[Jim in NC]

The tractors on local farms during my youth are the ones mostly collected these days. Both sets of my grandparents and neighbors farmed, and I helped them. Most of the work I did was manual labor. If I drove a tractor, and it was rare, it was to pull a trailer or a sled of tobacco. I never really worked the land with a tractor until we bought this place in 1978, and it was then that I learned lots of things and continue to do so.

So, my question is directed to those that perhaps had more experience at a younger age than me. What tractors made in the 40s and 50s did you prefer to use in terms of comfort, reliability, and functionality? :?: I realize it might depend upon the job you were doing, but most families here had only one tractor, and it had to do it all.

 

[single tree farm]

I am a bit young to probably relate too much to this post... but my grandfather on Mom's side farmed for many years with only a 1955 Farmall 100 with the fast hitch. It took care of his mowing and tobacco crop and any other odds and ends around the farm. To this day he says that if he could only be left with one on the farm (there are a few more now... ) that it would be "Little Red." On the other side of my family, my great grand father took care of his tobacco and hay, as well as all of the other chores around the place with his 1952 Case VAC - and a couple of mules. He never owned another tractor, and he farmed that way until he quit in the late 1970's.... though he always wanted a 3000 Ford from what I understand.

 

[Jim in NC]

Brandon, I remember the story of Little Red very well. I grew up with Super As and Cubs as the offset tractor choice of most I knew. I don't remember anyone having an offset with a one point hitch. The one point hitch sure made them more versitle. Changing bolt-on implements on a Super A was very tiring and time consuming. That's why my mom's dad chose the JD 40. The 3 point hitch made things so much easier for him.

 

[caseman]

We farmed in the 50 with a John Deere 40 & a B Farmall in 1965 I bought a new 424 Int diesel and my Dad got a Dexter diesel..

 

[soundguy]

if i'm drawbar pulling.. a farmall H if 3pt.. a ford rowcrop.. preferably one with a larger engine.. like the 900/901/early 4000 4 cyl.

 

[mike1111]

In the 50s I only ran 2 different tractors, a Farmall H and a Deere A. I much rather run the H, I have that H in the barn today......

 

[BigDaveinKY]

Of the handfull of 40s and 50s model tractors that I have used. I liked the 8N best for all around comfort and ease of use.

 

[4imnotright]

If it's a tractor, I like driving it

 

[soundguy]

i'd rather be driving a tractor than a truck most of the time!

 

[corn cob]

age 10 started raking hay on dads d case to todays standards would probably be child abuse then he bought wd45 allis great tractor lots of power for that time frame not very user friendly I had my own 1957 mf 40 basically a 50 only yellow good handy utility tractor jumping into the 60s my favorite was a mf super 90 power steering lots of power sat up high open station tractor easy to get on great power fast on road very user friendly going into 70 s 190xt lots of power good hydraulic capabilities user friendly cab easy entry but lacking in speed ranges in trans hand clothe on power divider is ok once you get used to it gives you live power

 

[prwttsh]

When I was young, dad had a Farmall M and an Allis WD (which I have now) That's about the only 2 I drove, so I'll pick the WD.

 

[Jim in NC]

I was around my share of 8Ns, Cubs, SuperAs, and a rather famous local Farmall H that I have now. My grandaddy's, mom's dad, JD 40s, which I also have, was probably my favorite. I really liked the sound it made, and it was the only JD that was closeby. My second favorite tractor sound while working was the Farmall H.

 

[ralbuck]

Well it was NOT the 30's something huge Oliver--- beiieved at the time to be a 99!

It had a right foot clutch, huge steering wheel *NEEDED LARGER YET!) and the best way to start it was PULL IT!

The A-c's MMs, IHs, and Fords, Cases JD's were all like heaven compared tio that Spent very little time on M-H though so can not comment on them.

 

[jwal10]

I grew up on a Farmall H and an M. Dad traded the M for a case 400 diesel, later traded the worn out H for a DC Case. I liked the H the best, it would do every job on the farm except run the bearcat Chopper. My first tractor was a Farmall B, not a favorite but the price was right. It was tricycle front and it was a rough ride in rough fields, more than the H. It did everything I had to do, cut, rake and bale hay, plow, disk, drag and plant wheat and pasture. I really like the Farmall H the best and the best job was plowing with a 2-16" #60 hyd lift plow. A '52 model with upgrades to the Farmall super H specs, faster rpm and a super kit in the engine....James

 

[missouri massey man]

All we had were Massey Harris's: (2) 44's, a 101 Super and a 101 Jr. When I was a little guy, I loved the 101Jr. Hours were spent on it cultivating corn two rows at a time by the time I was 12. Man I'd get a good chewing for oversteering and plowing out a stalk or two too !!! My all time favorite was either of the 44's, pulling filled silage wagons up out of the big (to us) 40 acre bottom and flying down the dusty road between the hay field and the other corn patch in 5th gear !!!! For a 12 year old I felt ten foot tall and bulletproof double-clutching and grabbing 4th right before cresting the hill by the chickenhouse. No matter what, you just couldn't top that hill in 5th with that silage wagon in tow. The trick was timing .... let the motor pull down just right and grab fourth with lightning fast double clutching.

Occasionally though, there was a terrible fourth gear grind.....while I was gone playing with green toys and fireworks as a member of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children my much older brother and dad changed out the transmission/rear end with a good donor bought from a cousin. Hmmmmmm......

To this day, a 44 does the trick for me as far as being my all time favorite.

 

[gordon1121]

I guess it would depend on my age at the time. My grandpa Hisel had a 35 Ferguson which I loved to run a great deal cause when I was younger the clutch working up and down under your foot was a bunch eaiser for me to control. Then when I got older I enjoyed the Case because when your ten or so it felt like you were on top of the world. I know its a little past the deadline on years but my favorite tractor hands down I ever worked was a 1963 2010 John Deee wide front gasser. Dad bought in the mid 70's. I know now when you read about them they don't get the best reviewes sometimes but that thing was a brute for its size and the way it was balanced it just hooked and pulled like a son of a gun.

 

[Jim in NC]

By the mid to late 70s, most of the folks that I had helped in my youth had "retired" from farming. Their tobacco was leased to other farms or grew on their farms by another farmer. From then throught the 1980s, those that continued to farm bought newer and larger tractors, switching to diesel power. Several of the older tractors still remain with the families. Some are used and some are rotting away.

Wendell, I know the feeling of getting to drive a tractor all by oneself while in "road gear". It would make one grin BIG. Gordon, a friend had a Deere of from the same era as your 2010, but I don't remember the model. I am not sure if it was a gasser or diesel, but after a few years he moved to either a 275 or 285 Massey.

 

[corn cob]

. Gordon, a friend had a Deere of from the same era as your 2010, but I don't remember the model. I am not sure if it was a gasser or diesel, but after a few years he moved to either a 275 or 285 Massey.[/quote]
I had a 285 with mf factory cab was a good tractor but really hard to get in and out off cab with gear shifts on top of trany I got rid of it because I was afraid one of the guys was going to get hurt getting in or out bottom of door opening was 8 inches higher than running board door was small and cab was low roof should have been on a platform tractor

 

[wizzard]

if im just moving stuff around the yard I like using the lil ones like the allis C or the Leyland 154. if im mowing the lawn with our 6ft finishing mower I like to use the Nuffield 4/65 cuz of the live power and its got a radio. its way to big for the job but like I said its gota radio :lol:

 

[jwal10]

I had a JD 2010 gas with a loader, the shifting of that thing and the loader levers all over there needed 4 arm to run it. No power steering didn't help. I did not like it. The 2020 was a much better tractor, 2030 even better. I ran a 275 Massey, haying, very nice tractor, it had 15.5x38s on the back and rowcrop spindles on the front, great baling tractor with the multipower....James