It took Owen Jones three years to restore his 1958 Chamberlain Super 70 tractor.
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That's one down, 35 to go.
When the third generation farmer sold his Mullalley farm years short of retirement, he missed agriculture so much he decided to try his hand at tractor restoration. He's done five so far, including the 1958 vehicle. It's just the start.
"I had - not withdrawal symptoms - but yeah I missed farming and so we bought a 300-acre hobby block, and I though I'll buy half a dozen tractors over time," he said.
"Well, it got a little bit out of hand and I've got 40-odd now. But my wife's been very understanding."
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Mr Jones was just one of about 100 cars on display inside the ALEC on the weekend, part of Tamworth's Shannon's motor show.
From a modern Mustang to an ancient Model A, the enormous convention hall was packed with petrolheads and the cars they love.
Co-organiser Neville Evans told the Leader on Saturday that the two-day event was already looking to be the biggest it's been in a decade running.
"We're guessing that we've had a couple of thousand through, and we're not even finished yet," he said.
Unusually, about 20 per cent of cars are local. Mr Evans speculated that car enthusiasts had spent coronavirus lockdown working on their vintage vehicles.
Brisbane industry veteran Bob Briggs said it wasn't all blokes who got into car collecting.
With wife Stephanie Briggs the couple restored an Australian-made 1934 Ford 3 Window Coupe. Bob thinks it was built in Geelong in the 30s.
Mrs Briggs said they were lucky to share the same love.
"If you love motor racing, if you love cars, yes, its not a chore, it's a pleasure," she said.
"If you're not interested in cars and your husband is, that's the problem."
"There's a bit of that in the industry too, that the wives don't give a rats. I'm lucky," Mr Briggs said.
The motor show ends on Sunday.
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