SPN Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 In the 1980s Fendt revolutionised the tractor scene when they started bringing significant technological advances to the marketplace. The Favorit 600 series was at the cutting edge of tractor technology with the Turbomatik clutch, and the forerunner of the Vario transmission, then called Duospeed. The top model in the range was the 185hp Favorit 615LSA. This was the prime-mover of choice for all big tillage operations, and for those contractors who wanted to be at the cutting edge of technology. Britains released a model of the 615LSA in 1991, and even though it was mounted on a common chassis, and thus was not completely true to scale, it was a very good representation of this top-of-the-range tillage tractor, and it took pride of place as prime-mover on many thousands of carpet farms all over Europe. Weise Toys have released another model of the 615LSA in 2009. This is a precision model with every detail possible - including opening doors and windows. The two models are very different, serve different markets, and are both products of their time. But they both do justice to what was a cutting edge machine, from a technology perspective, in the 1980s. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPN Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 The 600 Series brochure from 1988. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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SPN Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 And now for the models: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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SPN Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 And finally, pics of the 615 with it's smaller brother from the 90s, the Favorit 515C, and with it's spiritual successor, the 818Vario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere-est Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Superb topic. Great covererage of real machine and model alike. A nice read, mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 nice work stan, that new 615 does look good, although the britains version wasn't to far out really, just the cab looks to long, but thats just the britains one part fits 3 models policy of the day sure i have asked this before just cant remember, but why do the euro spec tractors have the opening front windows then?? must have a reason and anyone know when these will be in the uk??? the new weise model that is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Excellant work, nice read and informative about the real thing and the models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJB1 Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 ooooooohhhh a proper tractor, stan ! now this i can enthuse over but sadly it does show just how far out britains were with this model & just like the MF3680 , it would have only taken a small number of tweaks to go from an average model to quite a good one a good one i didn't drive a 615 although i was a 612 pilot for a year , & an occasional 611. used primarily for deep sludge injection , these tractors were well suited for the job , with a good number of gears & a very advanced electro hydraulic system , turbo clutch & power down hydraulics which although not an obvious advantage was nice to have , I had the use of various tanker /injector combinations athough , transport tankers were normally of a 2000gal two axle rear steer design where as the injector tanks were single axle 1500 gal modified with rear huydraulic lift & a 3-5 leg flat lift subsoiler/injector combo. the fent found neither of these tasks too much for it & performed well on hill sides giving a stability that you couldnt get on higher centre of gravity self propelleds a few pics of a few of the fendts My drive a fendt 612 at farm in Tewkesbury, Gloucester it took 4 hours 10 mins drive from Crewkerne in Somerset , then drove a van up & back each day , for a CSG contract injecting sewage 3 of the fleet ,612,612 & 611 on contract to haul milk water waste from staplemead dairy at Frome Somerset the Fendt was the winner on this contract for us because they were fitted with 40K gearboxes , nothing unusual in that now , but back then many contractors were stuck with their 30K fords & masseys, & the JCB fastrac wasn't built then, although we did have a prototype on demo in an orange colour & the 612's saw them off as well aaaarrrrggggghhhh , an injector tank being used for road transport, awfull think to pull we called it the bouncing bomb as it wasn't fitted with a sprung drawbar , in the winter field conditions were a bit messy & when tankers had to be hitched & inhitched for swapping fields , the tankers would slip off their blocks or just sink into the ground , this is where the power down hydraulics came onto its own as unlike most tractors the hitch just rested on the groung & slid on the surface , the fendt would push the hitchcarridge down letting the hook , get in under the drawbar eye last picture of the 611 waiting to tip at chapmanslade frome with a transport tank ready to unload through an umbilicle system not far from where tri's house is ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Now there's a brochure I haven't seen in a while, used to have one of the 600 series Fendts before Mum accidently chucked it out with the rubbish. Great review and a very informative read Stan, definately a model i'd love to add to my collection at some point in the new year. A local potato grower and contractor used to run one alongside smaller 312 and 309 models, very impressive looking machine. From what I remember all three were eventually replaced with John Deeres. Marcus those are absolutely brilliant older photographs, great seeing them in their working clothes and a good read too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eurodeere Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Well done SPN and MJB1 for the pics and description. Does the rear window open fully on the Weise model, ie 90°? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ferguson Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 thanks Stan... most interesting and a great topic mate... Nice to see where vario tranmission originated from (evolved from) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archbarch Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 great write up of a great tractor and model, cant say the Britains one does anything for me. I remember pick up hitches being an extra on Fendts, not sure why front windows open on continental tractors could be ventilation without dust from the implement or just the benefit of listening to the engine. Wonder if Weise will make the equal wheeled Fendt from the 80s cant remember the number? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Wonder if Weise will make the equal wheeled Fendt from the 80s cant remember the number? Would this be the tractor you're thinking of Archbarch? A 626LSA. Yes please Weise. http://www.traktorpool.nl/media/8640/1168640/195215/Fendt-626LSA-195215.jpg?height=300&width=400&quality=80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorbob Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 its a shame britains didnt carry on with the fendt range \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masseyjack590 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 these tractors look good in real life and model form Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1/32collector Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 i have really enjoyed reading this. full of great info and some very nice pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archbarch Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Would this be the tractor you're thinking of Archbarch? A 626LSA. Yes please Weise. http://www.traktorpool.nl/media/8640/1168640/195215/Fendt-626LSA-195215.jpg?height=300&width=400&quality=80 Yes thats the one only ever seen one but 300+hp if i remember right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archbarch Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 its a shame britains didnt carry on with the fendt range \ Im glad they didnt imagine the critism they would get nowadays??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPN Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Would this be the tractor you're thinking of Archbarch? A 626LSA. Yes please Weise. http://www.traktorpool.nl/media/8640/1168640/195215/Fendt-626LSA-195215.jpg?height=300&width=400&quality=80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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