DON'T dump that old car or tractor: old farming equipment is in demand by private collectors.
Old engines, trucks, motorbikes and even outdated industrial machinery has always been collected by museums, but now farming equipment has come onto the radar.
And unfortunately, according to vintage machinery enthusiast Ken Osetroff of Toursgallery, most of it is leaving Australia, bound for museums in the US and Britain.
"Collectors from overseas are buying up what little still remains from our pioneering days," he said. As far as they are concerned, we are virtually giving away the farm."
Since 1983 Toursgallery has been organising overseas tours for restorers and collectors of vintage machinery to meet with other enthusiasts and check out their collections.
The USA is the next tour destination in August 2018, which will include two vintage machinery rallies considered to be among the world's biggest.
Each rally is expected to display more than 200 cars and trucks, 800 tractors and 3000 stationary engines, all restored and in working condition.
Transport and railway museums across the Mid-West, the Henry Ford Museum, Smithsonian Institute, National Air and Space Museum and the historic home of John Deere will all be visited.
Car collectors will enjoy seeing some rare Cord and Duesenberg originals and taking a drive with members of the Studebaker Owners Car Club in their restored classics.
The 22-day tour begins in Washington DC on August 16, 2018, and costs $10,988 twin share.
1300-307-317, email travel@toursgallery.com
