A34-Lancast»r Farming, Saturday, Dacamber 10, 1994
Fond Memories Of The Pony Tractor Drive This Restoration Team
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
WEST GROVE (Chester Co.)
Coming home from hunting in
the mountains one day, a Chester
County equipment dealer noticed a
rusting hulk that looked like an old
Massey-Harris “Pony” tractor,
with a “for sale” sign on it, wast
ing away in a farmer’s field.
The dealer stopped and spoke to
the farmer. Indeed, the old “rast
bucket,’’ according to Jacob
‘‘Jake’ ’ Dudkewitz, owner of S.G.
Lewis & Son, Inc., equipment,
was. indeed, a 1948 Massey-Harris
Pony.
Turns out, the tractor was sold to
the farmer by S.G. Lewis & Son
back in 1948. At that time, the
Pony sold for. about $650.
Jake couldn’t resist regaining
something that reminded him of
growing up on his family’s small
farm in Delaware. He used an old
Massey-Harris Pony, similar to the
one that needed restoring, in his
fields.
So Jake took the rusted tractor
from the farmer’s hands for a
scraping $9OO.
Sound like a lot? Well, not as
much as it cost to restore it. The
painting alone, according to Jake,
cost $1,200.
That same tractor appears on the
cover of a DuPont Classic Farm
Calendar (200 in all) issued by the
S.G. Lewis & Son business in
West Grove.
Jake purchased the tractor in
1990. In 1994, they invited DuPont
Classic Tractor series representa
tives to take pictures of the tractor.
A photographer arrived on one of
the coldest days of the year, in
February this year, to photograph
the Pony, which appears in color
on the calendar. He took 300
photos of the tractor on a neigh
bor’s farm, according to Jake, and
used a lot of photographic equip
ment to bring out the best picture
possible.
Jay, left, and father Jake Dudkewltz have restored about
seven Massey-Harrls tractors, dating from the late 1940 s to
early 19505, through the years. They also own and manage
S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc., agricultural and Industrial equip
ment dealers, In West Grove.
In October, Jay Dudkewhz lined up some of his favorite Massey-Harrls tractors.
From left to right, the 55, a 1948 diesel, refurbished last year; a 55 liquid propane, 1955,
refurbished in T 991; and a 555 diesel, from 1957, restored In 1990.
It is that kind of devotion that
drives a lot of people to collecting
and restoring old tractors. Those
who are in the business of purchas
ing old tractors and restoring them
for show all want to bring back
some of the fond memories of the
past.
“We had some of these tractors
on our farms and our parents also
had some of the Massey tractors,’*
he said. “Today, we still like them
as a hobby.’’
Jake and son John “Jay” Dudk
ewitz have a collection of about 28
tractors. Jay has restored a 1948
Massey-Harris SS diesel, a 55
(1955) Massey-Harris liquid prop
ane tractor, and a 1957 555 diesel.
Jake is in the processing of restor
ing two other Ponys. Jay will be
restoring a 444 diesel.
Back then, the smaller Ponys
were for various light chores. They
are quipped with a four-cylinder
Continental engine, rated 10
horsepower on the drawbar and 11
on the belt About 27,000 units
were manufactured at the factory
located in Woodstock, Canada.
“This size tractor was used a lot
in the vegetable growing busi
ness,” said Jake. “We sold a lot of
them for the small farm that
replaced the last team of horses.”
The Pony weighs I,SOO pounds
and could pull nearly 75 percent of
its weight.
When they were manufactured
from 1940-1953, they were afford
able for the small farm. 4 ‘Now they
demand top dollar,” said Jake,
some going for as much as $5,000
or more.
“I like these little tractors simp
ly because I can load a couple of
them up on the trailer and pull
them with my pickup truck,” said
Jake.
Although he said he wouldn’t
have any idea what you could get
for one now, it all depends on “just
what anyone would be willing to
pay.”
CLASSIC FARM TRACTORS
1905 COLLECTOR’S
This 1948 Massey-Harris Pony, built from 1948-1957, was once a tired old bucket of
rust. The tractor was completely restored by Jake Dudkewitz, West Grove. It is fea
tured, in full cover, on the cover of a calendar put out by the DuPont Classic Calendars
aeries. The photo was taken on a neighbor’s farm on the coldest day of the year,
according to Jake.
One of the problems are missing
parts. For many of the small trac
tors of the era, missing would be
side panels, the toolbox, and air
cleaner. The panels would be
removed when damaged, and the
toolbox would be taken out to
replace the battery. Often, trees or
posts would knock off the air
cleaner. Those parts alone are
often hard to find.
Fortunately, the Dudkewitzs
have an additional Pony “parts”
tractor to secure the items they
need.
The family has-a half a dozen
Massey-Harris tractors restored,
and the resfarein storage awaiting
their turn.
Jake said that his family shows
the restored equipment at various
tractor shows throughout the coun
try. They have also displayed the
restored models at Rough and
Tumble Engineers Museum in
Kinzers, Lancaster County.
“Every young boy falls in love
with a certain tractor whether it
be a Massey-Harris, or Interna
tional, or John Deere, or whatever
thinking it’s the greatest tractor
there is,” he said. “And we were
no different we always thought
the Massey-Harris was the best.”
According to Jake, however,
those who arc looking at restoring
tractors for investment should be
warned: this isn’t a way to make a
lot of money.
“It’s hard to get all of your
money out of some of these country would probably say the
things,” he said. “It’s just the same thing. They remember them
pride in doing it and the fond as a boy or their father or uncle,
memories you have of them. And they fixed them, and worked with
I’m sure collectors of a lot of these them. They restore the tractors out
farm antiques you see around the of love.”
Jay Dudkewltz has been restoring this Massey-Harris 444
diesel tractor, operated here, by father Jake.
The sandblasting and repainting ware some of the most ,
extensive and expensive restorations done to this 55 liquid
propane tractor from Massey-Harrls.
1948 MASSEY-HARKIS I*o>