Polish farmer buys non-running 1959 Deutz tractor for 200 euros and still uses it
At the "Na Dawnych Kołach" vintage tractor show in Cekcyn, Poland, farmer Tadeusz Dolecki described how a 1959 Deutz bought for 200 euros was repaired in three days and still works. Many of the displayed tractors remain in everyday farm use.
A show of old tractors and other historic vehicles, "Na Dawnych Kołach" ("On Old Wheels"), took place in Cekcyn, a village in the Tuchola Forest (Bory Tucholskie) area of Poland. It was organised by the association "Cekcyński Młyn Inicjatyw", which preserves the heritage of traditional farming and rural life. According to the organisers, most of the tractors on display are registered and still used productively on farms, rather than treated as museum pieces.
A Deutz for 200 euros
Local farmer and vintage tractor collector Tadeusz Dolecki said his hobby began in 2009. He had travelled to Germany, near Göttingen, to buy a camper trailer, and instead spotted a 1959 Deutz F2L612. The asking price was 600 euros, but it was cut to 200 because the engine would not start. After the tractor was brought to his farm, the engine repair took three days, and several smaller faults were fixed. The tractor was also repainted.
The two-cylinder, air-cooled engine has a capacity of 2 litres and produces 18 horsepower. The tractor has front suspension and can be fitted with a side mower. Dolecki mostly uses it for leisure and rallies, but it also works on the farm with a rotary tedder.
Other tractors
Dolecki also showed a 1988 East German Fortschritt ZT 323-A with a 120 horsepower engine, which he uses for the heaviest farm work with a four-furrow plough. He found it badly damaged in central Germany and repaired it himself.
The event also featured tractors restored by people outside farming. Tymoteusz Skiba from Zamarte bought a 1962 Fordson Dexta in 2021 and restored it, trying to keep as many original parts as possible in order to obtain historic vehicle status. Szymon Hinkelmann from Radańska is restoring an International 844 that needed a complete engine overhaul.
Dolecki plans to retire next year and intends to build a trailer for the Deutz to carry children at festivals.
