Me and a Dream

Majorman · Jan 9, 2023

Way back in the early 1980's I saw a picture of this tractor in the farming press and fell in love straight away, never thought I would ever see one in the flesh. Then a dream came true and I drove my first one in Australia thanks to my good friends in the Tractor Club who arranged for me to visit one. Since then, everu visit has included an 8401 and I even got to meet the designer, senior service manager from Ford Australia and the dealer who sold most of them. Happiness is tractor shaped!!!!!
Me and a dream

r.w.b. · Jan 9, 2023

great to get your dream lived out.
id like to drive both old and newest chaimberlain tractors

560Dennis · Jan 9, 2023

Good for you ! Hip hip hurrah

muleman51 · Jan 9, 2023

It looks like a great tractor , but what is so special about it. Can you give us details, is it just the paint job?

caterpillar guy · Jan 9, 2023

Seems like that much tractor should have the front wheels drive for less wasted power to slippage. I would not want to buy a tractor over 100HP for field work without the front axle driving. And for loader work I would not buy another loader without them driving.

Majorman · Jan 9, 2023

At the time of its conception, the Australian Ford Motor Company did not have a tractor to match the Chamberlain models on offer, so the staff of the sales and service division took parts from existing tractors and built their own.

Basically it is an 8600 engine fitted to a 7600 gearbox and uprated rear axle. The main Ford company was not happy and only allowed it to be built for sale with a de-rated engine. Eventually, the engine and gearbox/rear axle were assembled at South Essex Motors at Dagenham before being shipped to Australia to have the tinwork, fibre-glass bonnet and Gasson cabs fitted.
The tractor was used on trailed implements mostly, in dry conditions, where 4WD was not required. A hydraulic lift was an extra although it had spool valves and a hydraulic pump. It also had a roller draw bar made in Australia.

Once they realised the tractor was successful, Ford and South Essex Motors brought out a tractor based on the same design but made for a wider market. The Ford 7910. I still love the unique shape and colour of this one though.

muleman51 · Jan 9, 2023

Thanks for explaining. Are Chamerlain tractors still made.

Matt in Oz · Jan 10, 2023

Chamberlain was brought out by John Deere and eventually absorbed. They did build different models to imported Deeres for a time with Deere engines. Have driven a couple of them they were basic rugged and tough tractors. Not dissimilar to the 8401 a simple draw bar tractor for wheatland type farming.

Texasmark · Jan 11, 2023

On your comment, in 2009 I bought my first 4wd vehicle....a 65 engine hp, 57 drawbar power tractor. Previously I had sold my 2wd JD 4230 (100 HP...forget what carried that rating), in mid range gearing, but still had the tillage implements. The new tractor ran the same implements in mid range gearing just fine. I was amazed at the difference in pulling power when the front axle is adding rather than subtracting. The only thing I missed was the power downshift where I could hit the shift lever, dropping a gear at the end of a row, make the turn, hit the shift lever and back to the higher gear......that was convenient for my squareish fields layouts.

Me and a Dream

Majorman

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r.w.b.

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560Dennis

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muleman51

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caterpillar guy

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Majorman

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muleman51

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Matt in Oz

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Texasmark

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