# A Walk Through Tractor History



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Here are 12 categories of tractor history in slide form..... a couple of these I have already posted. This is really cool and I hope you enjoy these as much as I have.

Regards, Mike

http://www.agriculture.com/machinery/tractors/a-walk-through-tract-histy_198-ar29276


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Great link. I think the early 1900s was a cool time for automotive and tractor manufacturing. It seems to me that anyone could start a company to build cars/tractors/trucks and could make a go of it for awhile. Today to start a new company building cars and tractors from scratch is almost impossible. It can still be done with farm implements though which is a good thing. I wonder what some of the guys that started building those old tractors would think of the equipment today.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Totally agree. Today you have to spend entirely too much in pre production to meet all government requirements. Very hard to start. Too bad our government is entirely against made in the USA. If companies didn't have to fight them maybe we could have an entire car or tractor or something that was entirely made in the USA.


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## InterLake (Nov 28, 2012)

As a Manitoba farmer who grew up on a Cockshutt 40 and is a member of the Cockshutt Club, I immediately checked out the pix of the Canadian and Cockshutt tractors. I really appreciate those being included. A neighbour of mine has a Rochol. I was not aware of a Manitoba connection. Yes, Versatile tractors are still made in Winnipeg. The operation has had various owners but it is still there. My University of Manitoba agriculture diploma class visited the Versatile factory in early 1966 and spent some time checking out one of the first D-100 tractors.
In the text with the Cockshutt tractor pictures, there is some confusion about two of the engines. It says that the 35 has a 152 cu. in. Hercules. Actually it has a 198 cu. in. Hercules. The 30 has a 152 cu. in. Buda. The experimental 580 is not just rare, it is unique. Three were made. Two were destroyed when White took over Cockshutt. Somehow, someone got the other one out of there. I'm glad. The engine in it is a Perkins 354.
In 1950 my grandfather bought a three year old Cockshutt 40. It was a huge improvement over the old McCormick-Deering 15-30 he had been using. It enabled my family to use more modern equipment such as a pull-type combine, swather, power mower and an Allis-Chalmers Roto-Baler. Other tractors do almost all the field work now. However the 40 still is useful on this farm. I used it for snow clearing today.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Today I went to the Colorado Farm Show (supposedly one of the largest farm shows in the U.S. as said by the organizers) One thing different then any other year is they had old classic restored tractors of some brand or another sitting in the midst of the latest and greatest of machinery. Some of those old tractors were the size of the tires of the large new ones. Kind of neat to see the old and new side by side.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

neato, think about this though. Some of the oldest tractors are what, 100-120 years old? Do you honestly think any of these electronic laden nightmares being sold now will still be around in a hundred years? All you need is for an electronic doodad to go out that isn't made anymore and all done. Will the diagnostic tools even be around in a 100 years? Microsoft doesn't even support XP anymore. If something electronic is acting up in today's new tractors in lets say 50 years, will you even be able to find the right magic black box to diagnose it?

Need to stick to KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid.

Oldest tractor on our farm is a 49 Oliver, still easy to get part for and simple to repair. Most likely will still be running after the 2013 models are scrapped out for lack of an electronic component that will be made obsolete in 2023.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

mlappin said:


> neato, think about this though. Some of the oldest tractors are what, 100-120 years old? Do you honestly think any of these electronic laden nightmares being sold now will still be around in a hundred years? All you need is for an electronic doodad to go out that isn't made anymore and all done. Will the diagnostic tools even be around in a 100 years? Microsoft doesn't even support XP anymore. If something electronic is acting up in today's new tractors in lets say 50 years, will you even be able to find the right magic black box to diagnose it?
> 
> Need to stick to KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid.
> 
> Oldest tractor on our farm is a 49 Oliver, still easy to get part for and simple to repair. Most likely will still be running after the 2013 models are scrapped out for lack of an electronic component that will be made obsolete in 2023.


With the environmental regulations could you even make a tractor that is as simple as those old tractors? I also kinda like air conditioning.







But I agree with what you say about being obsolete in just a few years. Especially this DEF stuff on the tractors. As others have said, I doubt this will last long. Then in 20 years it will be hard to find parts for it or the DEF itself for those tractors bought right now.


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