January/February 2025 Antique Power
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Dave Hubbard’s 1934 John Deere A
The January/February 2025 issue of Antique Power magazine is available in our gift shop and will be available in subscriber mailboxes and on newsstands soon. We start off 2025 with Dave Hubbard’s beautifully restored 1934 John Deere A.
Restored to (Beyond) Perfection
Dave Hubbard’s 1934 John Deere A has been returned to factory condition… and then some!
Story by Madison Nickel • Photos by Brad Bowling
Following the formal end of World War I in 1919, the American economy went through a brief, dark period of recession before energizing its way into the “Roaring ’20s” Among other hallmarks, the decade was a time of innovative technology that benefited the average household.
People had the opportunity to buy vacuum cleaners, electric washing machines, and other home appliances for the first time. By 1924, the price of Henry Ford’s assembly line-produced Model T had fallen to $290, or about $5,000 in today’s buying power, bringing the automotive revolution within reach of every hourly worker.
The supercharged New York Stock Exchange was seen as an opportunity to get rich quickly, and many investors did. However, in October 1929, the overheated Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted, and 50 percent of banks had failed by 1933. One out of four persons was unemployed, and the economy shrank by 26.5 percent. At the same time, a drought encompassed huge tracts of land in more than 19 states. Part of the issue could be blamed on farming practices that dried out the soil faster, such as over-tillage, but ideas such as zero-tillage were not understood, and the technology did not support such practices. It was a difficult time for farmers, blue-collar workers, and businessmen throughout the United States and the world.
The agriculture industry felt the effects especially hard. While brutal competition had trimmed the number of tractor manufacturers to only 47 by 1929, the economic downturn would thin this number even further. Deere and Co., Ford Motor Co., and International Harvester Co. proved to be the dominant tractor producers.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the January/February 2025 issue of Antique Power magazine!
Other articles in this issue include:
From the Editor
Letters to the Editor
The Canada Connection: The Canadian 14-28
Paper Farming: The Leonard Tractor
Scaled Down, Built Up: Tired Iron Fabrication
Gary Arledge’s favorite color is … Cockshutt!Dr. Dan’s Tractor Clinic: Tire Tube Repair
The Book Shed
Back to the Barn
David Tatum Jr.’s 1945 Minneapolis-Moline UTU has come home!
Story by Robert Gabrick • Photos by Al RogersRestored to (Beyond) Perfection
Dave Hubbard’s 1934 John Deere A has been returned to factory condition… and then some!
Story by Madison Nickel • Photos by Brad BowlingA First-class 6-12
E.J. Croll searched for years before finding two early Allis-Chalmers tractors!
Story by Chad Elmore • Photos by Al Rogers2024 Antique Power Photo Contest Honorable Mentions
By Brad BowlingClassifieds
Show Guide
Tech Tips: Replacing Clutch Discs
Of Grease & Chaff: From the Depression to Disco
Gallery: Photo by Rodney McNinch
If you can't find Antique Power on a newsstand near you, call 800-767-5828 or visit our Gift Shop to order current or back issues. To subscribe, call 888-760-8108 or click here.
