I grew up driving the "old" tractors, and while I like looking at them today, no way would I want to go back to using them. I have tinnitus, partly from shooting without hearing protection, but also from a lifetime spent around equipment that was loud. I love my tractor with a cab, and I sometimes wish my little one had one as well. Todays hydraulics and electronics, and friendly operator controls make the old ones totally obsolete. They are okay to use for nostalgia sake, but for actual work, they went the way of the mule and the horse.
No doubt.
I do have a cab on my smaller tractor as well.
Just one day of 105* with dirt, dust and mosquitoes, not to mention yellow jackets will make you appreciate a nice quiet, air conditioned cab.
If I were doing this stuff just for schidts and grins, and could leave the old tractor in the barn until it was 75* and sunny and dry, I might have one. But, I put my time in riding one of those... and I'm not into it for the "practice" anymore.
