by Jason Hasert

Taking Advantage of an Early Spring Thaw

Nick and Dick's AGCO Heritage Farm

         In the October 2003 TTT featured Nick Zuilick and his friend Dick Keesey's Allis-Chalmers custom collection in the "Things That Used to Be" article.  Nick and Dick have become well known on Toy Tractor Show.com's Toy Talk as the two Allis guys.   This month Nick and Dick share their AGCO heritage 1/64 farm display.  These two collectors have a strong interest in Allis-Chalmers and other AGCO brands of the past.  Their display really stands out because of all the unique Allis-Chalmers, Oliver, Minneapolis-Moline, Massey Ferguson, New Idea and Hesston pieces they have built or purchased. 

        Nick and Dick are not related but they are really good friends. The two AGCO collectors met in 4th grade.  Both guys were into toy tractors at the time started going to each others house to play farm all the time. When Nick and Dick turned 12 they went to work on local dairy farms.   Nick worked on a 200 cow dairy farm that was all CaseIH. The farm had Magnums, Maxxums and a crab steer Case 4wd.  Nick and his father later went into a partnership with a local smaller dairy farm for a few years.  Dick worked for his neighbors 130 cow dairy that farms with all Allis. The farm has an Allis-Chalmers 8070, 8030, 200, 185 Massey Ferguson 3140, Hesston 100-90 and 70-66. Nick has just gradated from college and works for the farmer Dick worked for.   Dick has one year of college left. In high school the two friends got out of  farm toys until their second year of college when we discovered ToyTractorShow.com. Since finding TTS they have pulled out all their farm toys and set up a layout in Nicks basement. They are the big Allis-Chalmers fans. AC is their favorite but they like all of AGCO's subsidiaries and heritage brands.   Dick also enjoys collecting collecting 1/64 Ford and New Holland toys. 

           The two friends really enjoy making the different models of  farm toys.   One of their favorite projects is making the implements from the 1970's,   The 1970's was the last decade when each manufacturer had a full line of hay and tillage implements.  They find their projects by collecting full line brochures or brochures that show those different implements. Implement projects often include Allis-Chalmers, Case, Ford, Oliver, Minneapolis-Moline, Cockshutt, Deutz-Allis, New Idea, Massey-Ferguson, Hesston.   Implements are not the only focus of the friends.   Nick and Dick are working towards creating a complete line of 1/64 Allis-Chalmers tractors from the 10-18 to the 4W-305.  If you go back and read the October TTT article on Nick and Dick you will see their AC tractor line is off to a great start.

           Enjoy the pictures below of Nick and Dick's New York Southern Tier dairy farm .  They have built and painted many of the AGCO heritage farm toys used on the display.   Other pieces like the Minneapolis-Moline G-1355 came from Matsen Miniatures, the New Idea Uni-Harvester was made by J&S Farm Toys and the New Holland FX-58 SPFH was crafted by Gordy Schultz.  

Small Farm Home Stead Using Minneapolis-Moline Tractors with Oliver and MF equipment

Minneapolis-Moline tractors can handle big tillage jobs or farm chores on the display

The display has hill and flat fields to work

Minneapolis-Moline and Oliver are a good match from spreading to seeding

Allis-Chalmers tractors work Nick and Dicks larger dairy farm

The big Orange Power farm stead

Allis-Chalmers 7000 with a 16ft Hesston center pivot hay conditioner

Haying is all AGCO job on the model farm

Painting implements is a favorite project to help bring variety to the display

Nick and Dick use AC tractors for every season

Big 4wds and small utility tractors are used

Here is a 6080 with rops and a 6060 with fenders

What display is complete with out its own AC dealer?

Moore's offers 1/64 detail kits for combines, tractors and trucks.  Moore's  build HillCo Hillside Combines in 1/64 scale.  Moore's offers 1/64 3pt implements including v-rippers, wheel rakes and blades.  Front mounted silage blades, pull type wheel rakes and combine header trailers are also available at  www.mooresfarmtoys.com/

TTT February 2004 Page 8

Back to the index