Collection Showcases Rare And One-Of-A-Kind Tractors

Collection Showcases Rare And One-Of-A-Kind Tractors Rick Egger set out to collect John Deere letter-series tractors, but he was sidetracked by a Waterloo Bronco. He does have five Deeres, but it was an oddball tractor built in Kitchener, Ontario, that stole his heart. It was the first, but not the last, unique tractor he purchased. He now has nearly 40 in his “Rick’s Toys” collection. “When I took my John Deeres to a show, people walked past them to ask about the Waterloo Bronco,” says Egger. “That got me interested in collecting oddballs.” After nearly 30 years of collecting unique, one-of-a-kind tractors and other rural antiques, he has more than filled a 30 by 70-ft. building. His 30+ tractors include Canadian-built models like the WILMAC, built in Windsor, Ontario, in the 1950s. “I don’t know of another that exists,” says Egger. “I have the street address where it was built, but nothing else.” The 1927 Centaur (Central Tractor Company) is another rare tractor in the collection. It’s a 10-hp tractor with a LeRoi engine and a front-end belt drive. The articulated tractor steers with its rear wheels and is equipped with a dirt blade with factory-installed front extensions and a plow on the back. “The extensions were installed to push dirt past the front wheels,” says Egger. “A collector I know posted it for sale, and I brought it home. It’s the kind of thing you don’t leave sitting there.” Other brand names in the collection include Silver King and Leader, both built in Ohio. He has 6 and 8-hp Shaws built in Kansas, and two Empires: one built in Windsor, and the other in Philadelphia, from leftover war equipment. “They used Willys Jeep parts, including the engine and transmission, back to the final drive,” says Egger. “The grating on the platform was salvaged from a battleship.” Not all of Egger’s tractors are one of a kind. He added the Case V, built for only two years, with its Continental engine. His Bolens Ridemaster is equipped with an original disc and plow, with factory tags still attached. It has two front drive wheels, while the rear wheels are steered by a chain drive that articulates the tractor.  He has a 1954 David Bradley Tri-Trac grader that also articulates, turning in a 7-ft. circle, and is equipped with a front-mounted blade. “It’s very rare,” says Egger. “I’ve seen pictures of them in the U.S., but I don’t know of another in Canada.” His Gravely, also equipped with a blade, isn’t that old, but Egger snapped it up when he saw it was serial number one. In addition to rare tractors, Egger has collected antique washing machines, butter churns, tools and more. The museum also features a “new/old” exhibit. “I have a quarter-scale Rumely Oil Pull Model F,” says Egger. “It was made from scratch, every piece except the magneto, by the late William Ives, Peace River, Alberta. He’s long gone, but I was fortunate his son, Jeff, sold it to me.” He has a special love for his Canadian hit-and-miss engine, built in his hometown of Dunnville, Ontario. Each model of these engines, later known as Monarchs, was painted a different color, from deep pine green to blue and shades of red and burgundy. “It sits on a cart with a buzzsaw, all made here,” says Egger. “It was pulled around by horses to the job site. We used it at a tractor show, cutting up an old wood post into little pieces and stamping them with the show logo. We gave them away for donations to the show.” Everything in the collection has been restored, with some restored by Egger and others by previous owners. “It’s cheaper to buy them already restored,” chuckles Egger. “The Monarch engine and buzzsaw were in good shape, but I had to rebuild the cart. My son has a sawmill and cut out the wood.” At nearly 90 years old, Egger is pleased that one of his sons has taken an interest in the collection. The museum building is one he put up on his farm. Fortunately, it’s designed to accommodate additions. Egger admits he still scours the internet and auction sales and hears from other collectors about rare equipment. “I’ve slowed down, but if something shows up that’s odd, I’ll grab it,” he says. “I don’t have a favorite. Everything in my collection has a story. That’s why they’re here.” To view Rick’s Toys, contact Egger for a private showing. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Richard Egger, 44 Lane Rd., Dunnville, Ontario, Canada N1A 2W1 (ph 905-515-6352; roedot@gmail.com).

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