Leon Dobson and his wife, Rose, met on a blind date many years ago. He was two hours late for their first date – and it all had to do with an antique tractor.

Thankfully they ironed it out, and today the couple, Leon’s daughter and granddaughter are all about antique tractors, preferably Farmall red.

When Shelby Moss, his 16-year-old granddaughter, was looking for an FFA project, he offered his 1953 W4 International Harvester tractor. "I bought this from a man in Castalia, Iowa," he said. "I wanted a W4 and I figured if Shelby would do the work, I would give it to her after I’m gone, as long as it stays in the family."

Shelby, a member of West Central High School FFA for a year so far, said, "My grandpa asked me to do this, so I am doing it for him."

This quiet young woman, a junior in Biggsville, Ill., is enjoying the restoration process, although it is a bit overwhelming.

"I have straightened the grill; I pounded it out and sanded the rims. My next deal I am going to do is take the radiator off," she explained. When asked if she had been doing this type of work for a while, Shelby answered, "This is my first time, so this is very new to me. It is also the first time dealing with tools, and all.

"My Grandpa Leon is helping me with the project, and so is my Uncle Lenny, who owns a body shop. We are doing the work at home, and some there at Uncle Lenny’s." This is her first Farmall. "It is overwhelming, but it is pretty cool."

Tractor love comes naturally for the Dobson clan. Leon’s daughter, Jennifer Maynard, grew up on tractors and was in 4-H – in fact, she recently attended a plow day with her dad and goes on tractor rides with him. In 4-H she restored a pedal tractor.

"She was my farm toy girl. She tagged along with me," Leon said. When she was a girl, he noted with humor, "She could buy farm toys cheaper than me."

Back then, Jennifer even had a farm toy layout of her own. "I took a farm layout to the National Farm Toy Show (in Dyersville, Iowa). I last set up when I was 16 or 17. Dad wanted me to get it out (when I was older), but I have three kids and it is hard to find time. "Dad has always been interested in tractors – and it has been IH, IH, IH!" she pointed out.

The W4 project has been under way for a while and working with Shelby has been bringing back memories for Jennifer. "I helped Shelby take off the fender on the W4," she said.

While Jennifer has restored a pedal tractor, she admitted the full-size tractor is another animal altogether: "Even I feel overwhelmed doing things like taking gas tanks off and radiators, but I have painted and sandblasted stuff.

"I am excited for (Shelby), I think it will be a nice project when they are done. Dad is very excited, and Titan Tires donated tires for the project." Shelby had the chance to hear and meet Scott Sloan of Titan at the Three Rivers Tractor Club.

With the tires ready and progress being made, Leon thinks his granddaughter would be a natural at metal work. He was impressed by the way she has worked with metal. But, while Shelby is enjoying her foray into antique tractors, she said, "When I get out of school I want to do massage therapy. I am good at it."

She may go another route besides the metal work, but she will probably fulfill a couple of her grandpa’s dreams, like going for a tractor ride with him. Jennifer said this is great bonding time for all of them and particularly for Shelby and Leon.

"He is gone a lot so we don’t get a lot of time with him. She will have a nice tractor when she is done, and I don’t think she realizes how nice it will be. She has a ways to go. She has some things done and has more to do."

Once the tractor is complete Shelby plans to paint it herself in Lenny’s spray booth with a bit of guidance from him. The most complicated thing she anticipates is "taking the engine apart; that will be the hardest. The most interesting thing so far was bending the metal back and stuff. That was neat, and I love using new tools."

Their hope at the time of this interview was to have the tractor done by mid-June. This busy junior is going to school, working and she also has some active hobbies: "I like to ride four-wheelers and go raccoon hunting. I shoot them, then sell the fur. I live out in the country – our house is surrounded by woods."

A four wheeler, a W4, maybe a dress from her job at the retail store – it is all in a day’s work for this young woman who is dipping her toes into the tractor restoration hobby.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.