P.D. Miller enjoys the challenge of refurbishing antique tractors — repairing their dents and dings, fixing the mechanical defects and restoring their deteriorated paint jobs to like-new quality. He enjoys, too, reminiscing about the histories of some of the special tractors among the dozen or so in his collection.
Miller was at the Lyon County Fair Thursday evening to let the public look over his and others owned by members of the Flint Hills Antique Power Association. Shortly before 8 p.m., the owners drove their tractors to the grandstand area for a parade of the antique equipment and a pulling contest.
As he talked about his tractors before the event, Miller was looking for drivers — especially his 12-year-old grandson, Clayton Schroer, who was expected to arrive any time with his mother, Kristi Miller Schroer.
Miller brought in so many tractors that he needed family members and friends to drive in some of the different heats in the pulls.
There was an assortment of tractors to choose from.
Some have been restored traditionally while others have been souped-up for the open class; some are waiting to be restored and others likely are still on his shopping list.
“In the wintertime in the shop, I get things caught up,” he said, his face breaking into a guilty grin.
One of the antiques he salvaged had been parked longterm behind Fanestil’s, south of Soden’s Bridge, and was submerged under deep flood waters.
“All that was showing a little bit was that old steering wheel,” Miller said, gesturing toward the tractor.
After Miller finished his repairing, replacing and repainting process, the old tractor looked brand new.
Miller takes an ecumenical attitude toward his antiques, unlike many of the power association members. It doesn’t matter what brand name the tractor carries; what matters is its potential and its story. Miller has a collection that includes Olivers, John Deeres, International Harvester, McCormick Farmall and anything else that appeals to him. He’s buying tractors like the ones he remembers using as a youth.
Miller bought one of the late George Richard’s tractors at an auction. He’d known Richard since childhood and he liked the old 350 McCormick Farmall.
“It’s a nice one,” Miller said.
“Here’s an interesting one back here,” he said, moving around an area packed with about 50 old tractors.
“That 630 John Deere, it belonged to Bobbie’s dad, Evert Heins,” Miller said, referring to his late father-in-law.
The John Deere carried a double story. Before Heins bought the tractor, it had belonged to a man from Ames, Iowa.
“He drove it from Ames, Iowa, with all his belongings, to Americus, Kansas, at about 12 miles per hour,” Miller said.
The man settled in Americus and went to work for Heins. When the man died, Heins bought it from the man’s family. When Heins died, Miller bought it.
Another of Miller’s tractors had belonged to Alfred Titus, long a resident of Chase County.
One of the John Deeres was purchased from the late Larrie Miley, who had owned Miley Equipment, the John Deere dealership here. He recalled dickering with Miley over the price, and finally settled on $2,500; Miller had wanted one with a 3-point hitch, and this tractor lacked that add-on equipment.
“I said I’d buy that tractor if he’d furnish the parts,” Miller said. “Well, he wanted to put stickers on it and he knew I didn’t like stickers.”
Eventually, Miley saw Miller again and gave him the keys to a Quonset hut containing another old tractor that Miller noticed had the 3-point hitch he wanted.
Before all of the dealings could be completed, Miley died unexpectedly in an accident. His widow, Janet, called Miller to ask about the $2,500 check she’d found later in her husband’s billfold. Miller explained the trading that was in process at the time of the accident and the businessman’s insistence that the John Deere would have to carry a sticker from Miley Equipment.
“Mrs. Miley gave me the sticker,” Miller said, smoothing down a corner of the Miley decal displayed now on the back of the tractor.
Miller was wondering on Thursday how his big 1206 International would do against another member’s 706.
Both men had replaced the original engines with Cummins engines.
“That thing will do 8 miles per hour pulling a sled,” Miller said. “It had 40 horsepower. Now it has about 150.”
He was weighing, however, the natures of the oversized beasts that sat only a few feet apart. His was a “wheatland tractor,” he said; the other man’s was built for row crops, and consequently designed to pull weight.
“It’s not so much power, it’s the balance and how the weight’s distributed,” Miller said.
The owner of the 706, Jim Woods, said that his tractor had started out with a gasoline engine, with cracks in both the head and the block. It was shot.
“So I had this Dodge pickup with this Cummins engine and I thought I could put it in and so I did. It don’t say ‘Dodge’ on it any more,” Woods said, gesturing with his thumb at Miller. “I was out at his shop and we took the milling machine and shaved that ‘Dodge’ right off.”
Miller said on Friday that his 1206 subsesquently won the heat, with friend Brandon Miller in the driver’s seat.
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