Topic: Tractors

[tbpmusic]

A couple shots of a beauty that showed up at our local county fair, along with the normal large array of steam tractors, etc.
Tractors are a big deal around here, as it's a rural agro-area. Lots of orchards too.

A 1949 McCormick Orchard Special.  Good stuff, I'd ride that beauty all over the place.





bill2

[gerhed]

Great looking tractor !--love the skirts.
I'm a big fan.
Did you see any Fordsons--I'm in the market.

[upperlake04]

Guys - please excuse my ignorance - are the skirts factory?

[bwaller]

Yes those orchard specials were factory built. The branches laden down with fruit would just slide up & over the fenders without catching anything and shaking the fruit off.

Plus it looks fast just sitting there, huh?   

[mattcb350f]

Great looking O-4, and it looks like a Titan under the canopy.

Posted some pics from our local show here in Ontario a while back http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=38442.15

 Matt.

[tbpmusic]

Guys - please excuse my ignorance - are the skirts factory?

They're very cool - specially designed and built to pull a real heavy wagon real slow and quiet - but can also go 35-40 mph.
No angles or sharp corners or projections to damage the precious trees, nothing to snag on, not even an exhaust pipe. They just slip quietly through the rows, pulling a godawful heavy wagon.

This particular machine still works every day at a nearby orchard, has since the guy's dad bought it in 1949. He says it's completely original.

bill2

[Rocking-M]

Wow! Nice tractor, I'm surprised I haven't seen any round here. We've lots of orchards
but I guess us hillbillies couldn't afford such a ride.

Gerhed, what price range you looking for in the Fordson?

[tbpmusic]

Great looking O-4, and it looks like a Titan under the canopy.

Could be - this Fair has maybe 4-5 acres of antique and steam powered tractors, all kinds of stuff.

bill2

[Glenn Stauffer]

I wouldn't have thought about the skirts being there to avoid snags on the fruit trees.  Around here, I'd look at them to better protect the farmer from flinging....stuff since many fields are fertilized with the byproduct of dairy farming.

[74cb750]

doesthe newer model come w airbags?

[mattcb350f]

doesthe newer model come w airbags?

  

This isn't an orchard model......just an early 'deluxe' tractor that never really caught on.

Very rare and expensive now, but the idea was you could use it as a tractor or a car. Had a 40 mph top speed, a heater, wipers, jump seat and full guages....... shades of things to come but built in the late 30's.




 Matt.

[Sam Green Racing]

The Orchard Special wouldn't look out of place at Bonneville

I used to be a big fan of tractors but not any more......now I'm an extractor fan.

Sam.