CASTLE ROCK, Wash. – As little boys on an Oklahoma farm, Max and Francis Franklin spent a lot of time around tractors.

Those simple, sturdy all-American machines are still in their blood. Now retired and in their 70s, the brothers’ hobby is working on farming equipment that’s built for strength, not speed.

The Franklin brothers have rebuilt three tractors from the 1940s and ’50s; a few others in various states of assembly lie around the cavernous shop outside of Castle Rock where they work.

“We’re always looking for a way to practice our yesterday skills,” Francis said.

As for vehicles that are fast and sleek, there’s a competition for old tractors. The Franklins are on the tractor pull circuit, in which contestants see how far they can pull heavy sleds.

Max, 75, and Francis, who’s four years younger, lived on a farm near Muskogee before their family moved to Longview in 1946. Max, who lives in Kelso, is retired from Longview Fibre and Francis worked as a boilermaker.

Back in Oklahoma, the family had a John Deere Model B tractor. When a friend offered to give the brothers a similar one 15 years ago, they couldn’t refuse. They straightened out the sheet metal on the 1941 tractor and had it painted in the original bright green with yellow trim.

The Deere has two cylinders and four forward speeds to handle the 19 horsepower. It originally had a hand crank. “We did that on the farm,” Max said, but they’ve added a newfangled electric starter.

“This just replaced the horse,” Max said. “A lot of people still horse-farmed in the ’40s.” Today, he said, tractors “are all four-wheel-drive and much larger and have more horsepower.”

“John Deeres are easy to get parts for,” Francis said. “They made a lot of them.”

“They’re pretty simple and easy to work on,” Max added. “We did take a little liberty with the bolts,” used new stainless steel ones. “We’re not authentic restorers.”

Authentic or not, they put in plenty of real labor in Francis’ 40-by-60 foot shop, complete with a half-ton hoist they bought from the closed Reynolds Metals plant. It’s handy for changing tires that can weigh 600 pounds with weighted wheels.

The Franklins also own a pair of Oliver Row Crop tractors dating from ’42 and ’54. They bought the older model in Clatskanie for $700.

“It was all rusty but pretty much complete,” Max said. “It ran.” The other was a gift. One advantage of working on tractors is the price, Max said. People are often happy to give you a machine that’s been rusting in a field if you’ll haul it away.

The Olivers have six cylinders and such luxuries as a padded seat – the Deere has a solid metal one.

“We have umbrellas we put on them in hot weather,” Francis said.

Tractors of that era have a throttle lever next to the steering wheel and separate pedals for right and left brakes. By braking just one wheel, a good tractor jockey can effect a quick turn. “You can just spin it around and go the other way,” Francis said.

Though the Franklins don’t use their tractors for farming, they and friend Bob Opsahl have an incentive to keep the rigs in good running shape.

They compete in tractor pulling, a competition which pits tractors pulling heavy sleds along dirt tracks. What began as a diversion for farmers has become an organized circuit; the Northwest Tractor Pulling Association has about 40 events each year.

Some classes are for souped-up tractors with multiple engines and tires that send dirt flying. Not the Franklins’ stock machines. “We’re just putting along at a 3 to 5 miles-per-hour pace,” Francis said.

The customized sleds weigh 36,000 pounds and have adjustable drags.

For better traction, the Franklins add weights to their tractor fronts. It also helps them to avoid popping wheelies.

“Every track is different,” Max said. “The dirt surfaces makes more different than what you think.”

“There’s young and old and women doing this,” Francis said. “Some are farmers and some are like us — used-to-be farmers.”

“There’s a lot of camaraderie among the people,” Max added. “Everyone is cordial. There’s a little bit of bragging… it’s just play.”

Max also tinkers with old cars, including a 1929 Model A. “We bought that in ’54 when we got out of the service to go deer hunting,” he explained.

Several more projects await at Francis’ place. Next to the shop reposes a rusty 1952 Ford fire truck retired from Castle Rock. Some day, they hope to drive it in parades.

Rustier 1937 and 1946 Ford trucks sit in a field.

“They’re classified as yard art,” Max said.