Prototype ? Fordson

WIZZO · Feb 1, 2015

Amongst the Tildesley archives are some photos of this unusual Fordson. Ford discontinued building the Model F in America and established a new factory in Cork Ireland to build the improved Model N in 1932. These were the dark blue coloured ones with shorter "normal" wide fenders and the water-washer air cleaner with the inlet on the long steering column.

This tractor appears to be on trial somewhere in England, the rear end and fenders are Model F with the high forward seating position. But the engine has the water-washer air cleaner body which was introduced in the Model N in 1932. Note the rear wheel extensions.

There are no Fordson names cast onto the radiator sides nor on the header tank. The driver is wearing a clean white cover-all coat - is he a Ford employee? When I showed these photos back in 1984 when the book was published, none of the British Fordson historians could explain exactly what it is.

Bob Bancroft · Feb 1, 2015

So many ideas become "new" again. I'm tickled when I see steel wheels "dualed" up. In my youth, on the farm, in the 60's, there was no such thing. Sure could have used them, chewing along on freshly plowed ground. First duals here were in the 70's, with the first diesel tractor.

It seems to me that many, if not most of working ground in the UK pictures show it sticky. There are times here when that will work, but not often. Concrete is the result. I fitted damp ground once, at an angle. You could see the heavy single wheel tracks of the tractor in the corn all year.

Super Trucker · Feb 1, 2015

Where are you finding all the Fordson pics? I find them pretty
interesting . If there in a book what is the name and author so i
can find one. I have a 38 All Around row crop and would like
more info on it. In my club we have a big following of Fordson
tractor, 7 row crops and a prototype row crop E27n .

JD Seller · Feb 1, 2015

I like how most of the fellows in these pictures are all wearing ties and dress cloths.

I have a one suit and two ties. They are worn to Church, Funerals, and weddings. That is about it.

As for the Fordsons. There where not as many sold around here. Really until the late 1930s and WWII most of the work around here was still done with horses. The cost of the tractors of that vintage kept them form being used widely around here.

Bob Bancroft · Feb 1, 2015

Thanks to the person my father married, I have none of my childhood, nor family history pictures- except the one my aunt gave me. It's my grandfather standing between two draft horses. He's turned, looking, and probably talking to one of them. I think they may be his last team. He and grandmother bred, raised, broke, and trained horses, along with all the other normal farm chores(so I'm told). I'm also told they came back out of semi-retirement for WWII. I don't know what the tractor was at the time. The progression was something like- "Waterloo Boy", D, A, AR, etc. I guess the war was my grandfather's excuse to get the horses back out. Then Dad could have the tractors all to himself! Which made them both happy!

WIZZO · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 06:44:58 02/01/15) Where are you finding all the Fordson pics? I find them pretty
interesting . If there in a book what is the name and author so i
can find one. I have a 38 All Around row crop and would like
more info on it. In my club we have a big following of Fordson
tractor, 7 row crops and a prototype row crop E27n .

The book was published in 1984 and sold out its print run. Occasionally they come up on eBay at $15-20 + postage.

Tildesleys operated from 1913 to 1982 when they went bust. The family donated the company records to me, about 100 professional 8x6 inch photographs survived. And I have their sales records for 1913 to 1947 of every new & secondhand tractor, truck, van & car they sold.

The All-Around or Row Crop model N's were scarce in Britain, not as good as the excellent US built Farmalls, Case & JD that were imported during WW2 under Lease-Lend.

If you post the engine number off your All-Around & your prototype E27N - I can date their production quite accurately from my records & official Ford records.

Leroy · Feb 1, 2015

Supprise with the farms being bigger out there than here in Ohio. There were a lot of Fordsons, IHC 10-20 and Farmall F-12 here before Deere came out with the GP and by the end of the 30's very few depended on horses for tillage power,planting, cultivating and hay making yes as the Fordson and 10-20 were not a handy tractor for those jobs. First tractor on this farm (66 acres including woods) was a 1926 Fordson, Grandpa on mom' side a Moline Universal, This was in the 20's, next door neighbor was a 1919 Happy Farmer, probably bought new.

Bryce Frazier · Feb 1, 2015

That was back when women used to wear a dress everyday of the week too!

Wish girls my generation did that, or at least tried to dress a little better!

Super Trucker · Feb 1, 2015

Where are you finding all the Fordson pics? I find them pretty
interesting . If there in a book what is the name and author so i
can find one. I have a 38 All Around row crop and would like
more info on it. In my club we have a big following of Fordson
tractor, 7 row crops and a prototype row crop E27n .

sourgum · Feb 1, 2015

That fellow is dressed like a factory technician not a farmer. They may be testing that tractor's design on factory grounds and not really worried about if the soil is too wet for tillage or crop production. The first tractor used on our farm was a regular Fordson. It was a loaner. We think this was late 20's or 1930. Because of the Depression no one on the farm had any money from 1931-34 and they went back to using horses until 1935-36 when times were such grandpa could afford to buy s new tractor. By then Grandpa decided to go with a brand of tractor other than Fordson.

Super Trucker · Feb 1, 2015

I will get the number off my block and let you know. We figure
there were about 100 or so row crops delivered to this area.
Tons of short ones we even have a 1918 in the club.

oj · Feb 1, 2015

Wizzo, are you Allan or David?? I have one Allan's
book on Nuffields...

J. Schwiebert · Feb 1, 2015

I need more details on the Nuffield book. Is it still in print?Do you have a federal number? Thanks J.

WIZZO · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:35:38 02/01/15) I need more details on the Nuffield book. Is it still in print?Do you have a federal number? Thanks J.

http://www.classictractors.co.uk/shop/asp/default.asp

Steven Moate is a real nice guy who runs this tractor & farming life bookshop in Yorkshire. He bought the rights off Alan Condie for his ATC tractor books, Steven has had some re-printed. Look in the search section on his website under NUFFIELD to see which books are available.

Antony Clare has written two excellent books on Nuffield tractors, and Tony Thomas who was sales manager with Nuffield & Leyland tractors - written a great book

All available through AMAZON

WIZZO · Feb 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:44:46 02/01/15) Wizzo, are you Allan or David?? I have one Allan's
book on Nuffields...

I am David M Bate.

Allan Condie was an early writer & publisher of old tractor books with some knowledge of Fordsons.

Shall we just say that after he published MY book and took half the credits and most of the profit - we have not spoken since 1985! :x

Prototype ? Fordson

WIZZO

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