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Vintage Tractors: Birth of the Hot Rod?

Discussion in 'The Antiquated' started by Jive-Bomber, Dec 6, 2010.

  1. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,753

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

  2. hugh m
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 2,143

    hugh m
    Member
    from ct.

    There were several companys making kits to convert early Fords, I had one a while ago. They were even available from Sears and Roebuck. Others converted Fords in their own factorys, for instance the Worthington Company, had one of those in the shed too. Can't find the photos...neat post.
     
  3. farmergal
    Joined: Nov 28, 2010
    Posts: 2,074

    farmergal
    Member
    from somewhere

    Farmall front grills and other antique tractor parts are very popular with hot rodders and rat rods today. My recent antique tractor restoration project is what started by obsession with old things.

    Here are some photos 58917_811336557961_9033825_46394755_7982797_n.jpg
     
  4. retro54
    Joined: Apr 1, 2004
    Posts: 735

    retro54
    Member
    from PA

    The Minneapolis Moline Model U-Delux always comes to mind as a "Custom" although it was a factory Model/Option.

    [​IMG]
     

  5. Retro Jim
    Joined: May 27, 2007
    Posts: 3,854

    Retro Jim
    Member

    You should see the HUGE steam tractors ! Now they will get your wheels turning !

    Well remember the horse was the birth of the tractor pulls of today ! They still have special horses and big events for horse pulling ! That is something to see if you have never seen them before .

    Retro Jim
     
  6. Retro Jim
    Joined: May 27, 2007
    Posts: 3,854

    Retro Jim
    Member


    That's a beauty !
    That almost looks like a modern day tractor puller !

    I quess if you owned one of those , you were one happy farmer and wealthy too !

    Retro Jim
     
  7. BeatnikPirate
    Joined: May 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,416

    BeatnikPirate
    Member
    from Media, Pa.

    Seen recently in Pennsylvania.
     

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  8. POLYFRIED 35
    Joined: Sep 1, 2010
    Posts: 886

    POLYFRIED 35
    Member


    Awesome!
     
  9. retro54
    Joined: Apr 1, 2004
    Posts: 735

    retro54
    Member
    from PA

    Jive-Bomb... you're right.. so many others comming to my mind.. tractors had some fun too and certainly the early ones have much in common with other neccessity driven designs of the time in the automotive world..

    SILVER KING

    [​IMG]

    Oliver Orchard Model

    [​IMG]

    Cockshutt (same as Black Hawk or Co-Op)

    [​IMG]

    and I bet you didn't know that 'ol Porche made tractors too!

    [​IMG]
     
  10. refried confusion
    Joined: Nov 14, 2010
    Posts: 277

    refried confusion
    Member

    ____________g]
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2012
  11. retro54
    Joined: Apr 1, 2004
    Posts: 735

    retro54
    Member
    from PA


    Jim, the U-DLX was marketed as a tractor you could use through the week, and then drive to the store or Church on the weekend... it has two apolstered seats and one jump seat if memory serves me correct... it also had a road -gear to cruise to towm at highway speeds... pretty neat.. but alas.. also pretty rare!
     
  12. Lamborghini started out making tractors as well

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Doodlrodz
    Joined: Feb 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,439

    Doodlrodz
    Member Emeritus

    Here's a Worthington I had.
     

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  14. farmergal
    Joined: Nov 28, 2010
    Posts: 2,074

    farmergal
    Member
    from somewhere

    the big thing in our area at the county fairs is the antique tractor pulls, horse pulls, and oxen pulls. Quite a few of my friends have pulling ponies and oxen.
     
  15. refried confusion
    Joined: Nov 14, 2010
    Posts: 277

    refried confusion
    Member

    Blowing off some steam at the end of the day
    [​IMG]
     
  16. nummie
    Joined: Jul 7, 2010
    Posts: 214

    nummie
    Member

    that minnie mo delux was intended to be used as transport into town along with being a real tractor. had seating for two. it was one of the first tractors to have a "road gear". The tractors with the huge fairings that look like customs are orchard tractors. the fairings keep the produce out from the crushing tires. they are gorgeous, and to see them with straight sheet metal is quite rare.
     
  17. AZAV8
    Joined: May 3, 2005
    Posts: 997

    AZAV8
    Member
    from Tucson, AZ

    hugh m,
    That's what I understood as well. Lots of farmers were dirt poor and Model T's were cheap. These kits were a cheap way to get a useable tractor. You couldn't plow 36" deep but you could plow the ground faster than with a team of mules. American innovation at work again. I've seen pictures of the kit-converted T's, I just don't have any on the computer.
     
  18. KCTA Chris
    Joined: Jan 16, 2002
    Posts: 436

    KCTA Chris
    Member

    Surprised there's not more replies on the flathead conversions that were so popular.
    Here's a new guy making a 8N to Flatty kit: http://awesomehenry.com

    I guess that's like having A-V8 in their world.
     
  19. Brandy
    Joined: Dec 23, 2004
    Posts: 5,286

    Brandy
    Member
    from Texas

    Farmers like hotrodders had/have a necessity to produce more horsepower, modify bodies, redesign and reanimate....

    This is fun, can't wait until I get to my lap top and off my phone!
     
  20. Brandy
    Joined: Dec 23, 2004
    Posts: 5,286

    Brandy
    Member
    from Texas

    Funk kits, I've got loads of pics when I get home
     
  21. henrys_way
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 219

    henrys_way
    Member
    from Maine


    That was a real conversion you could do back in the day to the Ford 8N Tractor, if you wanted some more power...now thats true Hot Rodding!
     
  22. eddie1
    Joined: Jul 27, 2006
    Posts: 568

    eddie1
    Member

    Zombie did some art work of hot rod/tractor cross that was in his magazine a while back. Is not tradition but is along the same thought lines. Here is the only online image I could find.
    [​IMG]
     
  23. hugh m
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 2,143

    hugh m
    Member
    from ct.

    That's a striking rendering...
     
  24. burnt clutch
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 29

    burnt clutch
    Member

    Here's a Model T conversion that I shot earlier at Mark's. Sorry about the sizing:eek:.
    -Karl

    [​IMG]
     
  25. Wildcycles
    Joined: Sep 17, 2007
    Posts: 335

    Wildcycles
    Member

    Tractors like early hotrods, were purpose-built machines, so not too much in the way of unnecessary components on them. As with automobiles, as more manufacturers entered the market, they added unique styling to set the brands apart which made for some interesting designs.
     
  26. 1LIFE2LIVE
    Joined: Oct 20, 2006
    Posts: 421

    1LIFE2LIVE
    Member

    The john deere A.O.S. It was an orchard tractor with a very sought after grill shell. They are impossible to find and very cool looking Charles Freitag a famous painter known for farming paintings did a rendering of this tractor racing on an old board track.
     

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  27. xderelict
    Joined: Jul 30, 2006
    Posts: 2,475

    xderelict
    Member Emeritus

    Hot rod? They run the quarter in around a half hour.:)
     
  28. HOLLYWOOD GRAHAM
    Joined: Apr 11, 2007
    Posts: 1,437

    HOLLYWOOD GRAHAM
    Member
    from Ojai,Ca

    It was for Farmer Brown and Mrs. B so they could go to church in.
     
  29. HOLLYWOOD GRAHAM
    Joined: Apr 11, 2007
    Posts: 1,437

    HOLLYWOOD GRAHAM
    Member
    from Ojai,Ca

    Look at the small garden tractors and mowers that guys are hot rodding.
     
  30. shmoozo
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 671

    shmoozo
    Member
    from Media, PA

    What's up with the weird rear wheels on that Fageol tractor? Does anybody know what that was about?

    By the way, I have a folder full of images of old tractors I have found online. Tractors from just before and just after WWII are often beautifully styled and many of them have grill shells that would look perfectly at home on a hot rod built from a 1930's vintage automobile.

    I'll post a few others from my collection that I think might have grills that could look good on a hot rod.

    (Others here are, of course, free to disagree with my highly questionable taste in this matter.)

    :cool:
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Dec 6, 2010

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