In the year prior to my winning, the prize went to the owner of a cosmetically challenged Farmall F-12 that had barbed wire for some of the spark plug wires. It ran fine.

Personally, I think the Farmall F-Series Tractors could win the “Ugliest Tractor” prize without rust, dents, and barbed spark plug wires. OK, I apologize to the readers that have both red and green tractors. I’ll keep my opinions to myself from here on.

At a Two-Cylinder Expo in Iowa, I purchased a pair of nearly perfect used grilles for the “G”. I found a good steering column support including the base casting, shift lever, etc. at a swap meet in Little Falls, Minnesota. The No. 45 Loader was removed, along with the governor-driven hydraulic pump. The pan seat assembly was bolted down. I repaired the steering wheel and had the carburetor overhauled. The magneto was checked over, and new spark plugs were installed. Things were progressing nicely. Then the restoration stalled. Other projects were taking precedence over the “G”. There was no particular reason for this; things just happen that way at times. Meanwhile I restored an unstyled 1941 “G”. Ray had completed the restoration of his 1949 “GW”. Numerous other restorations were well under way. I began to lose my enthusiasm for completing the restoration of the “Drayton G,” as it had become known.

When Ray and I attended the 2008 Two-Cylinder Expo in Waterloo, I met and talked to Jim Vaden from Memphis, Tennessee. Jim was showing a pair of early styled Model “G” Tractors; one a “GW” and the other a “GN”.

I told Jim, “I have the perfect addition to your collection sitting in the ‘waiting room’ at my brother Ray’s farm.”

He immediately said, “No way… I’m not about to pour thousands of dollars into another pile of junk as I’ve done so many times before.”

Don’t we all have stories like that one? But the more we talked, the more he became interested. Having an early styled tricycle-front Model “G” to exhibit along with his beautifully completed “GW” and “GN” Tractors was very tempting. “OK,” Jim said, “Send me some photos and information when you get back to Minnesota.”

When I returned home after the Expo, I sent Jim some photos and other information he had requested about the “Drayton ‘G’.” At first he said he would purchase the tractor; then he came to his senses, which told him that traveling from Tennessee to Minnesota to buy a tractor just wasn’t practical, especially with gasoline approaching $4.00 a gallon at that time. The pragmatist in me tended to agree, but it certainly would have been fun to have one of my tractors in his outstanding collection.

In the fall of 2008,1 was talking with Cam Geritz, a John Deere tractor-collector friend of mine from Minnesota. During the conversation he learned that I had an early styled “G”, and became interested in purchasing the “Drayton ‘G’.” A few days later, Cam drove up to Ray’s farm to look at the tractor. We agreed on a price and he hauled it home the same day. I really hadn’t planned to sell that tractor, but I wasn’t getting anything done on it, and I knew Cam would. Cam said he had a styled

During the winter of 2008–2009, Cam’s friend, EIroy Ackerman, completed the restoration, or maybe I should say “transformation,” of the “G” project. I first saw the completed tractor at the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher’s Reunion annual show at Rollag, Minnesota.

I had taken my 1946 Dodge truck and a restored 1941 “D” to the show. After getting my things in place, I looked for the Drayton “G”. Cam had told me it would be there. I found one of Cam’s restored tractors sitting near a freshly painted “GW” that sported a sign saying it had been restored by EIroy Ackerman. I later learned that the “GW” was actually the old Drayton “G”. It was unrecognizable in its new condition.

The carburetor and magneto had been gone through. The badly rusted and dented airstack and muffler had been replaced. The steering pedestal had been exchanged for a pedestal with a wide front. The tires had been replaced with tires that matched and actually held air. The battery had been moved back and placed under a battery-box seat taken from the donor tractor. Lights had been added, as well as an alternator. New chromerimmed Sunpro gauges had replaced the old faded rusty John Deere gauges. A drawbar frame had been welded to the main case. This tractor was no longer an “early styled “G”; however, it still bore the Serial No. 23881. It ran beautifully. It would still idle down to where each revolution could be counted. Cam and EIroy are proud of this tractor.

I was surprised when I saw the tractor, because I was expecting to see it with shiny new paint, but otherwise as it was when I sold it. My vision for this restored tractor was not the same as Cam’s vision. I had envisioned an early styled “G”; Cam could see a late-styled “GW”. But, it is his tractor, and he got to choose how he wanted it to look when it was completed.

Editor’s comments: I’m going to be a bit picky here, because I have a feel of how scarce the “G” Tractors numbered 23000–25999 have become. For various reasons, many have been parted out. They were so tough, they were often run until only a nub was left. To see one lose its identity when it didn’t need to is not only disappointing to me, it is of concern that persons who are unfamiliair with the correct appearance and configuration may use the the Drayton “G” as a guide for their own project. Jack Cherry