Businessperson and vintage tractor enthusiast Mehmet Bayraktaroğlu from the Demre district of Turkey's Mediterranean resort town of Antalya will proudly tell you he restored a 1952 model tractor that he inherited from his grandfather, spending tens of thousands of lira to bring it back to life five years ago. Not to be outdone, he also invested TL 50,000 ($3,700) on a 1950 model tractor that he had bought for TL 8,000 last year, restoring it to its nostalgic glory.
Bayraktaroğlu and his son Hüseyin, who sometimes tour the streets of the district with their tractors from an often forgotten time, have become the talk of the town.
Ali Yılmaz, who transported the tractor he bought in the 1950s to Demre by ship as there was no land route, became the focus of villagers' attention as the owner of the region's first tractor. However, the Fendt Dieselross branded German-made tractor was left to rust after 1980 with the emergence of new models and developing technology.
Those days are long gone now, with Turkey manufacturing and exporting tractors, even producing electric king-size models.
Five years after the death of his grandfather, Mehmet Bayraktaroğlu approached his uncle Ferit Yılmaz to ask whether he could have the unused tractor. When he agreed, Bayraktaroğlu took the tractor that had been gathering dust for 30 years to mechanic Ali Öktem in Demre's industrial zone, who researched its original form. After a year of repairs in the industrial zone, the 15 horsepower tractor capable of 20 kph (12.43 mph) was painted in its original color and regained its former glory.
Bayraktaroğlu, who made the tractor work again at an expense of $10,000, carefully looks after the seven-decade-old tractors, but cannot use them in traffic because they do not have the required road registrations.
From scrap to future generations
Bayraktaroğlu learned from a friend in Manisa last year that a 1950 model tractor of the same brand would be sold as scrap. On hearing this, Bayraktaroğlu immediately set off to purchase the tractor at a cost of TL 8,000 to transport back to his district. Once home, Bayraktaroğlu took his latest tractor to his go-to mechanic in Demre and repairs were soon underway.
The tractor enthusiast had the parts of the machine separated and cleaned, then had the unusable parts remade at a facility in Izmir. Once its engine was brought back to life and it was kitted with a fresh set of tires, the 25 horsepower tractor with a top speed of 30 kph stood precisely as it would have 71 years ago.
Bayraktaroğlu has become a local sensation in the district thanks to the fruits of his labor, and he enjoys taking the tractor he inherited from his grandfather and the other that nearly became scrap on tours for the locals to enjoy.
After receiving special permission to drive the tractors, Bayraktoroğlu and his son Hüseyin recently took to the streets of Demre on a tractor tour. Telling his story, Bayraktoroğlu said: "I inherited the tractor from my grandfather. It's a 1952 model. I had it repaired five years ago. A friend of mine from Manisa, who knew my of my interest in tractors, called and told me about this tractor that was in junk condition. I bought it and had it repaired. It took one year to repair.
"The tractor was 71 years old, and I made sure that the color was in accordance with the original. Both tractors now work," he added.
What motivates Bayraktoroğlu to restore tractors isn't money, his ultimate aim is to pass the machinery on to future generations, adding "I am very happy about that."
His son, Hüseyin Bayraktaroğlu, meanwhile, promised to carefully preserve the tractors his father restored and pass them on as family heirlooms to future generations.