{"id":2708,"date":"2006-10-04T02:06:00","date_gmt":"2006-10-04T06:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kitfoster.com\/carport\/2006\/10\/model-t-of-tractors\/"},"modified":"2010-12-30T12:02:03","modified_gmt":"2010-12-30T17:02:03","slug":"model-t-of-tractors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.kitfoster.com\/carport\/2006\/10\/model-t-of-tractors\/","title":{"rendered":"The Model T of Tractors"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fordsons<\/a><\/p>\n

Henry Ford’s interest in self-propelled vehicles was partially born of his dislike for farm work. It’s no surprise, then, that after putting America on wheels with an inexpensive passenger car, the Model T Ford<\/a>, he started to build tractors. In 1917, with his son Edsel he founded a new company, Henry Ford & Son, which produced its first gasoline-powered tractor toward the end of the year. The name “Fordson<\/a>” was chosen for the new machine because another party was already building Ford tractors in Minnesota. Ford knew there would be a ready market for his tractor as several aftermarket entrepreneurs were already selling conversion kits<\/a> for Model Ts.<\/p>\n

The Fordson Model F<\/a> followed Model T practice in having an L-head four-cylinder engine<\/a>, at 251 cubic inches about 40 percent larger than the T powerplant. It used thermosyphon cooling, a gravity feed fuel tank located over the engine, a low-tension flywheel-mounted magneto with trembler coils, the latter mounted in a box<\/a> on the left side of the engine. It was the first tractor to use engine and transmission castings<\/a> as the vehicle’s chassis. The Fordson departed from Model T practice, though, in having a sliding gear transmission with a multiplate clutch rather than a planetary drive train. Initially there were no brakes, but in 1923 a transmission-mounted multiplate brake was added. A high-tension magneto<\/a> was a popular aftermarket accessory, as was a water pump. Fordsons were manufactured at Dearborn and later at the River Rouge plant until 1928.<\/p>\n

Ironically, the Fordson had a longer life abroad. Manufacture was initiated at Cork, Ireland, in 1919, and continued until 1932, at which time Ford’s new English plant at Dagenham, Essex, took over. A new model, the N<\/a>, was introduced in 1928, with a larger bore engine, high-tension magneto, water pump and axle brakes. This continued in production until the end of World War II.<\/p>\n

Whereas in America Ford tractors had experienced a hiatus from for more than ten years until the all-new 9N Ford tractor<\/a> was introduced in 1939, in Britain there was no letup. At war’s end, further updates were introduced on the E27N Fordson Major<\/a>, still very much a Fordson<\/a> but with a higher stance, single-plate oil-filled clutch, optional electric starting and lighting, and hydraulic drawbar. A six-cylinder Perkins diesel engine<\/a> became available<\/a> in 1948. The E27N remained in production until replaced by the E1A New Fordson Major<\/a> in 1952. Thus the Model T of tractors, which had lasted barely a decade in the United States, managed a 33-year run abroad.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Henry Ford’s interest in self-propelled vehicles was partially born of his dislike for farm work. It’s no surprise, then, that after putting America on wheels with an inexpensive passenger car, the Model T Ford, he started to build tractors. In 1917, with his son Edsel he founded a new company, Henry Ford & Son, which….<\/span>
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