It might seem rare for to find a teenager today who has a strong passion for restoring antique tractors. But for one Nebraska teen, finding and restoring tractors has become a growing hobby. When he was presented with the opportunity to acquire a special Farmall, he jumped on the chance as he knew it would help keep one man’s memory alive.
At 18-years-old, Charlie Bortner already has a knack. Not only did he and Wyatt Myers team up to restore a 1938 Farmall F-20 for a FFA project, but he’s also taken on other restoration projects outside the classroom.
“I love the challenge of trying to get these old tractors to run,” he says. “I love the tractor collector community. I’ve met so many people, I’ve expanded my network, it’s just been extremely beneficial.”
One classic example of the network he’s build, and the friends he’s made, is his 1948 International Super M.
“I bought it from a family friend. They said that their dad bought it, but he sadly passed away and they just wanted to keep it around the community and find somebody that could care of it,” says Bortner. “So, they sold it to me just as a little token. And just for me to kind of play around with and tinker with.”
The first step was to get the classic piece of iron in better operating condition.
“It was in running condition, but there’s just something off about it,” says Bortner. “I adjusted the carburetor a little bit and it fired right up.”
He says the single front tire is something that’s taken an adjustment when driving the tractor, but as he spends more time on the tractor, he’s reminded on just how special of a tractor it truly is.
“It means a lot to me,” he says. “It just shows that they trust me to take care of it and keep it operational and in good shape.”
Bortner has a couple Farmalls that have become his favorites. The 1938 Farmall F-20 he helped restore with a classmate was one he knew would take a lot of work. But the 6-month FFA project turned into a two-year undertaking, and the finished project is polished perfection that is breathing new life.
“Me and Wyatt stumbled upon the FFA tractor restoration competition, and we decided that it’d be kind of fun to enter. And so the restoration started,” says Bortner.
The iron required a complete restoration, and the boys decided it was a challenge they’d try to tackle, as they took on the restoration project one step at a time.
“Anything that could come off, effectively came off,” says Bortner. “We had the transmission completely disassembled to the point that the rear axle housing was removed from the tractor, sealed and put back on. We had the whole entire tractor sandblasted, painted individual pieces. Just if a piece could come off, it came off.”
Farmall tractors are Bortner’s favorite, and he says that’s because of the strong and iconic history.
“I’ve always seen IH as kind of the forefront of the tractor community because if you look back the Farmall Regular, it’s considered to be the first successful row crop tractor. And every company, including John Deere, has managed to copy that with let’s say John Deere Unstyled A looks a lot like a Farmall Regular to me.”
From his passion for restoring tractors to his love of the brand, Farmall is a clear favorite for Bortner, and will be for years to come.
