RE: Swords into ploughshares for Pininfarina

[soad]

TheEnd said:

and of course the Lamborghini tractors-

Didn't realise they still made these.

[james_tigerwoods]

Tractors are cool. However old you are.

My 4 year old will attest to that too

[seapod]

Don't forget the Aston Martin & David Brown connection. Owned by the same man, allowing Ferrari owners to make endless 'tractor' jokes about the DB series

[griffo71]

Be surprised how many drivers took their first turn of the wheel behind a tractor
Used to b able to get a tractor licence at 16 in the UK. Not sure if that's still the case
Rite of passage stuff haha!

Edited by griffo71 on Wednesday 11th November 18:27

[pSynrg]

Previously, tractor was nowhere to be found in his search history...

[Peppka]

Of course David Brown made gearboxes that appeared in a lot of UK built lorries if I remember correctly. David Brown tractors were taken over by Case and livery changed to white bodywork and cab with orange wheels. Then became part of Case IH and finally part of CNH. Case tractors painted red and New Holland tractors painted blue are mechnically identical just the "tinware" different. Ford were the leading manufacturer in terms of sales for many years from the 1950's up until they were overtaken by John Deere leader in sales in UK now.
As for GPS most people use on prime movers cultivation tractors drilling tractors combines with GPS using satellites only you can be plus or minus 20 cm you need your own ground station to be really accurate to plus or minus 2 cm.
A GPS system can pay for itself in one year on fuel saved alone as well as reducing input usage with no ovwerlaps.
Trimble are the leading manufacturers most tractors if it is not installed when manufacturered are ready wired for it.

Edited by Peppka on Thursday 12th November 07:55

[Matt UK]

TooMany2cvs said:

That used to be me, but nowhere near as much these days.

I'm an ex-tractor fan.

[Matt UK]

TooMany2cvs said:

That used to be me, but nowhere near as much these days.

I'm an ex-tractor fan.

[anonymous-user]

Tractors and construction machinery, I mean who remembers the thread on that big yellow Tonka truck, wrecking balls, bulldozers.... everybody likes them.

[sorrel]

Here's a cute little '66 Lamborghini for sale!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C666879

[jamieduff1981]

The farmer who owns the fields around my patch have a big bugger of a tractor running on tracks. The also have this funky yellow tricycle thing with a largely uncovered V8 diesel. It sounds half way between a tank and one of those 2 stroke V8s in airport fire engines.

[supersnapper]

james_tigerwoods said:

Tractors are cool. However old you are.

My 4 year old will attest to that too

Hear hear! My missus loves hers.

[Fetchez la vache]

griffo71 said:

Be surprised how many drivers took their first turn of the wheel behind a tractor

Mine was a combine harvester when i was 4 sitting on my uncles knee. Does that count?
I'm taking "turn of the wheel" in the literal sense as I obviously couldn't reach anything else

[Peppka]

Big yellow three wheeled thing will either be a Big A or a Terragator fertiliser spreader made in US usually have Detroit V6 or V8 diesels and auto gearboxes just put it in D and go!
First ones came into UK in mid 70's Bunns of Yarmouth had 5 Big A's when I first started farm managing for Hallsworth Ltd in Norfolk.

Edited by Peppka on Thursday 12th November 12:32

[seapod]

The modern version of the above - I like their strap line of 'Serious Machinery'

The large neighbouring estate to our old house in West Berkshire had two of these beasties, best noise ever.

[Peppka]

How anout this made by Earnest Doe and Sons in the '70's two Ford 5000's joined together with a turntable all controls synchronised, very good pulling tractor on heavy Essex clay, imagine coming out of a T junction turning right with all that bonnet!

[cognac1979]

A Masses is classy but a Zetor is better!!!

[Willy Nilly]

dantournay said:

I agree. I get to see a lot of AGCO product and their big 8700 and Challenger stuff is mind boggling

We have one of them and had the first 8600 in the country. Really good tractors.

[Peppka]

Ford New Holland man myself first tractor I drove parasffin - petrol Fordson Major 27N then Major Diesel, Ford 7000, 5000, 4000, 3000, 6600, 7600, 6610, 7610 8210 TW 35 only different tractor was MB Trac 1100 which we used with demount sprayer.
Like the "lean forward" tracks on this 600+ HP:

[mikecassie]

rastapasta said:

mikecassie said:

Peppka said:

Pinnifarina designed Fiat tractor cab in 80's when they were painted orangey brown had a triangular side window and one piece glass door unusal then. All changed when Ford sold tractor division to Fiat and the 2 ranges became amalgamated now part of CNH Case New Holland.

Ah the Fiat with the comfort or super comfort cabs. The door glass would self destruct as the wire for restraining the door stretched with being opened in a rush and the glass came in contact with the wings, farmers don't open doors in a canny manner. As for the curved rear window on the comfort cabs, nice distortion of the view when closed just at a point where you liked to see out.

Shame Ford sold to Fiatagri and became CNH, no more proper Ford Blue tractors. The Fords were a much better tractor to work on than any Fiat I had the misfortune to work on. I'll now put away my rose tinted glasses...

Im not sure I would agree. Ive driven a 7810 Ford and 90 Model Fiats and Ive found the Fiat alot easier to work with. The 110-90 is an absolutely legendary tractor for simplicity and shear brute force. Alot of the farmers retrofitted them with turbos and the noise was incredible. Alsowhen you turned them off after working them for a prolonged period the turbo internals would spin for minutes afterwards. Ah the sounds of my youth.

Driven or worked on as in repaired? I did work with the Fiats 80-90,90-90,100-90 & 110 Winner on a farm that had David Brown, Case (same tractor essentially) and John Deere's as well. Out of them all, the 90-90 Fiat was a beast, it would pull and pull, the 5 cylinder engine in that was amazing. But the John Deere's always had an edge in comfort in the cab over the others I've mentioned.
I then went and did an apprenticeship in a Ford dealer when 10 series etc was new, going on to the 40 series after that. We used to Turbo the 7810's and 7840's, which did produce an awesome tractor. For ease of access for repairs the Ford won hands down. After having to remove a cab just to change roll pins in the gear linkage on Fiats, I realised how much better thought out Fords were for repairs. All academic now as it's a lick of paint and a sticker which differentiates now.