Tractor Restoration is a competition through our county stock show and the major stock shows across Texas. I chose to restore a 1960 John Deere 730 with guidance from my dad. My Ag teachers, Mr. Flores and Mr. Beard were a constant support.
I would like to thank my dad for all his time and knowledge he shared teaching me, my mom for letting us spend a fortune, and my Ag teachers for being there and supporting me when I showed my project.
To be specific, the hardest part was the float-ride seat. It was tough to restore back to working condition. I could not have fixed the seat without my dad’s know-how and muscle power. The easiest part is always the decals because my mom helps me with that.
Case with Ms. Meagan Hooker who passed away this past school year. She is greatly missed by her students and staff.
Since my first two restoration projects were gasoline engines, I learned all about diesel engines on this machine. Learning how the diesel engine mechanics work was easier than the gasoline engines. I would choose to restore a diesel over a gas engine any day. Those carburetors on the gas are so much more difficult. It is very expensive to restore these machines so my next project will have to wait a year or so, but I am hoping to get my hands on a new generation tractor like a John Deere 4020.
Case with Mr. Bobby McConathy at the 2019 Lytle ISD Community Bonfire. Mr. McConathy passed away in December of 2019 after a long battle with cancer.
Ag Teacher, Mr. Randy Beard talks about Case's project and the 2019-20 school year.
This school year has certainly been a year Lytle FFA will not forget. We started off pretty good with some big plans, but we lost a beloved Ag teacher, Ms. Meagan Hooker, and a short time later, another Lytle Ag teacher, Mr. Bobby McConathy, toward the end of the fall semester. Case is an officer in the Lytle FFA. He has worked closely with our department all year long and although we may not have overcome our losses completely, we became a tighter knit group and went through all of it together. As long as I’ve known Case, he’s shown tremendous interest and knowledge in tractors and agriculture. He has shown tractors several years now in our county show and at major shows, like San Antonio and Houston. When the tractors get to the show, they are neat, clean, freshly painted, and quite a sight to see. However, tractor restoration is quite intense, because these projects have to be torn down completely, right down to the nuts and bolts, and each part. Most of these restorations are not running at all when the tractor is purchased. It takes a tremendous amount of time, usually about 12 months, to restore a tractor. To be competitive, students must have strong parent support and involvement. Case certainly has a strong support system, in his family, particularly mom and dad, and at times, big brother, Wyatt. Case’s dad, Scott is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to tractors, engines, and mechanics and has devoted a lot of time, effort, and money into Case’s tractors. There is a lot of paper work, phone calls, and research that goes on in these projects. This is where Case’s mom, Wendy, steps in. In addition to showing his tractor, Case shows steers, and mom is very involved in helping him with that as well, especially when it comes time to getting the animals prepared for the show. One of the most awesome things an Ag teacher can see is a family involved with their children through the avenues an Ag program offers. Family involvement and support is so critical these days because of the competitive nature of the stock shows, and the time and monetary investment.
Case has learned a lot, not only about particular tractors, but public speaking, talking to strangers, answering questions, understanding high levels of competition, all kinds of processes, organization, as well as patience and endurance. We are very proud to have Case in our program and appreciate his and his family’s involvement with our Lytle Agriculture Department. -Mr. Randy Beard
Credits:
Case Conover