The latest Hemmings has a litte feature on this unusual farm implement. I have the strangest sensation that a HAMB member has one. If not then it must be some kind of oversight. Can anyone hear me? Why am I asking, you ask? It looks like and in fact is a sort of Kustom/Hotrod tractor. Weirdsville. But Kool. But weird with a beard dad.
I haven't seen the article, but I have seen Minneapolis-Miline tractors (don't know which models though). My goal is to find a piece of property to build a house on that is big enough that I have to find a vintage tractor to mow, run fence and do basic utility work around the place. Vintage tractors are such a deep part of the American culture--they take us back to a time when the family farm was the backbone of our country. -Brad
More pics about half way down this page. http://robertpence.com/maumee_v_05_p1.html I think these were supposed to be a double duty tractor for the farmer that needed a tractor and a car. In super rural America this could be both
Ahh, back before my wife was even my fiancee, she sent me a picture of that via email. She said it reminded her of me and was on a calendar at the farm where she was working that summer. So I will always have a soft spot for that particular tractor.
DINGDINGDING!!! That's it. That is the Comfortractor. It was designed to work in the fields Monday through Friday and then be driven to town like a car on Saturday.An all weather cab. Driving postion lowered, one door in the rear, full dashboard and gauges, heater-defroster, glovebox, cigarette lighter, a jumpseat for the Missus. When operated as a tractor it did about 25 mph. OPerated as a car it would do about 45 mph. Cost $1900 in 1938. M-M made about 150, sold about 100 and converted the remainder to cabless, conventional style tractors when they failed to sell. The conventional model U sold for about $1000. I love this sort of failure. Your wife said it reminded her of you? Interesting.
I have seen a few in person, very cool. If you hit a Borders or Barnes and Noble you will find a cool history book on Mpls Moline tractors as well as books for other brands!
I saw an auction result for one recently; very close to $100,000. Not a hot seller in the 30s, due to that pesky depression.
Doubt if any HAMBers have one... my dad (a farmer) was at a tractor auction last year where one sold $100,000+
By the way, for you west coasters and anywhere tree farming is done - keep your eyes peeled for discarded orchard tractors, they can fetch big $
pioneer power has had many at each meet, one guy owns 5 or 6 i thnk, never too early to anounce the swap meet this year and the show in august http://www.pioneerpowershow.com/
A friend of mine near Butler,Pa has one of the M-M comfort tractors,he also has 17 other M-M tractors.
I just love the MM comfortractor! It was MM's whack at taking a tractor to town; the reverse of Henry taking a car to the country. It was a miserable failure at the time, but now is one of the most coveted tractors there are. If you like this sorta stuff - watch RFDTV on Sunday nites at 9:00 EDT. Classic Tractor Calendar - or Classic Tractor Special. Cool as hell, methinks. You ain't felt REAL torque until you've piloted a classic tractor...
If you're involved with this show, you might want to put the actual location of the show somewhere on the site. Or at least somewhere easy to find. Like on the home page! I looked and couldn't find it. I'm thinking it's in Minnesota, only because the right side of that state outline looks like the portion that fits Wisconsin. -Brad
i saw one on the rdftv channel a few weeks ago.some old cat in minnisota i think owned it with dozens of other running tractors........very cool.
I have seen one at a thresher show. Very very cool. I did know a girl from my home town that restored tractors. She was talking about having a car/tractor to restore in her Grandpas machine shed. I should give her a ring and see what it is....
The 1938 Minneapolis-Moline UDLX Comfortractor, also called "Deluxe U," was one of the earliest cab tractors. There was only one production run for these 50 horsepower class UDLXs in which 125 units were made. The rarety and beauty of this great machine combine to make it about a one hundred thousand dollar collector's item. They sold new for $2150.00, about double the price of the standard U. Top speed was 40mph and they came with a spotlight, dash fan, cigarette lighter, radio and heater. It had a foot clutch while other models had hand clutches. It also sports a jump seat. Some states required liscense tags and the tractor came with a tag bracket. Should you be lucky enough to catch the program, you can see a beautifully restored one moving around the yard of Sheldon Knutson, of Goodridge, Mn. RFD channel shows a program called "Machinery of the Past."