Big Boys Toys --
Your tractor's glory days are never past
by Olivia Richards,
Herman Review
Doyle Sperr takes pride in making old "big boys' toys" look like new again. He restores vintage farm tractors and antique toy tractors to look like they did when fresh out of the factory. His business, Big Boys Toys, can be found on the northern edge of Herman along Hwy 9. Doyle credits his wife, Jody, for naming the business.
Dave Nachbor of Herman was responsible for Doyle getting paint under his fingernails for the first time. After graduating from Herman High School, Doyle hung out at Dave's Body Shop during the winter months, or when he wasn't helping his dad farm, learning to restore cars to their original state. Doyle found the work both challenging and rewarding.
In 1983 Doyle thought it would be fun to give his dad's tractor, a 1952 Farmall IH model Super C, a makeover. Some remember the first car they drove. Boys growing up on the farm remember the first tractor they drove. Doyle recalls that the Super C was the first tractor he was allowed to drive. Using the facilities at Dave's Body Shop, the Super C launched a hobby that evolved into the start of a business in March, 2001.
Not all tractors that are restored remain workhorses, however. Collectors have them for nostalgia reasons, much like Doyle's relationship with the Super C -- they might be tractors that they used when starting to farm or drove in their boyhood days. Doyle can relate to that, and takes pride in restoring the old to new. Restoration adds value to the tractor.
Doyle begins by removing the covers, the wires, sometimes the gas tank, and more, leaving the steel skeleton frame intact. He leaves the motor work to someone else. He said that most of the tractors are mechanically sound when he gets them. After the separated pieces are sandblasted and cleaned up, primer is applied, followed by a sealer, and the final coat of paint. Lastly, the important brand decal for the vintage of the tractor is applied. He said it takes two to three weeks to restore a vintage tractor.
Since opening his shop in the spring of 2001, Doyle has restored 30 to 35 tractors of various brands, including two toy pedal tractors and an IH T9 crawler tractor. Now Doyle has two older IH tractors and a larger crawler tractor waiting in the wings for a restoration makeover.
Doyle helped the West Central Area School FFA chapter restore a B John Deere tractor last year. The tractor had been abandoned in a grove of trees, and required a lot of work. The students scrounged for parts and restored the motor to running condition. Doyle provided the expertise and the shop where the students could complete the makeover. Proud of their accomplishment, chapter members paraded the tractor at the Old Settlers Reunion in Barrett last June, and during the Grant County Fair.
Old tractors are "Big Boys Toys." What started as a hobby, has turned into a business. Doyle is doing his part to keep the nostalgia alive.
Doyle's shop phone number is 320-677-2770, or he can be reached at home at 320-677-2736. Inquiries can also be made by e-mail at dnjsperr@runestone.net
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