Tractor Repair: antique hardware, serial number tags, cockshutt club

Question
Hello Mr. Jossie. I don't have a question about a particular vehicle, but I'm really asking for some advice on the topic of correct nuts and bolts for the restoration of antique tractors, engines, ect. I used to be a vintage car mechanic. Now I run a small machine shop. Much of my equipment is the old production machinery that used to make the "old style" fasteners found on antique engines and tractors. If you think there is a need for the accurate reproduction of nuts and bolts. What group of people should I contact for this type of service? Thank you.

Answer
Hello,

  Sounds like you've got a good thing going there. For people that want as much accuracy and authenticity in a restoration as possible, your products would be perfect.  Any antique car or tractor associations or collector clubs would be the people to contact. If there are any antique tractor or car shows around, talk to some of the vendors and antique owners.  Give out business cards at some of these events.  There are clubs for every brand of vintage car, tractor, motorcycle, etc.  Just for Cockshutt alone, there are a couple different clubs, and people who sell reproduction parts like decals, steering wheels, battery boxes, serial number tags, etc.  You could Google John Deere clubs or Studebaker clubs or whatever brand you can think of.  As a member of the Cockshutt club, I get a quarterly magazine that has ads for people selling all kinds of things for restoration projects.  You could put ads in these kinds of magazines also.  A good person to talk to would be:   

                  Phil Heisey
                  641 Store Rd.
                 Harleysville, PA  19438

                  

                  or

          Keith McClure
        12331 CR 316
        Big Prairie, OH 44611



                     Good luck!

                        Arnie