North American tractor and farm machinery dealer Burco Sales Inc, is no stranger to changing the paintwork of Case IH’s Steiger Quadtrac to celebrate Independence Day on July 4.
Founded in 1999 by Darin Burco, the family-owned business sells cultivation and construction equipment, and even lawn mowers, but is best known in farming circles for the striking colours and artistic graphics it gives to both small and large tractors.
Requests have come in to paint both new and used models from all the major brands, but typically the firm has more Case IH tractors in the yard, and the most frequently painted tractors are Pumas, Magnums and Quadtracs.
They have lost count of precise numbers (100+), but some of the most spectacular paint jobs have been the 10 parade Quadtracs, which each year take part in a festive procession through the streets in the home town of Independence, Iowa.
The crowds have been thrilled with various STX colours since the first one drove through the town in 2008. These include a white 380, a pink 480 for the American Cancer Society, a lime green 480 and a black 450.
An orange and black painted 485 Quadtrac was badged as the Steiger Orange Sensation, and the most recent and tenth parade tractor, was an army green 380 called the Patriot.
The most striking, though, and one that would certainly have brought a wry smile to the faces of John Deere aficionados, was the 380 DS (Deere Slayer). The striking artwork includes a rifle both sides of the engine hood and a tree complete with two hanging ‘deer’.
Once the parade has finished, the tractor, if not already sold, ends up on the forecourt. There are fewer items to tape and prep with a smaller tractor, but to paint a Quadtrac, which takes about two weeks, adds roughly $12,000 to the price of the tractor, the most popular paint scheme being red/black or red/silver.
Sadly, last year was the first in a while that they did not make a parade tractor, and the company has decided not to make one again this year. Time constraints are an issue, but an even bigger one is the unpredictable North American Midwest weather, which has seen a spate of unusually hot weather followed by yet more snow.
Rather than spend time working on an Independence Day tractor, the company feels it is better to focus on helping farmers and contractors make the most of the dry spells to crack on with some spring field work.
Let’s hope the spring weather is better next year and that the North American company comes up with another striking new Quadtrac colour scheme for the 2020 Independence Day celebrations.
Pictures: Jordyn Burco/Steven Vale
