02-17T21:51:00.000-08:00

These are customs that I have been working on for about a month. There is a relative lack of 1/64th scale lawn tractors so I decided to create a modern and a classic style tractor. These tractors were initially formed out of clay, then casted in a silicon mold. I then poured resin into the silicon mold and created the resin tractor. I then sanded down the original and made a resin tractor with a nice finish. The Wheels and tires are also casted from resin and attached on axles. Both the front and rear axles are free rolling. All of the details are hand painted by me, and the decals were created by me. I am selling green versions of my modern and antique tractors on eBay so if you are interested you can purchase one that way http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/zfriess_umich_W0QQ_dmdZ1QQ_in_kwZ1QQ_ipgZ50QQ_sopZ12 or contact me directly through this website to purchase one. At some point I will also offer kits so you can build your own lawn tractor, and a mower deck so you can use it for other utilities.

(Above) Modern tractor side profile

(Above) Classic tractor side profile

(Above) Modern tractor grille view

(Above) Classic tractor front view. Note: this tractor will eventually have headlights and an implement control lever.

Progress of a Custom - Wheels On

2009-02-17T14:28:00.001-08:00

Here you can see the wheels installed on our custom 7930. I purposely left the front wheel hubs green because I am going to cover them with a realistic looking wheel center section. I am also going to paint the brass axles in the back yellow. I usually paint the axle ends black but in the literature (which also doubles as the background in this shot) it shows mostly yellow ends with a small amount of green in the center. You also can see the ladder which was painted separately and the freshly painted cab top. I can't stress this enough (can you hear me Ertl), paint you cab tops. It looks glossy and makes the tractor much more attractive.

4020s Were not meant to go this fast

2009-02-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

I took this photo while I was driving down I-75 in Florida at about 75mph. It's fair season down here, so this guy is no doubt headed to the next pulling event. This may be an idea for my first ever custom puller.

Just Like the Real Thing.......Only Smaller

2009-02-16T22:10:00.000-08:00

Wow, flashback 15-20 years ago when nothing mattered more than 1/64th scale farm toys and this was my theme song. Wait, that actually is a pretty accurate description of 2009. Any of you carpet farmers from the 80's and 90's will enjoy these.

Progress of a Custom - Painted

2009-02-15T23:32:00.000-08:00

Here is our project 7930 with a fresh coat of green paint. As you can see I have sealed the casting half so that it is smooth, painted the cab top to get rid of the ugly plastic look, and drilled holes in the fenders to install turn signals. I also have painted the wheels so they look like real wheels instead of plastic. From this point I am going to install the railing and steps, turn signals, mirrors, front wheel hubs, and rear wheels on a brass axle. I also have to design the rear hitch to closely match the real tractor.

A Real 70 Series Deere Combine

2009-02-15T17:21:00.001-08:00

Here is a 9570 that I found at the local Case IH dealer of all places.

New Model Release - John Deere 9870

2009-02-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Here is another variation in the 9000 Series of John Deere combines. The first model in this series was the 9750 and Ertl produced many variations from that model. It was a big deal back in 2000 because it was one of the first combines that had completely clear cab glass. There were some earlier gleaner combines that had "smokey" windows, but this was the first John Deere combine that didn't have the cast black plastic windows. The next generation was the 9x60 series. This combine restyled the intake manifold on the side of the combine and restyled the cab top. Also the second model of the 9x60 that was released had the folding unloading auger which is a neat detail for this scale. This model has the exact same casting as the 9x60 series, the only real difference I can see is the graphics. The big difference is that the 9870 comes with the big draper head. (Note: Check the package when you buy this model because some of the early releases of this model had the regular grain head, the later ones had the big draper head). The draper head is very nice, and is in fact the nicest John Deere head ever mass produced in 1/64. It was first released only as part of a 4 combine set from Ertl a few years ago. So if you didn't get the draper head then this is a great chance to pick one up for $15.

Tractor in the airport?

2009-02-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

I recently flew into Harrisburg International airport in pennsylvania and saw this New Holland 820TL near the baggage claim area. I'm used to seeing tractors out on the tarmac for the purposes of clearing snow runways or moving baggage but this is the first time ive seen one used for advertising. Harrisburg is the home of the pennsylvania farm show so I guess it makes sense, but definately an interesting sight for someone used to big city airports.

New Project - White Field Boss 185

2009-02-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

One of the projects on my workbench is a white fieldboss 185. This tractor was made by scale models several years ago but has some of the best detail that scale models has ever produced. The only bad thing about this model is that it has allot of plastic, but that makes it really easy to work with.

I will be adding: A more detailed cab interior, cab glass, new rear wheels, steerable front wheels, new stairs new paint and a more detailed hitch. I will probably add a few other things that I run across, but this should be a fun project. Check back for progress.

Nice Wheels

2009-02-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

This week I customized a couple of tractors with new wheels that I had laying around for other projects. The first one is a John Deere 7020. This is the lesser detailed version of the model that ertl produced. I know of 4 versions so far: 1. 2003 National Farm Toy Show edition, 2.7020 withy disk (With fenders), 3. 7020 in 4wd tractor set (Has cab glass and window trim), 4. This one which is sold on its own with no fenders and no cab glass.

The wheels I used for this one came off of a 9630. I drilled holes in the wheels and used brass for the axles. I then superglued the wheels on and painted the bare metal ends.

The second tractor is a STXS 535 50th anniversary of Steiger edition. You can see my review of it here -->http://http//zacstractors.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-model-release-steiger-stx-535.html I took the wheels from 2 STX 335s and put them on this tractor. It required t hat I cut the axle housings on the tractor down about 1/2 of an inch so that the wheels fit under the fenders, so it isn't a basic swap. I really like how the bigger wheels and tires look on this and the TJ530 so it well worth the effort.

New Model Release John Deere 8440

2009-02-04T11:13:00.001-08:00

Somehow I took these photos and forgot to do review of the tractor. Overall this is a nice unit with clear cab glass and big dual wheels. This is the 3rd variation Ertl has done from this casting. The last one was an 8630 and it had some strange wheels on it, so the new one with the big duals is a welcome addition.

This tractor is significant to me because it is similar, although not exact to the 8850 that Ertl produced in the 80s. That was the first "big" 4wd that I owned, so it has always been my favorite tractor. I don't know if Ertl will make another 8850, but this is a nice reminder of an Ertl Classic.

I have also included a picture I took of an 8440 toy in the snow, and a real one on the lot so you can see how good the detail is compared to the real unit.

New Model Release - Case IH 7088 Combine

2009-02-03T19:52:00.001-08:00

I have been meaning to write this review for a while, but I have been waiting until I had some good pictures of the combine. I named this model the #1 new release of 2008 because of its detail, number of working parts, uniqueness, and quality of finish. Although it is not perfect in any of these categories it scores very highly, especially for 1/64th scale.

Features of the 7088:

1. The feederhousing raises and lowers to allow the heads to move up for transport position.

2. Clear cab glass with interior detail and opening cab door.

3. Detailed railings with ladder that swivels out of the way for transport.

4. Rear ladder that folds up for transport, and down for access to the rear of the combine.

5. Metal front dual wheels, and metal rear wheels with flotation tires on the rear.

6. Steerable rear wheels. The axle also moves up and down so that the combine can level itself when going over small hills, rocks, or valleys.

7. Extra large grain head with reel that spins.

8. 12 row corn head with auger that spins.

9. Dual chaff spreaders that spin.

Overall the detail on this model is excellent as you can see from the pictures. The price for this model is about $25, if you consider that a custom combine with this level of detail could cost $200 a production tractor with this level of detail it is an excellent deal.

Although this model is excellent I do have some basic criticisms. One of the models I bought had a silver paint streak on the left rear quarter panel. I can easily remove with with acetone but it was there. Another of the models had a bin extension that didn't fit flush, and a small plastic ribbon inside the cab. I was able to fix all of these things but you would expect that things like this would be removed when quality control examined them.

There is allot of plastic on this model, but it allows Ertl to make a great model for a great price. If the parts were all metal it would cost a fortune and more importantly it would be inaccurate since the real combine has plastic panels on it. If I could change anything about the model I would have painted the grain bin and the cab roof or make them out of metal.

Hey, I mean Hay, I mean here's another new release.

2009-02-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

New Model Release - New Holland BC5070 Baler

This was another 2008 release that I didn't review but I thought it was an interesting one, so I decided to review it. In honor of their 700,000th baler New Holland and Ertl re-released the baler casting that we all have grown to love. How old is the casting? I just happened to have bought another New Holland baler this weekend that has 1990 on the package. As you can see its in the old New Holland machinery package. The new baler in the "special" 700,000th edition has updated graphics and paint, but everything else down to the plastic header is identical.

Wait a Cotton Pickin' Minute

2009-02-02T16:53:00.001-08:00

Below is a review of Ertl's 2 newest cotton harvesting releases, the John Deere 7760 and the Case IH 625. As you can see the models share some parts including the front dual drive wheels and the individual row units. The only metal parts on both cotton pickers are the black chassis underneath and the base of the header. Read below for a review of each picker.

New Model Release - Case IH 625 6 Row Cotton Picker

2009-02-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

This is the other half of the new cotton picker releases. The Case 625 is also a 6 row picker like the Deere and features many of the same details. The biggest difference is that the Case has a bi fold ramp that allows the cotton bails to roll down into the field. This model also comes with 2 large cotton bales. The back of the model that collects the cotton lifts up in a dumping motion to help facilitate the unloading of cotton bales. Overall its a nice model but like the Deere there are allot of plastic parts. I think we should just get used to the plastic in 1/64 and hope for incredible detail.

New Model Release - John Deere 7760 Cotton Picker

2009-02-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is 1 of 2 new cotton pickers that Ertl released in the fall of 2008. I finally picked up both of these models so I can review and compare them. The 7760 Features cab glass, dual front wheels, and an opening rear door with a large bail of cotton. Overall the detail of the 7760 is excellent. The large rear cotton bin in the back has very minute details and the working parts are very nice. The most impressive feature of this model is its size. It is even longer and taller than the previous cotton picker from John Deere. The only problem with this model is that same problem that the Case Picker has: It is almost completely made of plastic. The chassis and the main part of the harvesting head are metal but the bin, cab, and most of the detail parts are plastic. I think this is the direction that 1/64th toys are headed, considering the increasing price of metal and the demand for higher detail. It is just something that will take a while for collectors to get used to. I have seen this model for around $20 st many stores, and I think that's a great price for the level of detail.

New Catalogs For 2009

2009-01-30T20:45:00.000-08:00

Every winter Ertl releases its catalogs so incase you havent seen them here are some links. Ill probably review a few of these models over the next year so in a way heres a preview of a couple of this years New Model releases. Ill also put the catalogs in my links section.

Case IH:
http://www.ertl.com/brand/farm_const/2009/view_case_catalog09.shtml

New Holland:
http://www.ertl.com/brand/farm_const/2009/view_nh_catalog09.shtml

John Deere:
http://www.ertl.com/brand/farm_const/2009/view_JDcatalog09.shtml

Thoughts:
1. The chopper sets from Case IH and New Holland are nice, and it gives people an opportunity to get one of the new wagons in different colors but it also forces you to buy models you probably already have.
2. John Deere probably has the most ground breaking news with its 4850, 4955, and 4960 set.
3. John Deere is also making a small frame tractor in the 6140 and 5105. It will be interesting to see how much detail they put in those.
4.The new state tractor series is an interesting idea except how about making a Michigan Tractor? Michigan has one of the most diverse agricultural economies with farmers producing corn, soybeans, wheat, tomatoes, sugar beets, pickles, cherries, pumpkins, trees, blueberries, strawberries, peppers, alfalfa, cattle, chickens, sheep, ect....

Progress of a custom update: Ive been out of town for a few days so I havent done anything to the tractor since I primered it. Ill have another update up regarding the tractor on Sunday or Monday.

Progress of a Custom - 7930 Primed and Ready

2009-01-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

Here is the 7930 now partially assembled with a coat of primer. "Ready" as the title boasts may be a bit of an exaggeration since I still have to drill a few holes. As you can see both casting halves have been primered along with the roof and the stairs. It is not necessary to get a perfect coat of primer on the tractor. As a matter of fact the less you use the better because every coat takes away detail. I also have primered the wheels (not pictured) because the paint doesn't stick to the plastic on the wheels very well. I recommend Tamiya fine grey hobby primer. Regular automotive primer that you get at Wall Mart often reacts badly with the paint.

After I drill the holes in the fenders for the turn signals I will paint the cab posts gloss black on the cab of the tractor. You can also see on the cab I have removed the lights and filled in the holes. When the model is done I will be adding lights with better detail.

Note: This spring Ertl is releasing this casting with a sheet of decals for 4 different variations of the 7930. If you pick up one of those you can not only change the decals but use the decals after you paint it so that you still have a perfect set of decals. In the case the tractor you are customizing doesn't have the decal sheet(Like most) I will show you how to use paintbrush (which you all have if you are reading this to make your own).

Progress of a Custom – 7930 Disassembly

2009-01-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

How much you disassemble your custom project really depends on how much you intend on customizing. Obviously if you are doing a simple wheel swap then you don’t need to take the cab apart, but I’ll try to give some hints about how much to disassemble for more detail.
On this tractor I decided that I wanted to fill in the seam on the hood left from when Ertl casted the two halves. I don’t fault them for making it this way, but it does make the tractor look less realistic. You don’t need to split the tractor in half to fill the seam. I have done this on tractors before by just masking off the cab, then filling the seam with body filler and painting.
I did decide to split the casting though because of one key step, or I should say step(s). I decided to paint the plastic steps that originally came on the tractor. They like the cab top show the plastic stress lines and are a different color than the painted metal of the tractor.
To remove the cab top just lift on either side. Usually one side will pop right off, there is no need to pull too hard or you will stretch the plastic beyond a usable shape.
Like the cab top the grill should just pop off in your hand with a little force. At this point if you decide that your project requires you to split the cast you will need to drill out the rivets on the casting.
I feel like I should note at this point that this requires a drill and that you could badly hurt yourself with a drill (Hostel anyone?) so my advice is to only do this if you are experienced and know what you are doing, or ask a friend or parent for help. I repeat, drilling, sawing, or any kind of cutting are dangerous, so be careful.
The rear wheels will need to be disassembled at this point because you need to remove them to get to the rear rivet. Some Ertl tractors use the single rivet on a bolt axle style (like this 7930) and some used the pressed in pin style. IF you are using a model that has the pressed in pin style (i.e.: the 3388) then you can use some small pliers to pry the pressed in pins out.
Once you have removed the rear axle and have drilled the front and rear rivets in the cab halves you can split the tractor. You can drill out the front rivet in this tractor without taking the wheel off by taking off the front tire and drilling just above the front wheel. This can help preserve the stability of the wheel, which is important as I will cover later.
I use a method of sliding in a flat head screwdriver between casting halves and using it as a level to generate the separating force. Be careful at this point not to hurt yourself with the screwdriver (Yes you have heard it before, but I hurt myself very badly with a flat head screwdriver, so if you want to stay out of the Operating Room (unlike me) then use caution or don’t do it).
The steps and the exhaust manifold are in place using a simple small Phillips head screwdriver; this is by far the easiest past of disassembly.
At this point all that is left is to take the tires off of the wheels. If you are satisfied with the job Ertl did with the plastic yellow paint then you can leave the wheels on, but I assure you it will look better if you paint the wheels.
In the next installment of Progress of a Custom we will discuss primer and painting some of the key parts, and the steps you should take in reassembly.

Progress of a Custom – John Deere 7930

2009-01-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

This is a new feature I’m adding to my blog where I will take an off the shelf Ertl tractor and show its progress as I customize it and show you how to customize your own. I will try to update it each day, so you can see how long it takes and what exactly I’m doing to the tractor each day.

The first tractor I am customizing is the John Deere 7930 (Pictured above). I really like the detail in the casting from Ertl but you can see from the picture that this model has a few flaws from the factory. The left light on the cab pillar is inexplicably a few millimeters higher than the left, and the cab top has many scratches. I will do my best to get this model to as close to a "authentic" level as possible, and I will show you where to get or make most of the parts.

Check back tomorrow when I post my first step in building a custom.

New Model Release - John Deere 7750 With Forage Wagons

2009-01-21T14:26:00.001-08:00

The review of the actual harvester will be short because it’s basically the 7500 Harvester with an updated cab and spout. The cab has the newer style rounded lights, and GPS, along with a different windshield wiper on the glass. The spout has an added box about ¼ of the way up from where the spout leaves the harvester.
The 2 forage wagons included in this set are the real reason for this review because they are great. You may recognize them as a repaint of the H&S forage wagons that were produced later in 2008 (They may have made my top 10 of 2008 if I had thought of it when I compiled the list, so let’s just say they were the #6 best toy produced in 2008).
The wagons feature 3 beaters instead of 2 on earlier models, very good casting detail, nice implement wheels and tires, dual rear axles, a steerable hitch, a rear hitch, and the most important part: They are really, really big. How much did the harvesters need updating? Well a few years ago Ertl released the new forage harvester (7500) and included 2 forage wagons with it (the smaller wagons pictured). These 2 wagons with the 7500 were the EXACT same wagons that I was given for Christmas 20 years earlier. The laughable thing with this combination was that the 7500 harvester that was included in the set would fill up these wagons in a few minutes making them completely not practical.
Above you can see the similarities between the newer wagon and the H&S wagons. Below you can see the size difference between the new (left) and old Ertl wagons.

New Model Release – Steiger STX385HD

2009-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

This is Ertl’s latest offering in a long line of modern Steiger 4wds so I wont belabor the details that you have seen 30 times already. This tractor is interesting because it is a smaller casting than the STX 500 or 535 variations representing the smaller frame. It also has the GPS beacon on the roof and features the exact same wheels and tires that are on the aforementioned Case International 9240. It has good detail and is a nice overall model. The bad part of this tractor is that it articulates very little. It does have a joint present where it should articulate, but it only moves a few degrees. Again this model fills a gap in your collection so its great for that purpose.

New Model Release – Case IH 9240

2009-01-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

The 9240 was produced in 2008 from an old casting that has been collecting dust on the Ertl shelves from the early 90s. The only update to the 20 year old tractor is new wheels and tires (the same wheels and tires that you will see on the next tractor I review). The tractor has black cab glass (something that was present on 4wds’ and combines through the 80s and 90s), and does not articulate. So if your looking for a model with exceptional detail you may want to skip this one, but if you want a model that will fill a gap in your 4wd collection that costs less than $6 then it’s a good choice.

What will the New Year Bring?

2009-01-06T12:16:00.001-08:00

Since this is the first post of 2009 I thought I would explain what will be happening on the blog over the next year. The first half of the year I will be posting the usual (yet infrequent) new model releases and bits of tractor info and opinions that I normally post. I will also be launching a few products that I manufacture myself. Everything I produce will be limited in production numbers, offer good detail, and have reasonable prices.

I also would like some feedback from the people that visit this site. So if you have anything constructive or destructive please email me or leave a comment. I’m going to post a poll about what the readers of this site like to see and I’ll use that at times when I decide what to write about.

Have a great 2009, and check back for new articles and Zac’s Tractors product updates.

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Zac's Top 5 New Releases of 2008

2008-12-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

I want to start by saying this list wasn’t compiled as a poll or of anyone’s opinion than my own. I also only used models that I have seen in person, since I think that's the most fair way to judge them. The criteria I used to judge this was the following:

1. Quality of the model. I’m getting really tired of the toy companies producing cheaply constructed models of inferior production quality. I cant fault the manufacturers for using plastic or resin due to the cost of metal, and the ease of molding plastic, but anybody who still produces die cast with high detail receives bonus points. Furthermore 3 models in specific with high detail were kept off this list because the gross amount of plastic than cheapens them (John Deere Baler, and The Case IH baler. Both are good models, but are more toy like than collectible like in my opinion.

2. Level of detail. This is different from quality. You can create something from plastic, paint it, and it looks exactly like the real machine (HN320). My problem with plastic is when it comes from the mold and is a different color than the die cast part of the tractor (Look at the Ertl 4wd produced in the last 10 years. Only a few have the painted plastic cab top. The ones that don’t are a different color, have white stress lines, and often don’t fit correctly.) This is an easy thing to fix, yet Ertl doesn't because it probably costs 8 cents more per model. So models that score highly in this category will have excellent details, hoses, fuel lines, working doors, and show minimal casting flash, and have excellent paint. If something is made from plastic, fine, but I shouldn’t be able to tell its plastic just by looking at it.

3. Uniqueness. Ideally I would have 100 brand new models to choose from that have excellent detail and a very high level of finish. This is not reality, and toy companies are in the business of making money. Not their fault, but it limits the models that are produced because they have to maximize the usage of their existing casts, and minimize tooling costs. So I will give bonus points for a model that we haven’t seen before or sticks out from a long lines of the typical clones of previous models that are paraded out every year.

The Top 5

5. 1/64 Steiger Panther II Stars and Stripes (ertl)– While the new Steiger casts are relatively fresh in the 1/64 tractors, they made their big splash in 2007. I chose this tractor mainly because it scored highly in level of detail (for 1/64th) and Uniqueness. Sure this close to the 10th variation to come from the new Steiger castings, but it’s the first one covered in the American flag. The original tractor was produced in 1976 for the Bicentennial, and Toy Tractor Times has produced a 1/64 replica to commemorate the production of this tractor. It was released as part of a spirit of 76 set, and comes with a Case 1370 that also is bearing the stars and stripes. This tractor is not just unique but boasts very good detail for a 1/64 4wd. It has excellent paint and finish, cab glass, window trim, and a mini toolbox. In general the Steigers have had good detail, but this one has a very good finish.

4. 1/64 John Deere DB44 Bauer Built (spec cast)– Basically this is a smaller version of the DB90 that was released a few years ago. The reason it son the list is because it’s a smaller version of the best 1/64 implement of all time. This may be a bold statement, but Id say I’ve personally seen 99% of all 1/64 scale implements on earth, and this model has the highest detail, best finish quality, and smoothest operation of any mass produced 1/64 implement that I have seen. And on top of all that its mostly die cast, and has a hitch pin that actually makes sense and works with many tractors. The DB 44 has realistic seed tanks, row openers, tires, wheels, and telescoping hitch. It may be the little brother of the DB90, buts its just as nice, and in fact probably makes more sense on most peoples farms.

3. 1/64th John Deere 9630T (ertl)– I Just really, really like the improvements made on this model. This is not unique because Ertl has produced many 9000 series tracked variations, but they added cab glass, a very nicely casted hood and engine, and excellent finish and paint on they whole model. So this model for a 1/64 boasts excellent quality and good detail. I do have 1 major criticism of the detail and that’s of the louse replica of the adjustable hitch on the back. If you look at the cast there is a giant line down the back that makes the cast halves and the drawbar is made very sloppily. Overall a great model with good detail. And to top it off is only about $8.

2. 1/16 Big Bud HN320 (universal hobbies)– The only 1/16 scale model on the list has the best detail of any tractor in my collection including all of the precisions that I own. I will do a future article on this tractor in full photo detail, but let me tell you what put it on the list, Imagine a tractor that has exact replicas of the fan belts and spark plug wires. Yes its that detailed.

1. Case IH 7088 (ertl)– If you have ever read this blog purposely and not because you were searching for Zac’s Trackers, or Macs Tractor Trailers, or Wax Packaging, then you know mainly this site displays highly detailed 1/64 scale replicas. So just about any precision that is produced in 1/64 is bound to occupy this spot. This is a unique model because it’s the first 1/64 Case IH Authentic model, and the first authentic combine, but I have to note that there have been many Case IH combines produced, especially with the 8000/7000 body style. The level of detail is good but not great. The wheels steer, the cab opens, and the feederhousing can raise and lower, so that is good for detail, but all of these things are relatively sloppy. The quality is better than the 7930 sprayer (Please don’t get me started) But there is some quality lacking. I will go through all of the intricacies of the 7088 in a future article, but because of the level of detail in 1/64 it gets my #1 release of the year.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T19:27:00.001-08:00

I hope that something with 4 wheels showed up under your tree this morning. Within the next week I will have very thorough reviews of the Big Bud HN 320 4wd, and Case IH 7088 Authentic. Above is a John Deere 7720 that I added some "custom" details to.

2008-12-06T22:56:00.000-08:00

Toys for Tots

Last year I started the Christmas season with a post about Toys For Tots. I will do the same this year because I think its an important organization with an important mission. For all of you tractor collectors out there think how much it would mean to give a child his/her first John Deere 4020. Here is the website if you would like to give directly, and they also list places you can drop off toys.

http://www.toysfortots.org/

Gift ideas for collectors

Being a toy tractor collector when your young is great because birthdays and Christmas become the days your carpet farm gets updated with the latest machinery. When you get old and obsessed with farm toys (except for myself of course) you know the exact date that everything is being released and your friends and family members become apprehensive about giving you a tractor for Christmas because they assume you already have it. Well since you are still a collector there are things out there that you don’t have and couldn’t find, or are so new even the most avid collector hasn’t purchased yet. So I decided to put together a list of 10 things any toy tractor collector would want for Christmas.

If your stil completely confused after my christmas gift giving guide please take some time to wander over to www.outbacktoystore.com and click on "gift certificate." They have somthing for every farm toy collector, and may just be the easiest Christmas present to buy.

10. The Ertl precision series. Although many people that collect this series buy them when they first come out, many collectors are casual buyers of this series because of their large size (1/16 scale) and higher price ($120-180). One of biggest benefits of collecting this series is that for the sake of realism, there are few better. In the precision series the levers move, the gauges are painted, they have chains and all metal parts. The other main benefit is that for the sake of value the precision series is one in which almost every single model goes up in value as it ages. With toy tractors many of them have increased in value, but it’s hard to tell which ones will double, and which ones will end up in the clearance bin. With the precision series almost all of them at the very least will hold their current value, and many go up. For example the first few John Deere 4020s that were produced in the 90’s sold for around $100, I have seen them sell for as much as $500 on ebay.

The good news for someone you know that collects the precision series is that a few new precisions were just released in time for Christmas.

1/16 IH 6588 2 + 2 with rear spacer duals - Precision Key Series #7
1/16 JD 4020 Standard WF Precision Key Series #6
1/16 JD 7020 4WD with cab & duals - Precision Key Series #7 (Due December 28th)

9. 1/16 Big Bud HN-320 – If you know for a fact that a collector in your life likes four wheel drive tractors, then you can be certain that this tractor in on their radar. Being the first tractor in a new Big Bud series this tractor promises to increase in value, and the fact that it was made by universal hobbies means that the detail will be excellent. It is a little more expensive than the rest of the things on this list, but you can be sure it will be whomever receives it their favorite thing under the tree.

8. Storage – What good are all these fabulous tractors if you don’t have a place to put them? Some good ideas for storage containers are:
A. The big Tupperware Christmas ornament boxes. Lucky for us 1/64th scale collectors a toy tractor is similar in size to an ornament, so I am able to squeeze 30-50 tractors in a box.
B. Shelving – Most collectors like to display their treasures so any type of shelves would be great.

7. If they collect big 1/16th scale toys get them a smaller 1/64th scale model (like something in the Ertl Authentic series), and vice-versa if they normally collect the little ones. Usually people have a reason for what they collect, but almost every collector I know strays away from their scale of choice once in a while when their interest is peaked. Also this could become the center piece of their collection or the spawn of a new hobby for them (and God knows that if someone collects toy tractors they need more hobbies).

6. A Pedal Combine – When I was thinking about this one I was going to qualify it by saying, if they are young than they will want a pedal combine, but now that I think of it adult collectors seem to really like these too. These are quite big so it may not be ideal for a collector with space limitations. But if they are under 10 and love farming there is no better gift on this list.

5. Something custom – if you cant think of anything that you favorite collector may not have why not buy them something one of a kind. Farm toy customs have become very popular and sought after. They have a level of detail and quality that are not usually found on shelf models. For the most part customs retain their value, and some of them actually see modest increases depending on the market demand. The trick with customs is finding them. Farm toy shows are the best places to look because you can see what your getting. eBay is a good alternative if there are no shows close to you, you may just have to make a leap of faith. There are websites that sell custom toys so just google it any you might get lucky.

4. Little Men – The railroad collectors have taken detailing to the next level and created miniature people that go on their displays. Although farm toys are rapidly increasing in detail, the “mini-farmers” haven’t made their way fully into the mainstream. So for a few dollars you can buy your collector some little farmers to help out on his/her carpets. These can be found on the internet or any railroad hobby shop.

3. Go to Dyersville Iowa. Why? Because it’s the farm toy capital of the world. The National farm toy museum is there, along with a few factories and the Ertl outlet store. If you’re a fan of awesome architecture the Basilica downtown is straight from a European postcard. Also about an hour east is Galena, IL. There you can see the residence of Ulysses S. Grant, and explore a cool downtown scene with shops that you would expect on Madison avenue in New York and many excellent restaurants. While in Dyersville you will see more toy tractors than you thought was humanly possible, but its small enough to see everything in 1 day (Except for the weekend of the national farm toy show, that takes a few days to sort through).

2. Any of the newest releases:
1. 1/64 John Deere “Snowy” 730 – Comes with a Christmas carol on the back and snow painted on the top of the tractor. Inexpensive and great for Christmas.
2. 1/64 Farmall 706 “Snowy” – Same deal as the Deere
3. 1/64 Spirit of 76’ 2 tractor set from toy tractor times. I haven’t reviewed this set on my site yet but I will and the review will show that these tractors are very nice. Money well spent, and a unique collectable.
4. 1/64 9870 Combine with Draper Head. Before this tractor was released the only way to get the draper head was from the combine set that has since been discontinued. The head was selling for $35 alone before this, now you can have the whole thing for $15.

1. The Case IH 7088 Authentic combine. This is the first authentic form Case IH, and the first combine in the series. The other models that Ertl has made are a John Deere 8530, and a 7930 sprayer. Any of these are good presents, but most likely your collector has the 8530 and the 7930 already, but the 7088 has JUST been released and it is awesome. I inspected a few of them up close at the national show and this is the most detailed and most realistic 1/64th scale combine that has ever been produced. I have seen these advertised for as little as $23.95. This detail in a combine at this price is unheard of, and would make any collector happy this year on the 25th.

So now that you have some ideas your thinking to yourself “Thanks for the ideas Zac but where can I find all these tractors and such?” Here is a list of places I look for tractors, and remember nothing works as well as google.

http://www.farmtoysforfun.com/newest.html

www.ebay.com

www.outbacktoystore.com

www.everstoystore.com

www.lttc.com

Questions and Comments

2008-12-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

It only took a year, but I finally have enough questions and comments to put up a post containing all of this blog’s comments and questions. If you have a question that you think I could help answer, or your having a tough time finding a specific farm toy, or you dislike my posts, please question or comment on this blog.

I'll start with the most recent and work my way through the past so if you find yourself nodding off at least you’ll have seen the most recent posts.

1. You Tractor – I’m sure if your internet savvy enough to have stumbled upon this site with is devoted to toy tractors you have probably heard of http://www.youtube.com/ . To my surprise some other devoted carpet farmer out there has created http://www.youtractor.com/ . A site devoted to 100% tractor videos. Sounds good to me.

2. From anonymous: “Hey i was wondering, does the 3-point hitch move up and down unlike the 2007 show tractor?”

There is actually a yes and no answer to this question. The 3-pt hitch is much smaller than last years model, and the bottom part is fixed into place. The top part can move about 30 degrees up or down. So no the whole thing doesn’t move, but yes the top part does move. For practical purposes if you actually mounted an implement to the tractor it would not move up or down.

3. From anonymous: “i like your blog:) do you make tractors?”:
Although I will answer this question I feel like I should point out this post is most likely a thinly veiled attempt from my wife to make me feel like “somebody is out there.”
So yes I have been known to customize and even custom fabricate tractors. I really enjoy the 1/64th scale, but I have worked on a few 1/16th models. I frequently sell some of the items that I have worked on through eBay on this site. Most of what I customize is for my own personal collection, and what I sell is a duplicate or something that I feel like no longer fits my collection. If you are interested in having me make a tractor for you or customize something let me know. I’m not omni-talented but I’m pretty good at a few things.
This also would be an opportune time to tell the readers that are still awake that I am still going to release a special edition

4. From anonymous: “Where's the 1:87 tractors I'm gonna want? :-)”
Uh, I kinda forgot about this post. Back in April I thought I was going to have an abundance of free time and I would crank out toy tractor posts like crazy, but I got busy and 7 months have passed and whoops I didn’t post this article. Actually the impetus for this article was my trip to Europe and the 1/87th tractors I brought back from there. So I will try to get this article out when I can, but I’m going refrain from more empty promises about writing articles. That being said I plan on writing several articles in December.

2008 National Farm Toy Show Tractor

2008-11-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

This years show tractor is the Allis Chalmers 7580 4wd Black Belly. This is the 7th tractor in the 4wd series produced by Ertl for the Toy Farmer. This is a very nice model and features detailed tires and wheels, cab glass, 3pt hitch, and a good overall finish.

Really my only complaint about this tractor is on the 1/64th version of the model the roof of the cab. It is made of white plastic and feels flimsy, not matching the rest of the otherwise high quality model. It would have taken very Little time and effort to simply paint the cab top instead of just using colored plastic.

If you would like to read more about the classic 4wd series of National Farm toy show tractors you may enjoy the article I wrote on all of the previous models from last year. http://zacstractors.blogspot.com/2007/11/starting-in-2003-toy-farmer-and-ertl.html

Look Familiar?

2008-11-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

Ertl has decided to release their own black version of a Case IH combine. I guess I can feel good that I made and posted the black combine before the boys at Ertl, but it was nice to have the only one out there. Technically this black version of the new Premiere will be "Gunmetal," but it looks pretty black to me. Don't get too excited though, this combine will be extremely limited production, and if the packaging is handled like the other Authentic series tractors (Clear front so you can see whats inside) The dealers will open every one of them so that they can find the limited editions and sell them for hundreds of dollars.

In fact when I was at the national farm toy show in Dyersville I posed this exact problem to Ertl. I said that it wasn't fair that us collectors have no chance at getting a limited edition muddy or "gunmetal" tractor because the dealers get to them first and jack up the prices. The problem is that the dealers pay the same amount for these limited tractors as they do for the normal ones. So they make a huge profit, and we have to pay much more for them instead of just being lucky enough to stumble upon one in the dealership.

Ertl's response to my statement: "We can only do so much." This is from someone representing Ertl at the National farm toy show in the Ertl showroom. Generally I love Ertl and everything they do for the hobby, but this "scalping" of limited tractors is unfair to collectors, and undermines the purpose of the limited edition tractors.

More on the National Farm toy show in future articles.

10,000 Posts

2008-11-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

Sometime last week this site hit 10,000 posts which is excellent timing considering that this weekend was the national show, and I started the blog shortly after last years show, so inless than a year we have had over 10,000 visits.

Thank you very much for taking time to read my blog. I will try to get more articles up, I relaly enjoy writing them, but school comes first.

To celebrate the 10,000th visitor and 1 year anniversary Zac's Tractors will be producing a very limited number of a special edition custom tractor. I will be customizing a few of these mainly because I have always wanted to do a custom tractor and this seems like a good excuse. Stay tuned, and within the next 2 weeks I will release the tractor.

Countdown to the 2008 NFTS

2008-10-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

COUNTDOWNCLOCK

This years show is in the farm toy capital of the world Dyersville, IA. I hope to attend the show, and I will post pictures and news regarding new models and the exhibits at the national show. Check back on my blog on November 7th and 8th and I will try to have pictures from the first day of the show on the first day of the show!

I will have some articles over then next few weeks leading up to the show, so check back for new content.

New eBay Auctions up!

2008-10-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have put up 5 new eBay auctions including a Farm Show 8120, a 7488, a 8120 Black Knight, an 8630 that has been customized, and a custom 4650 with loader.

Each of these custom tractors has been displayed and never played with, and are in excellent condition. The proceeds from these auctions will be used for my traveling this fall.

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/zfriess_umich_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

Check back over the next 2 weeks because I will be adding more auctions.

Case IH 8120 Black Knight

2008-10-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

This is an 8120 Farm Show edition that was disassembled, primered, and painted black. Case used to make "Black Knight" demonstrator models when they released new tractors so I thought it would be interesting to create a Black Knight combine. 8120 Black Knight decals were created and added for extra detail.
You can see the extra Black Knight logo on the feeder-housing of the combine.
Here is the 8120 Farm Show Edition compared to the 8120 Black Knight.

If you have any questions or comments please email me.

Case IH 8120 Farm Show Edition

2008-10-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

This years Case IH Farm Show Edition is the 8120 combine. Almost every year Case IH produces a special model for the fall farm show. Usually its a new model that Case IH wants to promote.

This combine features clear cab glass, detailed railings and turn signals, and a realistic unloading auger.

This is the second combine that Case IH has released. In 2003 the Fall farm show edition was an 8010. At that time Case IH didn't have their current marketing deal in place and limited the production to 5,000 units. This years model was not limited in production and therefore will not be as collectible in the future.

Overall for the price this is an excellent model. It is the best way to get detailed handrails for a great price.

New Model Release - CASE 2470

2008-07-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

The 2470 was recently released by Ertl, and features the level of detail that we have become used to in the past few years. This tractor features cab glass, window detail, high detail wheels and tires, and an overall nice finish. You may recognize this model, because it is the same casting used as the 2007 NFTS Tractor, just painted white instead of "Desert Tan." Here is the post I wrote after returning from the 2007 show: http://zacstractors.blogspot.com/2007/11/2007-national-farm-toy-show-tractor.html

Above: front view of the tractor shows a detailed grill, but a nasty casting seem on the roof.

Above: Here is a head to head comparison of the 2470s in white and "Desert Tan." As you can see the only real difference is the 3-pt hitch on the Tan 2470.

Above: A rear "Case" decal and 3pt hitch (non-moveable) sets the tan tractor apart from the white one.

Above: Here is a comparison of the older 1470 that was produced by Ertl (In the late 90s?). You can see better overall detail on the newer tractor, with one HUGE exception. The Tan tractor on the Left has independently steerable front and rear wheels! This tractor was produced 10 years earlier, and has more articulating parts? This is disappointing to say the least, because coupled with the level of detail on the 2470 steering would have been a great bonus. I'm sure the declining factor was profit, and if they would have had to add steering it would have cost us more or not been made, so I'm happy we have the tractor, but not happy when we go in reverse in detail. There are lots of tractors I don't buy because they don't meet certain standards (I'm talking to you scale models), so I would hate to see Ertl follow the dollar and lose collectors.

Above: which tractor do you think was made in 1998, and which in 2008. You may not like the answer.

Monday's Machine - John Deere 8420

2008-07-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

This Mondays Machine is the John Deere 8420 FWA tractor. I snapped this picture in southern Michigan.

Some details about the real 8420:
-Produced from 2002-2005 In Waterloo, Iowa
-235 HP
-496 Cubic Inches
-Front Tires 16.9 R30
-Rear Tires 18.4 R46
-Weight 23,050

There have been several toy variations of the 8420:

1. 1/64 8420 There were 3 variations in packaging for this model, 1 had the correct 8420 designation, and the other said 8520. These were both in the green and black Ertl packaging that had a watermark of a cornfields on the green part. The third variation is in the more modern packaging that was yellow and green.

***UPDATE - As you can see in the picture below I found another variation of the newer packaging that has a child safety warining on the package rather than the "New Item" Decal.

2. 1/64 8420 European edition (There are at least 2 variations of this also. One package is marked "New" and the other is marked "First Production") (Bottom, middle Picture)

3. 1/64 8420 in 2 piece set from Reynolds farm equipment anniversary. This is packaged with a JD 50 Narrow Front.

4. 1/64 8420 Premier Series #11 - This was part of Ertl's premiere line. The tractor featured a GPS beacon and some additional painted on details. (Bottom, Right Picture)

5. 1/16 8420 With front singles and rear duals - This also had 2 variations, with one being a First production, and one a standard production.

6. If anyone can think of any other variations just comment below or email me and ill update the post.

Here is a "Premiere" 8420 that I added front and rear dual painted wheels to, and a painted cab top with GPS beacon.

For the sake of adding a video, here is a video I found of stock class tractor pull using an 8420.

New Model Release - Continued - John Deere 1895 Air Seder

2008-07-07T01:11:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures of the actual air seeder unit that I wrote about in last weeks blog. As you can see it is wider, offering an additional row of planting units compared to the previous models (pictured below). This unit also features row openers, and a rear hitch.

(above) You can see the extra row of planting units and the rear hitch compared to the 1890 air seeder, that was released a few years ago.
(above) Here are the 3 air seeders that Ertl has produced in the past few years. From left to right is the 1895, 1990, and 1890 seeders.
(above & below) Here are the commodity carts that have come in the airseeder sets. You can see that the newer cart has an extra tank, larger wheels, and sits up higher off of the ground. Also the addition of the pivoting front wheels really make this a nice piece.

New Email For This Blog

2008-07-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have created an email account for this blog. zacstractors@gmail.com will be the primary email address if you wish to contact me about anything. Please send me your questions about my posts, or in regard to anything that has to do with toy or real farming. Also if you would like to see a picture of a farm toy or real tractor I will gladly post it if I have one.

Also if you ever have any comments on my postings, please do so under each post. I hope to hear from you soon.

Happy Birthday America

New Model Release - 1895 Air Seeder Set

2008-07-03T03:07:00.000-07:00

Recently released was the John Deere 1895 Air seeder set. This set includes a 9530 4WD tractor, 1895 air seeder, 1910 commodity cart, and a anhydrous ammonia tank. This is a very nice set with excellent detail. The sir seeder has gotten longer than the previous release from a few years ago, and the commodity cart has gotten substantially larger (see tomorrow's post). I have included the following pictures to show you some of the details on this set, and I will compare it to older versions on Friday. This set retails for about $27, and although is expensive for 1/64 you get 4 good pieces. Here is the 1895 air seeder, 1910 Commodity Cart, and 1980's flashback Anhydrous Ammonia Tank.
The commodity cart has 3 large tanks, large single rear wheels, and pivoting front dual wheels. The auger moves so that you can position it to fill the commodity cart from the side.
Here is the hitch and front axles of the commodity cart. Notice the pivot pin on the front.
The wheels turn a full 360 degrees. A very nice feature adding stability and realism for this model. Here is the auger fully extended in loading position and the wheels swiveled the opposite direction.

New Model Release - John Deere 9630T

2008-07-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

The John Deere 9630T is a farm toy you should buy. I have never said that on this page before (probably because I just thought of it), but honestly it has so many upgrades that it will improve anyone’s collection.

The 9630T is the first of the 9000T series released, and it also has several firsts to go with it. It is the first 9000T tractor with cab glass (that I’m aware of), it is the first 9000T Tractor with cab lights, and, and, wait for it, it is the first tracked 1/64th scale model Ertl has released with painted plastic wheels. Let me be the first to say “Thank you Ertl.” I have been clamoring for painted wheels for years and in fact I spend allot of my customizing time painting the wheels on my own models. It adds realism to the tractor because it makes them look metal, and is a more correct color. I’m sure it costs more to paint them, than to just leave them light yellow plastic, but you really end up with a better product.

Another nice detail on the tractor is the clear “John Deere” sticker on the rear window. Although you may miss it if you don’t look close enough, it adds a nice touch. This model also features turn signals, which have been absent on every other regular release 1/64th scale John Deere in the 9000 series (T and 4wd).

2 complaints:
1. “You spent the time painting the wheels, why not paint the cab top?” Seriously here folks, the cab top has lights and a gps beacon. It is far beyond the past generation of 9000T tractors in detail (See picture below), yet it lacks that luster of painted plastic like its 4WD brethren. It would definitely be worth the extra 3 cents to paint the cab top.
2. The tracks roll very poorly. This has been an ongoing war with Ertl. It seems that only about 1/3 tractors have decent rubber on them. Either they get that chalky residue on them or are hard as a rock. Then about every 3rd tractor you end up with a very pliable tire that has a deep black finish. These particular tracks have more of a glossy black finish, like the tractor might look on the dealership floor (with tons of silicone), but they do not roll easily at all. If I had to pick I would go to the previous generation tracks that roll easy (for the kids of course) but are a more dull shade of black.

Overall impression: Excellent tractor with great detail. The upgrades really make this an excellent model, one I will probably put in my top 10 models of 2008. For $7.99 you get allot of quality for your money.

Where can you get one?

Here: http://www.outbacktoystore.com/product.asp?List=77&SubCategoryID=269

Or Here: http://www.vankleyfarmtoys.com/newest.html

The John Deere sticker in the rear window looks like etched glass

Painted Wheels (Be still my heart)

9630T (left) - 9520T (Right)

Monday's Machine - The Case IH MX 305

2008-06-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't put up a post in a while (shame fills my heart), but this is a new feature that will be at least weekly. I will show some of the pictures of real tractors and other equipment I have collected over the past few years, and if I'm able to I will post whatever information about farm toys that I deem relevant.

For the first installment I have selected the Case IH MX305. I took this picture recently in Michigan at a dealership. I have included a picture of the toy version that Ertl released this year and a video of an MX 305 I found on YouTube.

If you would like to read about the Magnum line of tractors, the Case IH corporate website has a nice page with all the details. http://www.caseih.com/products/series.aspx?seriesid=2763&navid=105&RL=ENNA

New Model Release - J-M 680/760 Gravity Wagon, JD 8130

2008-04-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

Yet another new release from Ertl is the J&M 680/760 gravity wagons. These wagons feature nice detail with a sliding door, front and rear hitch, and high detail. The wagons come packaged together (2), with a John Deere 8130. The 8130 is another variation in the John Deere 8x30 line. It has basic features and is a nice model, but has a major flaw. The wheels are a very dull shade of yellow, that look very little like the typical john deere yellow that you see on real tractors, and some of the better toys. These dull yellow wheels make the tractor look pretty crappy, and are a disappointment. I plan on painting mine as soon as I can.

The set packaged with 2 wagons and the 8130 retail for $20-22, which I think is too pricey for what you get. This is an attempt by Ertl to get people who want to buy the gravity wagon that would cost $6-8 alone, to spend $22 on a set containing a poorly detailed tractor that they most likely already have a better variation of anyway. If you really want the wagons it is worth the price, but I'm willing to bet there will be another smaller set released or individual wagons (100% chance of this with Ertl's usual directive of maximizing models released from 1 casting.)

New Model Releases - John Deere 7930, 568 Baler

2008-04-16T23:24:00.001-07:00

Recently released from Ertl is the John Deere 7330 "Premium" tractor and 568 "MegaWide plus" round baler. These items come packaged individually, but look very nice together.

7330 - The 1/64th 7330 is a very nice replica. It features clear cab glass, a sunroof with glass, and rubber tires. The tires on this model seem to be a softer compound than on previous Ertl offerings. The grill and headlights are cast into the front of the tractor, instead of a sticker so this is an extra nice touch of detail. Overall this is a very nice model, and I would recommend it to any collection. The price is currently $6-7 at most dealerships.

568 Baler - The 1/64 John Deere round baler has been released many many times. I once heard a man at a toy show brag that he had over 20 "variations" of the original round baler that was produced by Ertl. I don't know if that was accurate, but considering all of the tractor sets and how many years it was produced, there are bound to be many different variations of the old baler out there. The new 568 baler is a very nice upgrade. It features an opening bale door, and very large rubber tires. These tires are also made of an upgraded compound that is softer to the touch. The baler also has very small bogey wheels up front, and a rotating gathering reel underneath. This is an excellent model that would be an upgrade if you are still using the old balers. It sells for around $6-7 at dealerships. Here is the website from Deere for the real baler: http://www.deere.com/servlet/com.deere.u90785.productcatalog.view.servlets.ProdCatProduct?tM=FR&pNbr=0568%20E

Apparently St. Patrick's Day is 2 Weeks Long

2008-03-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

Light posting this month is the result of a busy schedule. I do have many things planned for the month of April including:

1. A Farm Toy scavenger hunt
2. Spring planting pictures of real tractors and toys
3. A feature on the wonderful world of 1/87 (Thats HO for you railroad folks)
4. A custom planter build
5. A custom plow build
6. How to make your own 7488
7. Details over on my other site about making remote controlled cars go really fast.
8. And more

So visit frequently to see if I can be more punctual with my posts.

Also the farm toy rumor mill (if there is such a thing) is buzzing with word of 2 new 24 row planters. I'll try to get more information on those.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-16T20:30:00.001-07:00

Many Internet sites you visit today will change their colors or put up articles to honor St. Patrick's day. Here at Zac's Tractors I don't have the option of that since my site is ALWAYS green. I still want to celebrate, so I've decided that I will post some pictures of my favorite green tractor. And I thought that this was such a great idea that I've decided to post a green tractor each day this week.

The John Deere 8530 Authentic Series #1 is one of (If not the most) detailed 1/64th scale tractor ever made. It features metal wheels w/ rubber tires (only seen on precision tractors), clear cab glass with an opening cab door (first ever in 1/64), An opening hood with detailed engine, a movable 3pt hitch, and steerable front wheels.

The particular 8530 that I have pictured is one that I removed the rear duals and added rear triples. This adds a unique touch to the tractor that wasn't offered from Ertl. This is one of my favorite customs because it turned out looking like a factory piece, and retained its realistic look that was important to the authentic line of tractors.

The downside is that I had to cut the extra wheels off of the back of another tractor, but that allowed me to add fat duals to the 8530 that lost its wheels. I used the other set of extra wheels on an 8410 John Deere that I will feature in another article.

THE ERTL AUTHENTIC SERIES
Sine I've focused on the initial offering in this series I wanted to write a quick note about the authentics. Ertl saw a window of opportunity with collectors that wanted high detailed 1/64th scale tractors. They responded with this series that offers collectors small tractors with great detail. So far there have been 2 authentics, and a 3rd one is rumored to be released later this year. The first 2 were John Deere tractors (8530, and 4930 sprayer), but the 3rd offering is rumored to be of another color/brand. The first 2 authentics have sold in the $20-25 range and should retain their value. I doubt they will increase for a while because they were available everywhere, bot the authentics are worthwhile to collect because a custom piece with this level of detail would cost HUNDREDS from a custom builder.

Zac's Tractors Reaches 1,000 Views!

2008-03-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

I first posted on this blog in November of 2007, so 1,000 hits came up pretty quickly. Now lets all celebrate, and at this rate we will reach 100,000 posts in 50 years.

New Blog Same Blogger

2008-03-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

Here is your #1 Internet source for a toy tractor collector trying to build a 100mph remote controlled car. Which coincidentally may be your only Internet source for this. At any rate please feel free to peruse my other site which will act like an online journal as I reach for speeds no tractor has or will hopefully see.
http://zacsprecisionmotorsports.blogspot.com/