Tractors in France - identification requested

I went to France recently and saw some interesting tractors, and am
interested to know more about them.</p>


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<img border="0" src="http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/ed13f33c-d70c-4482-97f9-6be91512cd19.jpg" width="360" height="480"></p>


When I first saw this I thought they had cut the crawler in half (lengthwise)
to save space....</p>


<img border="0" src="http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/37b57716-5067-43ab-9b9b-fae329051861.jpg" width="360" height="480"></p>


But when I looked from the other side I realized that is the full width of
the tractor. I've never seen anything that narrow. I wonder if anyone knows what
it is.</p>


<img border="0" src="http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/fc150380-328b-4eb4-929b-e89325afbb6b.jpg" width="640" height="480"></p>


Had an animated conversation with this French farmer chatting about his
tractors. Not sure we understood each other that well, but he enjoyed my
interest in his machines. I had never heard of a Guldner until I saw this one.
Seems to me a German manufacturer of the '50 - '60's</p>


<img border="0" src="http://img.geocaching.com/cache/log/79bc4550-e91b-495a-93df-9187591047e9.jpg" width="640" height="480"></p>


This Someca looked identical to the Fiat 540 we have on our farm. I gather
from the web that it must be the same thing, but I was wondering is the Fiat
based on the Someca, or is it the other way around. I could not find clarity on
the matter. Does anyone know how Someca fits into the Fiat picture? Are they
still manufactured under that name?</p>

Your crawler loks to be a trencher set up for working in confined spaces.

Thats a different one. Don't think I have seen anything tracked that narrow before.

I am pretty sure that the crawler is for working in the vinyards between the rows. Oliver made them in this country, 31 inch on track centers, and New Holland makes them even now.
As to the tractor, I am pretty sure it was made by Fiat for the other company. They made tractors for Oliver for a few years as well as for others. I have a Kubota that looks nearly identical to the one in your picture and I can interchange many of the parts between my Kubota and my Fiat-made Oliver.
Europe is a cool place to look at tractors, thanks for posting the pictures!
Cal

The design is Fiat. What I've always accepted as the truth is that Someca, a French company, manufactured the Someca tractors under licence from Fiat in France. The Fiats outnumbered the Somecas.
I wouldn't be surprised if a number of parts, especially the electrical system, is different between the Fiat and the Someca. Similar to the USA built Farmall C not being fully identical to the French built Farmall C.
Fiats and Somecas were considered cheap tractors in their days. Things have changed drastically however: Fiat now owns Case New Holland.
Hendrik, from The Netherlands.

Laurence, if you will go to http://mototracteurs.forumactif.com/, it will bring up an antique tractor club site in France (Tracteurs et Motoculteurs d"Antan) that will probably be able to ID your crawler. Extremely small, narrow crawlers were/are quite common in their vineyard industry. The crawler in your picture is not a trencher, but is rigged with a "common" type French tool handling system (ala American 3 point).Check the "chenillard" section as that is where crawler info lives. I believe the moderator"s "name" is Chenillard 77. HTH, good luck!

Where would you look for a pink tractor? France of course!!!

The narrow stuff is for vineyards. I'll see what I can find for pics and post them later.

Dave

Thanks for your replies everyone. I'm sure I will get a proper ID via that French site smallercrawler mentioned - they must have specialised in skinny tractors and crawlers for their vineyards. They look so cute!

Here's a bunch to look at. Usually 1 meter wide or less. Some steer normal and some flex in the middle.



http://www.google.de/images?hl=de&amp;q=schmalspurschlepper+bilder&amp;um=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;source=univ&amp;ei=5IwYTMPiFeKTOLC-6cYD&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=image_result_group&amp;ct=title&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CCoQsAQwAA

Thanks to the suggestions here I posted my query about the skinny crawler on the French Tractor forum. All sorts of interesting things transpire such as that they seem to call Crawlers "chenillards" which with Google translate translates to "chaser" - I wonder what is the origin of that nomenclature. One poster thought it was a St Chamond - there are quite a few references to this type of tractor, so it must have been quite a well known make there. Apparently they used to make tanks in WW1.

Here's what one helpful French poster had to say (in French with my Google translation below

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Salut ...... En fait ce chenillard est un RICHARD FRERES C B 30 V (vigneron) avec motorisation BERLIET 4 cy voie 80 cm 2300 kg . Il fonctionne tres bien a l'essance a l'alcool ou au pétrole . Cette serie a été construite a LYON-VAISE entre 1952 et 1954 a 400 exemplaires .A present une ecole primaire est a la place de l'ancienne usine .Certaines machines ont été équipé en bulldozer . Une photos d'un de ses frère doit bien trainer sur le forum
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Hello ...... In fact this is a chase CB RICHARD BROTHERS 30 V (winemaker) with four engines BERLIET cy channel 80 cm 2300 kg. It works very well is of essence has alcohol or oil. This series has been constructed LYON-VAISE between 1952 and 1954 was 400. At present a primary school in place of the old factory. Some machines have been equipped with a bulldozer. A picture of one of his brother has good trainer forum
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Never heard of this either. I fell in love with that skinny crawler!