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Austin Reynolds has been working on the tractor since the summer. -
Austin Reynolds (left), with family friend Rick Williams, is restoring Williams’ 1969 John Deere 4020 Diesel tractor for his Future Farmers of America agriculture mechanics project.
Ira High School sophomore Austin Reynolds is restoring a tractor for the second time in just over a year, and his latest project has special meaning to him and his family.
Earlier this summer, Reynolds began plans to restore 1969 John Deere 4020 Diesel as a project for Ira’s Future Farmers of America agriculture mechanics program. The tractor belongs to Rick Williams, a friend of Austin’s father, Vance Reynolds. Williams was best friends with Vance’s older brother, Rex, until Rex passed away.
Vance and Rick became friends and Vance said this project means a lot to him and Austin.
Williams is paying for most of the parts and after Reynolds has presented the tractor at stock shows in early 2017, he will give the tractor back to Williams.
“It’s been a labor of love,” Vance Reynolds said. “I think it actually means more to Austin than it does to me, but it’s special.”
Reynolds previously restored a 1952 McCormick Farmall M tractor and presented it on the stock show circuit earlier this year.
However, this particular project required more work because of the size and complexity of the machine. It has a six-cylinder, 95 horsepower engine, power steering, power brakes and a power lift.
“This project is more like a senior project, but I’m a sophomore,” Reynolds said. “Nowadays, it’s probably nothing compared to other tractors. But for its time, that was a lot of horsepower.”
As part of the project, Reynolds has to make an oral presentation about the tractor and conduct a driving test to show how the gears work. Reynolds also must keep track of the financials of the project and write a report on each component of the tractor.
Reynolds said the experience from last year helped him this year. Shy by nature, Reynolds said talking to judges during stock shows has helped him gain confidence when it came to public speaking.
“You’ve just got to talk to every person you see,” Reynolds said. “At the stock show in Houston last year, there were nine teams of judges and each team had two or three judges. You’re going to have to talk. For you to succeed, you have to be confident, but not cocky. You have to show them you know what you’re talking about.”
Reynolds’s sponsors are Rick Williams, McCormick Marketing, Precision Hydraulic Technology, West Texas Auto Colors, The Auto Clinic, Don Gray, Hydradyne, Taylor Diesel, John’s Machine, Darrin Duzan, Ben Wilson Supply, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Hurst Farm Supply, John Cross, Eddie Midwell, Leatherwood Paint and Body and H&D Distributors, Inc.