Kinze CEO auctioning off 125 tractors

The online auction takes place Nov. 4

An upcoming auction featuring 125 classic tractors are coming from the collection of a person synonymous with farm equipment.

Jon Kinzenbaw, founder of Kinze Manufacturing and inventor of the modern grain cart, is selling off part of the collection he’s built since 1979.

“I would end up going to a sale and buying a tractor that I liked, and I might find a better one or one that had attachments that I liked, so I bought it too,” Kinzebaw told KCCI8.

The online auction features duplicates of tractors Kinzenbaw already owns. It’s scheduled for Nov. 4.

Here are some of the available items.

A 1971 John Deere 4020 with large tires, referred to as a monster tractor, has received 140 bids as of Oct. 31. The tractor has a current bid of US$35,250 (CAD$49,417). Someone in Ohio is responsible for that bid.

1979 International 86 Hydro 2WD tractor has interest from at least 82 people. The highest current bid is US$9,200 (CAD$12,898) from a potential buyer in Iowa.

A 1969 Massey Ferguson 1130 2WD tractor is also available.

As of Oct. 31, buyers have placed 120 bids on the tractor.

The highest current offer is US$30,500 (CAD$42,760) from someone in Iowa.

There’s also a 1947 International TD-6 crawler tractor.

Someone from Indiana has the highest of the 41 bids at US$2,320 (CAD$3,252).

Kinzenbaw isn’t the only person parting with pieces of history.

Gary Roberts, an in-house mechanic responsible for keeping the tractors running, knows the backstory of many of the machines.

“All of them have a story,” he told KCCI8, recounting a story about someone recognizing their grandfather’s tractor because of an oil can placed at the back.