Classic tractors

[Lefty]

Anyone into old tractors?

I've been thinking about getting myself a little tractor to run a topper, log splitter, maybe a post knocker and saw a beautiful fordson diesel major for sale locally at a fraction of the price of a half decent modern-ish machine.

How practical and usable are they, really? Obviously, no can is a hindrance...

Ta,
Iain

[Vintage Racer]

I've got a 1958 Ferguson FF30 (French) which is great for the 12 acres over here.

I use it with a topper, 30" Bench Saw and small baler.

Not the quickest 0-60, but a TRUE CLASSIC!

[ted20]

I have a Grey Fergie which earns its keep:











They are great toys and there are no end of things you can do with them. My implement list stands at:

6ft topper
IH Fingerbar mower
Vicon Acrobat
Ferguson spring tine cultivator
Link box
Mcconnel power arm ditcher
Post Hole Auger
3 Ton tipping trailer
Ferguson 2 furrow Plow.

I have a nice farmer for a neighbour who lends me his rollers and grass harrows as well.

Parts for old fergies are easy to get. In fact I can go and order parts at the local MF dealer. Quite impressive for something that was built in 1949!! I have had a couple of things go wrong with it but it is very easy to work on. A hydraulic gasket failed between the top cover and the axle casing. It was a bit of a pain to replace, but the failure was due to somebody who used a cornflake packet for the old gasket..

Jonathan

[mat13]

Making your own gaskets is all part of the fun, i know of 50 grand tractors with cardboard gaskets and baler band holding bits on, the machinery may get more modern but farmers dont.

[ted20]

Have no problem with making gaskets, but when it is trying to contain hydraulic oil at several 1000psi, I would rather at least use proper gasket material..

[ian2144]

Lefty said:

Anyone into old tractors?

I've been thinking about getting myself a little tractor to run a topper, log splitter, maybe a post knocker and saw a beautiful fordson diesel major for sale locally at a fraction of the price of a half decent modern-ish machine.

How practical and usable are they, really? Obviously, no can is a hindrance...

Ta,
Iain

Iain,

I was at the auction on Saturday at Thainstone. I think there were a few clssic tractor,
I did not see every one go through, but i think the early 60's orange Nuffield sold for about £3K.
I know a chap in Kemnay that into clasic tractors & ploughing. if you want I can have a word?

[MontyC]

This Is my FE35 not really had many problems with it apart from where it had sat for 30 years the Petrol side of the tank was quite rusty and the outlet kept getting blocked and for some reason has a smaller diameter outlet then the TVO side of the tank.

[jonnylayze]

I have a 1958 Fordson Dexta with a finishing mower for cutting the grass.

It's great fun and was cheaper than a modern alternative. Parts are cheap too. I just paid £35 for a new water pump.

Highly recommended!

[Benbay001]

If you can budget stretch you want a Field Marshall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSXQO2e1JI&fea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1r91sGgfXM&fea...



http://www.rhcrawford.com/field-marshall-detail.ph...

Edit: forget all that, you need a PTO i take it?

[Rostfritt]

I do like that fergie. My gliding club at uni had a similar one for towing equipment around. I never got to have a go, the bewildering controls put me off for some reason. I remember it looked like someone tried to clean it with a hammer and starting it up produced an impressive amount of smoke.

[Agrispeed]

I live on a farm, and work on a couple others, between them I use a couple...

My 1986 case 1394 (our everything tractor, also used for some contract work on chain harrows and small fields)


MF35 scraper, and general wheelbarrow...


and heres another that I've used at one point or another... i'll see if i can find pics of more.

(bloody good tractor, pulled 15+T of bales up a hill that killed a matbro )

I also have pics of various ones doing work, but i thought that would be overkill

[C8PPO]

This thread had me scurrying to eBay, where I found this link below. Call me old-fashioned but isn't this where you'd EXPECT to find one?!?!

Imaginatively titled eBay listing

[JAHetfield]

I have a red David Brown 990 (currently in bits), totally in love with it and would never sell it.

Also, recently purchased a Ford 4000 Force with twin wheels, very good runner. Just needs kingpins sorted and a lick of paint.

[Six Fiend]

This is my mate on his "Monty"

[jonnylayze]

This is mine

[lockhart flawse]

We have two Fergusons - a 57 and 58. The 58 has been here from new and is used a couple of times every week with a muck scraper. The 57 just comes out at haymaking now.

We also have a rather neglected John Deere for heavier jobs.

L.F.

[Lefty]

Lots of food for thought!

Cheers fellas. The fordson major is a lovely looking old thing. I know a guy with a grey fergie but he doesn't use it as a working tractor - just for shows and stuff.

Stupid question - will modern PTO driven machinery work OK from a 50's era tractor?

[Chipchap]

A friend of mine has a Nuffield that he bought new in 1969. It is still in use today and has only needed one taillamp bulb and scheduled maintenance in all that time.

[Decky_Q]

Not as old as most on this thread but I learned to drive on an MF 135, it is still on the farm working its ass off, hydraulic connectors, 3 point link and pto means there are alot of attachments available, and def a practical classic, if you have a small farm.

[JAHetfield]

Problem with 135s is the price they command. You could spend £3k on a rough one. Someone once told me that a company in China had bought the rights to them and started reproducing them. Not sure how true that is though.