1970 John Deere 110 Patio Tractor restoration update -It's finished-

[Chris_Dresbach]

Well after about 7 years of tinkering with this thing, today I finally finished it. When my grandpa bought this thing 7 years ago, it was literally in boxes, missing and/or wrong parts; a basket case. It probably could have, should have been a parts tractor when we got it, but look at it now.

A brief history of why this John Deere is not green and yellow is because for a time from 1969 to 1971 JD tried a marketing experiment by painting the 110, 112, 120, and 140 tractors a base coat of white and either a blue, yellow, orange, or red hood and seat even though traditional G&Y paint was still offered. The traditional paint scheme out sold the custom color tractors and they were discontinued. Many of them were taken back to John Deere's Horicon, Wisconsin plant where they were repainted green and yellow; making them very rare today. They are called "paitio tractors" because the red ones where "patio red". (Also offered was sringtime yellow, sunset orange, and spruce blue all over a base of dogwood white. This one is correct blue and white.)
Today I took this tractor for its first drive in about 15 years if not more. That is an identical model 110 in the background, but in traditional paint.

[Milaca]

That's the prettiest Ford lawn tractor I have ever seen!
Did you use vinyl paint for the seat or were you able to find one in the correct color?

[Chris_Dresbach]

That's the prettiest Ford lawn tractor I have ever seen!
Did you use vinyl paint for the seat or were you able to find one in the correct color?

The seats are extremely rare, and you almost never find them without a tear. I eneded up just dying a regular yellow one.

[mbstude]

It looks great Chris. Nice work!!

[Corvanti]

very cool, Chris!!!

i'm curious if you have (or if even available), a sales brochure from that period showing the optional paint colors. that would sure quiet the naysayers quickly when showing it. kinda like the 289 Studebaker/furd engine debates that often come up from the uninformed.

[Kurt]

Nice work Chris. Those old Deere mowers are pretty cool. Do you have the mower deck for it?

[avantilover]

Great job Chris, now for the 1953 Sunroof Prototype.

[comatus]

Not counting scale models, that has to be the smallest tractor I've ever seen that could make old, crotchety, machined-out-of-high-nickel-cast-iron men openly envious. If you know how to place your bets, you'll never buy a beer in your life. Plus you'll hear more "I'll be damned"s than Father Mulcahy in the confessional the morning after Casino Night at St Boniface.

I'd be sure to put a highly waterproof finish on that. It's going to get drooled on, a lot.

[Chris_Dresbach]

I do have an original advertisement for these tractors. I would scan it and post it here, but it's sitting in a box over at my grandparents house with the tractor; and I can't find one on google to post. The ads themself are pretty scarce, I've only ever seen a hand full.

When we got this tractor it came with a snow blade. I still have it in the corner of the garage. It could be painted and put on, but this tractor will never see work; it's a show piece now. All 110-140 attachemnts were made by Brinly and are also white.

The '53, and I still have ANOTHER 110 waiting restoration now that this one is done!

The 110 sereis was actually modeled after the larger model 70 JD. They are some of the toughest garden tractors I have ever seen, all solid metal. The only plastic on this thing is the coating on the steering wheel!

[mbstude]

[Milaca]

Here is a Craigslist link to one for sale with a different color:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/grd/3105034140.html