Fordson Dexta. Best fun ever...at 17mph
Discussion
I know this will not be to everyone's taste but if you have never driven a vintage tractor, you need to put it on your list of things to do.
I like speed and acceleration as much as the next guy, but I was grinning like a Cheshire cat last Monday as I took my wife's granddad's brother's Fordson Dexta out for a run on some quiet country roads.
I'm sure most boys grew up playing with model tractors - I was no exception - so this was basically a secret childhood dream of mine - now realised at 28.
Vague steering required total concentration, but at less than 20mph it was fantastic fun - the 3 cylinder diesel farting and burbling it's way down the road. And the same today as it was in 1958. Awesome.
Made me think about modern cars and how disconnected you are from the sense of speed. 17-20 felt fast enough on the Dexta.
Anyone else experienced one of these?
I like speed and acceleration as much as the next guy, but I was grinning like a Cheshire cat last Monday as I took my wife's granddad's brother's Fordson Dexta out for a run on some quiet country roads.
I'm sure most boys grew up playing with model tractors - I was no exception - so this was basically a secret childhood dream of mine - now realised at 28.
Vague steering required total concentration, but at less than 20mph it was fantastic fun - the 3 cylinder diesel farting and burbling it's way down the road. And the same today as it was in 1958. Awesome.
Made me think about modern cars and how disconnected you are from the sense of speed. 17-20 felt fast enough on the Dexta.
Anyone else experienced one of these?
I had the odd drive around my great uncle's farm in Ireland on an old Ferguson 35 when I was a teenager. One a bit like this:
Great fun indeed and at the same time a little scary. Brakes... what brakes? Finding gears was like stirring a bucket full of rocks with a stick.
A Ferguson TE20 is on my 'want' list but i'm not sure what I'd do with it in central London!
Great fun indeed and at the same time a little scary. Brakes... what brakes? Finding gears was like stirring a bucket full of rocks with a stick.
A Ferguson TE20 is on my 'want' list but i'm not sure what I'd do with it in central London!
Spent yesterday PM helping the neighbours with their hay field. T-plate Disco v8 bimbling around with a socking great big twin-axle trailer, collecting the bales that their SuperDexta was leaving behind, itself following their red Fergie which was doing the rowing of the hay...
(And, yes, we did have an unscheduled petrol moment with the Disco...)
(And, yes, we did have an unscheduled petrol moment with the Disco...)
Carfield said:
Not experienced one, but it does look like lots of fun!
I didn't think I would get the opportunity but marrying a girl who grew up in the country changed all that!OldSpeed said:
I had the odd drive around my great uncle's farm in Ireland on an old Ferguson 35 when I was a teenager.
Great fun indeed and at the same time a little scary. Brakes... what brakes? Finding gears was like stirring a bucket full of rocks with a stick.
A Ferguson TE20 is on my 'want' list but i'm not sure what I'd do with it in central London!
Yes would like a drive of a TE20 too. Harry Ferguson coming from NI too makes me want one more. Would like to drive one to compare to the Dexta. My understanding is the Dexta is essentially fords continuation of the Ferguson/Ford partnership which was short lived. Ferguson then partnered with Massy, hence the TE20, MF35 and Ford 8N (and then Dexta) all looking very similar. Great fun indeed and at the same time a little scary. Brakes... what brakes? Finding gears was like stirring a bucket full of rocks with a stick.
A Ferguson TE20 is on my 'want' list but i'm not sure what I'd do with it in central London!
StottyEvo said:
My mate had a coming together with a car on his. The car was destroyed by his front right wheel.
He told the insurance that he had no damage whatsoever. After inspecting the other car they didn't believe him and came to assess the tractor
I would believe it! Even the very small Dexta weighs in at 1500kg! And it is solidly engineered. He told the insurance that he had no damage whatsoever. After inspecting the other car they didn't believe him and came to assess the tractor
bobfett said:
Got a TEA-20 sat in a friends lock up garage. Waiting for me to get enough space to get it restored.
Like the idea of restoring one (yes I have investigated a purchase - making the manmaths work for me). TE20's seem cheap to pick up in decent nick around £1500. Good dextas seem to be in and around £2500. Like the idea of restoring one but it would be a steep learning curve. At least I would never have to hook it up to an OBD port!TooMany2cvs said:
Spent yesterday PM helping the neighbours with their hay field. T-plate Disco v8 bimbling around with a socking great big twin-axle trailer, collecting the bales that their SuperDexta was leaving behind, itself following their red Fergie which was doing the rowing of the hay...
(And, yes, we did have an unscheduled petrol moment with the Disco...)
Sounds like a fine thing to do in the nice weather! (And, yes, we did have an unscheduled petrol moment with the Disco...)
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