By piecing together parts from his grandparents' rotary hoe and an old Honda motorbike, Spencer has almost finished his own miniature tractor.
With the help of retired engineer Adrian van Eekelen, Spencer took the wheels and chassis from an ancient rotary hoe and the handles, seat and motor from the motorbike to create the tractor.
Held together by a front axle he made himself and a muffler he assembled, Spencer has just a few cosmetic touches to add.
‘‘I have to make a bonnet and I'll probably paint it red,'' he said.
‘‘People have said it looks real with the muffler.''
The year 10 South Otago High School pupil said he did not have a plan when he began the project in winter - it all just came together.
He said he planned to make a trailer for the machine and add a grubber so he could help rip up his grandparents' vegetable garden. Speed was an issue, he said.
‘‘It goes about 5km an hour at the moment but I would like to bump it up to 20km an hour.''
Spencer said he had always liked engineering and ‘‘building stuff''. He has made a rickshaw, and intends to enter this summer's Clutha River Race in a home-made paddle boat.
