Any visitor to see Michael Hoey’s collection of vintage and classic tractors will soon spot Errol McGuinness’s small oval sticker on the bonnets of many of the tractors in the yard. Errol has evolved a tractor and machinery restoration business based on his practical experience and passion for perfection.

His attention to detail when it comes to tractor restoration has come from those he considers to be the masters of the craft, acknowledged experts such as Ben Craig in England and PJ Savage in Cork.

“I’ve always looked closely at their work and set about trying to deliver an equal level of quality when it comes to restoring classic and vintage tractors,” says Errol. “It’s all about attention to detail and that takes time.”

For Michael Hoey’s 2016 open days, Errol had restored a number of the new models on show. These included the Ford 2600 and the Ford 6600, a County with a push-off buckrake and a Massey Ferguson 165, all of which have come through Errol’s workshop at Hayestown, Lusk, Co Dublin.

One of Errol’s early tractor restoration projects was a Ford 8000 which was bought by his late father Jack McGuinness from Kelly’s of Kilcock back in 1973. Jack had fitted the tractor with a loader and cab from a JCB 3C digger loader as it was a match for its powerful engine.

After a number of years the tractor fell into disrepair and was abandoned in a nearby field.

Errol took on the restoration challenge by means of a component-by-component dismantle and repair, followed by an impressive re-spray. The tractor was restored, with the help of Kevin Whelan, to its previous glory with a level of detail that sets it apart.

The original tractor with its JCB kit was featured in the Irish Farmers Journal in the 1970s when the late Jack McGuinness used it as his lead silage harvesting tractor to power a New Holland 717. The tractor operated the silage harvester in the north Dublin area for a number of years.

Visitors to the open days would have seen the tractor this year and in the past, as Errol provides it on loan. This year it was joined by a Ford 2600 from Michael Hoey’s collection. This is a 1970s Irish tractor that was fitted with a Fritzmeyer cab, one of Errol McGuinness’s cab favourites for the Ford range.

Errol recently restored a Galway-sourced original Ford 6600 that was fitted with a similar cab. This tractor was originally owned by the Kearney family from Ballyturn, Gort, and bought from Claffey’s Garage in Portumna.

The beautifully restored Ford 6600 has a special attraction for me. It was tractor that I was working beside in the early 1980s when it was powering the Kearneys’ silage chop silage harvester on the farm of my brother-in-law, Joseph, and his father, the late Matt Kearney of Gortavoher, Tubber, near Gort. It was a little nostalgic to see it so well restored.

Today, Errol is taking on new restoration challenges. When I called to his workshop he was finishing the paintwork on a Fordson Major diesel.

Sitting proudly propped on the paint-shop supports, the tractor had received a coat of primer followed by more detailed sanding before being finished with a two-pack paint.

Errol has just taken delivery of a British-sourced County 1474 tractor that was on show during the open days. This tractor will undergo the full dismantling and rebuilding to restore it to its original condition.

For Errol, the cab of a tractor like the 1474 can take up to 60% of the time as the panels are repaired and restored by a combination of careful welding and preparation before painting. Watch out for the County 1474 at next year’s Hoey’s open days.

Ferguson 20 restoration coincidence

When a retired Co Roscommon tractor mechanic was asked if he could restore a 60-year old-Ferguson tractor recently, so that it could be raffled for charity, there was an unexpected twist. Luke Cox, from Carniska, near Strokestown, looked at the 1955 Ferguson 20 diesel tractor up and down, and then revealed: “I worked on that very tractor 40 years ago.”

The remarkable coincidence brought a nostalgic dimension to a project which has been ongoing for many weeks. Luke has been helped by brothers John and Berney Higgins to transform the 1955 tractor into a gem that will be much sought after and will raise much-needed funds for the Child of Haiti charity raffle.

When Luke discovered he had done some repair work on the very same tractor 40 years ago, all were in agreement that it was quite a coincidence that the Higgins brothers had called on his services, unaware that the Carniska mechanic had prior experience of the very tractor in question.

John Higgins is one of seven Roscommon people who travelled as a volunteer to Haiti. He explained the background to the tractor restoration fundraising project: “Ronan Collier very kindly donated the tractor to PJ Maher in Ballyleague. PJ was hoping to go to Haiti, but can’t travel on this occasion. The tractor was then passed on to us. Berney and I took it to Tulsk and then we approached Luke Cox, who within minutes recognised it from working on it 40 years ago.”

John said Luke quickly got the tractor started: “We did a lot of work on it over about six weeks. We had to strip it down and take it apart. We put in a new clutch and new brakes.

“We spent over €2,000 on new parts. New wheels and tyres were kindly sponsored by Agrigear in Cavan. The purchase of panels and of components was subsidised by QTP (Quality Tractor Parts) in Mullingar. It was then resprayed by Brendan Keane from Lanesborough.

John Higgins, who will be making his seventh trip to Haiti, brought a tractor to the troubled country three years ago. Meanwhile, the tractor will be raffled in January, with proceeds going directly to Child of Haiti projects. Tickets (€10 each or six for €50) are now on sale from Padraic Deane 086-233 9713 or Central Bar, Roscommon. The winner will also have the option of choosing a cash alternative of €4,000 instead of the tractor.

Goodbye to the vintage world

This is my last week writing the Vintage page in the Irish Farmers Journal as I leave what is an institution of Irish farming after a career of 37 years to take on a new challenge. I sort of adopted the Vintage Page first in 2000 and then again in the mid-2000s.

Over those years I’ve been privileged to have met and interacted with many of the wonderful people who provide a unique insight into the world of past tractors and machinery.

To our many readers, a sincere thank you for your loyalty to the Irish Farmers Journal vintage page, which will continue under new stewardship. And special thanks for the tremendous friendship and courtesy shown to me over many years.

Irish Farmers Journal Vintage Diary

27 December Tullyallen Tractor Run, Tullallen, Drogheda, Louth 087-246 2277

28 December Kilbrittain Tractor Run, Kilbrittain, Cork 087-797 8342

28 December Murt & Minty Tractor Run, Kilkenny 086-266 2105

31 December North Kilkenny Tractor Run, Ballyragget, Kilkenny 087-279 7221

1 January Little Bob’s Memorial Tractor Run, Ballinamult Waterford 087-251 7844

2 January Antrim Vintage Club rally, Allen Park Antrim 0044-789 2938061

2 January Robert’s Cove Tractor Run, Cork 086-102 4710

8 January Lakeland Vintage Autojumble, Abbeyshrule, Co Longford 087-664 9069

8 January Barney Greene Tractor Run, Lusk, Dublin 086-081 3725

8 January Limerick Model Fair, Castletroy Hotel, Limerick 0044-426 70023

22 January IVETA Annual Dinner Dance County Arms, Birr, Offaly 087-266 6046

29 January South Roscommon Autojumble, Taughmaconnell, Ballinasloe 087-756 5147

29 January Markie Doyle Memorial Tractor Run, Craanford, Wexford 087-251 6712

29 January Ballyfin Vintage & Veteran Club Model Show, Laois 087-261 2408

29 January Sean McCabe Memorial Tractor Run, Kingscourt, Cavan 086-327 5732

*Dates are subject to change. The Irish Farmers Journal does not take responsibility for date or venue changes. Please contact each event before you travel.