Many classic farm tractors were also present at the Oogstdagen-event I visited recently. Here’s an impression, starting with a David Brown 770 Selectamatic from the UK. This model, with a 2.4 liter 3-cylinder diesel engine, was offered from 1965 to 1970.
Everybody knows the brand with the prancing horse. Here’s the brand with the prancing deer(e).
It’s on this John Deere 4240S, with a magnificent 6-cylinder diesel roar and turbo whistle. This Deere model was built in the early eighties.
Modern and classic, side by side. A new John Deere 7230R and a 4250 youngtimer.
Fendt, the diesel fueled horse.
The Fendt Farmer 3S was introduced in 1966, it’s powered by a 3.0 liter 4-cylinder MWM diesel engine, 45 hp.
In 1985 the CaseIH 1455 XL superseded the International Harvester 1455 XL. It was built in Neuss, Germany, and is powered by an International Harvester DT-402 engine. The transmission comes from ZF.
The oldest couple at the show, these McCormick-Deering Farmalls. Neatly parked on a drawbar trailer, towed by the 1455 XL further above.
And a John Deere Gator to boot. Mind you, 24 Volt 2-Speeds plus Reverse.
These guys with their big toys are getting ready for a little game.
A Unimog 406, this medium-duty model was introduced in 1963. The original Unimog (Universal-Motor-Gerät) was designed by Albert Friedrich, right after the Second World War.
Initially 4 prototype Unimogs were built by Erhard & Söhne, in 1949 its series production started at the Boehringer Werkzeugmaschinen company. From 1951 onwards the Unimog has been a full Daimler-Benz operation.
After the Unimog comes a Ford 5000.
Then a John Deere 80 from the mid-fifties.
And a Swedish Volvo BM (Bolinder-Munktell) 600.
The trick was to find the perfect horizontal standstill-balance on a king-size seesaw.
And the Unimog, the living off-road legend, succeeded very quickly.
The last one, a Deutz-Fahr DX 4.50 from the eighties with a 4.1 liter 4-cylinder air cooled diesel engine.
I love classic tractors. I love the first two: David Brown, meet John Deere. You two have a lot in common. 🙂
Deere and Case IH seem to have the farming market cornered in the US for a lot of equipment. An expression I have heard for acknowledging a difference of opinion is “That’s why there are red hats and green hats”, which relates to farmers’ tendencies to wear a hat of their preferred brand.
That Ford 5000 is seared into my consciousness because it was one of the two toy tractors I had as a kid.
Years ago I knew a local farmer named David Browne. I used to kid him about buying a tractor with his name on it.
A Ford 5000 is the tractor I have driven the most, but the one I remember must have been a slightly later version.
Another one was a John Deere like the 1980’s model shown – I was impressed that they had the sole forward cabin post, air intake and exhaust all lined up to minimise the visual obstruction.
In 2008 a Dutch farmers’ magazine organized a beauty contest….the Case IH 1455 XL was, at that point, the best looking farm tractor ever. Second was the Fendt 936, third the JD 7530 Premium.
Nice collection, there! I have some seat time on a Ford 5000 – seemed like a good, stout unit. I like the styling on the Fendt, and the ‘teeter-totter’ game looks like fun!
Someone recently posted on the Ford 8N forum I’m on about a Holder Traktor for sale at a dealership here in the States. Looks like an interesting little traktor! Perhaps you’ve seen one locally?
Yes, I’m familiar with the Holder brand. These small tractors were/are typically used by horticulturists, fruit growers and tree nurseries.
Larger pivot steer Holders were sold in NZ years ago, Ive some seat time on a David Brown Implematic but the larger four cylinder 990 it must have been red once it was a kinda pink colour when I used it only used as a picking tractor towing fruit bins it was replaced by a 35 Fergy due to gearbox failure, the howl from the transmission scared the owner into thinking it might die and with only two tons behind it so the Fergy seemed a safer option.
The John Deere Model 80 was the successor to the Model R, in that it came in diesel only-471 cubic inches, two cylinders, 60 drawbar horsepower, 8100 pounds delivered. It used a four cylinder gasoline “pony” motor to heat up the engine before starting it; when idling the front of the tractor just kind of bounces up and down. Not too many were made (around 3000), and it and the successor 820 and 830 often wound up in road construction applications where their “when in doubt, make it stout” design and excellent fuel economy made them good grader and packer tractors. Wonderful to see this tractor at such an event, as these are a little heavy for the home hobbiest. A beast.
I’ve seen the seesaw game done with steam tractors. The added fun there is the many gallons of boiler water sloshing back and forth.
I started an ancient F-20 by accident, at the Mennonite farm, when I decided to give the crank a try, just to see what it was like to turn. I was all of about 9. I hadn’t set the choke or turned the ignition on, if there was one (I think it had a magneto), but it started up on the first pull, to my great surprise!
It had no muffler so it was a bit noisy, and awoke Mr. Y up who was having his after-dinner (mid-day) nap, and who came trotting out to see what the racket was. I didn’t know how to shut it off. I’m surprised to this day that it started so readily.
I got to drive it later that summer or the following summer.
I did not know that David Brown was a real tractor manufacturer. I’ve seen one in the old part of town. I thought it was just another “California style” personalization by a person of that name. Next time I drive by it, I’ll take a closer look, and maybe a photo if it not covered up by a tarp.
Thanks for another enlightening article, Johannes.
Actually, David Browne tractors were sold in the US from 1964 – 1972, when they were bought by Tenneco (Case). I remember seeing some in Iowa, smaller utility tractors. I wondered then about that name and its origins.
Aston Martin DB5 (just a completely random example…) As in Brown, David Brown (1904-1993). The same man.
Complete with the great story that one of his friends asked if he could buy an Aston Martin at cost price, to which he replied “certainly, that will be £xxx more than the list price” (I can’t recall whether it was hundreds of pounds or a thousand pounds, on a price of £4,000-ish)
Some moderate Internet perusing seems to confirm that despite appearances, the Mannheim-built JD 4240S is not identical to the Waterloo-built 4240.