KIRON — Those folks who know Jim Lundell of Kiron know that he’s an avid collector.

He has garages, sheds, and even a building on Kiron’s Main Street full of classic neon signs, soda machines, juke boxes, John Deere branded bicycles, farm toys, and ag-branded coffee pots. All these items represent memories to Lundell, and with each comes a story, but few items get him to talking like the tractors he’s acquired over the years.

“Since 1974, I’ve collected about 155 different tractors from Case-International Harvester, Ford,

John Deere, Allis-Chalmers, and Oliver,” said Lundell. “Now, wait a minute, I just bought a 996 International from a man in Charter Oak. Well, now that I think about it, I have 160 tractors, most from the 1940s to the 1970s.”

Chances are that by the time you are done reading this article, Lundell could have added a model or five to his fleet.

-Farm News photo by Doug Clough
Lundell's showroom in Kiron houses many of his tractors that he has refurbished, but those tractors are just part of his collection. He has parts, sales and service artifacts, like this poster, from all of the major tractor and farm equipment manufacturers, including John Deere, Case IH, Ford, and others.

Lundell, who was born in 1944, said that he first sat in a 1950 Ford 8N tractor when he was 9 years old.

“I pulled a flare box wagon with a load of beans all by myself,” said Lundell. “I was hooked on tractors before that, though, when I was with my uncle from Wall Lake who had a 1948 John Deere B that really intrigued me.

“I’m not sure I would have picked a John Deere back then. Some of the old ones had hand clutches. If you were an octopus, it could run good, because you’d have enough arms to make it go!”

Lundell noted that Powershift transmissions were a great advancement that came about around 1965.

In 2012, Lundell refurbished the old Kollbaum Brothers Case dealership, making it a showroom for some of his CASE tractors as well as other brands. “I remember being in the store when it was active in the ’50s,” said Lundell. “The other dealership had soda for 10 cents, and I could get one at Kollbaum’s for a nickel!”

-Farm News photo by Doug Clough
Jim Lundell and his son Brad have both become familiar with tractor improvements through their generations. “I had all the improvements that dad experienced when I began farming,” Brad Lundell said. "Of course, the horsepower has increased, and gear improvements have made it so most anyone can drive a tractor, but operator comfort makes the news."

In the showroom, there is a 1960 Farmall with a toolbox accessory mounted on the side; Lundell said the toolbox was a nice accessory, but Farmall really made it for users to stand on to fill the gas tank, which was too high to be filled from the ground.

Lundell also has aftermarket cabs, which were popular in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. “‘Year Around’ was a common brand,” said Lundell. “In 1945, Burch Manufacturing of Fort Dodge made the Heat Houser, a canvas accessory for tractors that channels heat from the engine to the person operating the tractor. Of course, in the 1970s, most tractor manufacturers were making their own cab or having someone make it for them, so many of these accessories went to the wayside.”

Lundell also has John Deere Generation II tractors, specifically the 4430 and 4630, in his collection.

“One of the biggest advances in tractor mechanics was the ‘Sound-Guard Body’ which was the first successful integrated tractor cab,” said Lundell. “This made being on the tractor all day bearable because it was so much quieter. The cab also made for a more comfortable experience. The design of the exhaust system and window made it easier to see. It was one of the first to have heating and air conditioning as standard equipment.”

The John Deere cab was such a vast improvement over the aftermarket cabs — so much quieter — that Deere offered an optional AM/FM radio and speakers since music and WHO talk shows could be heard over the engine.”

-Farm News photo by Doug Clough
Brian Lundell, one of Jim's two sons, stands next to their 2010 model year John Deere 8320R which is hooked up to an anhydrous applicator. "Tractors have advanced to the point where it's the details that add up to big improvements," said Lundell. "The front duals, the independent link suspension (ILS), the spacious and quiet cab, and GPS mapping all add up to a better tractor. The improved lighting makes for better visibility too."

Lundell even noted changes to tires and suspensions throughout the years.

“The old tread design was 45 degree, which self-cleaned better,” said Lundell. “Then tires went to a 23-degree design, which still cleaned well but had a better ride.

“The Roll-o-matic front end was first introduced on the John Deere B around 1950 on their narrow front tractors. It’s a gearbox that allowed one of the front tires to go up while the other stayed on the ground; before this, when one tire hit a rock, both tires came off the ground. The Roll-o-matic provided a better ride.”

Lundell said that, during his lifetime, the best advancements were made in the quieting of the tractor engine noise, more gears in the transmission, and tractor size overall got bigger. His son Brad said that creature comforts — rather than mechanical advances of his father’s era –have been the highlight of his farming career.

“I had all the improvements that dad experienced when I began farming,” Brad Lundell said. “Of course, the horsepower has increased, and gear improvements have made it so most anyone can drive a tractor, but operator comfort makes the news. In 1995, the ‘buddy seat’ was introduced. During dad’s time, you sat on the fender if you wanted to ride along. If you think about all the big improvements made in the first 75 years of tractor design, it leaves a person to wonder what the next 75 years will look like. Have we plateaued on real improvements? Time will tell.”