Medina FFA will refurbish vintage tractor
Provided photo: Medina FFA members Ian Joseph, left, and Jack Hill are pictured with advisor Todd Eick and a 1947 Farmall A tractor.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Members of the Medina’s FFA Chapter have a new project on their hands: refurbishing a 1947 Farmall A tractor.
Teacher Todd Eick issued a challenge to two of his students, Ian Joseph and Jack Hill. “I told them if they could find a 1947 Farmall A tractor for sale or for $1,000 or less, our chapter would consider purchasing it. I thought it would be a good project for the students to work on.”
The Farmall A was built by International Harvester from 1939 to 1947 in Chicago, Illinois and Louisville, Kentucky. The frame, engine and drive train are offset to the left and the driver’s seat and controls are offset to the right to give the driver an unobstructed view of the ground and crop being cultivated. “I think it is a very fitting tractor for our chapter and Medina,” said Ian Joseph.
The students had been itching to get a tractor to use in the village’s Memorial Day parade and immediately started working on finding a tractor. One day when Mr. Eick was driving through Albion his spotted his quarry. He told the students about it and Ian set about negotiating the price from its owner. Ian then worked up a business plan to present to the other members of FFA and they decided to purchase it.
“The tractor runs, but has some mechanical issues,” Eick said. “But I feel like it came together so fast for a reason.”
He said if the project goes well he would like to purchase two more tractors for the class. “A lot of chapters like to take something in rough shape and fix it up and then donate one to the FFA to auction off for a fundraiser. Hopefully in five years we will be in a position to do this.”
“The students are determined to have it running by the time the parade comes,” Eick said. “It will probably take weeks to fix this one. It will not be instant gratification. But I can tell they have a real appreciation of this vehicle and they are excited about getting started on it.”
“We are really looking forward to refurbishing it,” Ian said. “It will need some basic mechanics, engine work and the painting will need to be redone. We would like to get it show quality. We can’t wait to show it off at the parade.”
