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4 WD GREY FERGUSON (PETROL)


BC

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I was at the Mearns Vintage Vehicle rally near Edzell airbase in Scotland with my Farmall Cub at the week end and picked up first in the petrol parafinn class winning a cup and a shield. In second place was a 4 wd Grey Fergie with a petrol engine. I've never seen or heard of this type and didn't manage tyo speak to the owner since it departed from the rows shortly after the rossettes were issued. Any know about these??? I assume it was a conversion????

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These 4wd conversion units were fitted to th T20 and also earlier Dexta tractors in the mid to late 1950's using an American Willies Jeep axle and propshaft that were Army surplus from the Second World War.

The gearbox drive was made in Trento, Italy. This tranfer box was 'sandwiched' between the bell-housing and tractor gearbox and gave drive to the front axle by means of a lever that basically, when moved, engaged a gear on the end of the propshaft/splitter box to another gear on the main shaft.

That's as much as I know about it but I am sure others on the Forum will be able to offer more details.

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There's a chap near Builth wells in Powys, a Mr Morris I think, who makes these conversions . He does Grey Fergies , 35's and mostly Dexta's He uses a fabricated spacer and transfer box of his own design and a modified landrover front axle, I believe there was an article in "Tractor and Machinery" a while back about him . The intention was originally to give a small tractor extra grip for match ploughing.

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Thanks for thr details chaps. I'm going to the Scone Palace vintage rally at Perth on Sunday so I hope it may be there and be able to speak with the owner. I discovered last night he hadn't disappeared at the show but he was invited to put it on display on the Ferguson Club stand after the judging had been done.

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I was at the Mearns Vintage Vehicle rally near Edzell airbase in Scotland with my Farmall Cub at the week end and picked up first in the petrol parafinn class winning a cup and a shield. In second place was a 4 wd Grey Fergie with a petrol engine. I've never seen or heard of this type and didn't manage tyo speak to the owner since it departed from the rows shortly after the rossettes were issued. Any know about these??? I assume it was a conversion????

Have you asked the organisers if they can put you in touch? Give them your contact details to pass on.  They must have details of the entries

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Have you asked the organisers if they can put you in touch? Give them your contact details to pass on.  They must have details of the entries

I don't know the owner personally but I know someone from Fife who does so I should see him on Sunday. I will try from there to find out more about this cunning beast. Normally I associate those grey fergies as being drab and boring in terms of looks ( not workability ) however this one had a bit of style and meat about it.

PS I did once own a Grey Fergie diesel myself but sold it since I no longer had anywhere to work it and I wasn't keen on restoring it to a high level for showing purposes. I sold that one some 11 years ago for ? 800 including a mill loader. it was sold three years ago after the new owner died and the loader made ? 180 and the tractor made ? 2,600. All the man did in those 10 years was to remove the loader and put brand new Goodyear tyres on all round. I think ? 2,600 was a bit over the top for it but thats how it goes at auctions at times.

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I don't know the owner personally but I know someone from Fife who does so I should see him on Sunday. I will try from there to find out more about this cunning beast. Normally I associate those grey fergies as being drab and boring in terms of looks ( not workability ) however this one had a bit of style and meat about it.

PS I did once own a Grey Fergie diesel myself but sold it since I no longer had anywhere to work it and I wasn't keen on restoring it to a high level for showing purposes. I sold that one some 11 years ago for ? 800 including a mill loader. it was sold three years ago after the new owner died and the loader made ? 180 and the tractor made ? 2,600. All the man did in those 10 years was to remove the loader and put brand new Goodyear tyres on all round. I think ? 2,600 was a bit over the top for it but thats how it goes at auctions at times.

An old JD was going to be scrapped as the engine was shot and the gearbox falling apart.  The farm manager asked a local dealer for another small, old tractor to replace it and was told that he would be unable to buy another of the same age for less than ?8000 as the "yuppies" with their 25 acres had bought them all.  We checked on the internet and found it was true so the 25+ year old was complety overhauled for under ?2000 and is still working. (This was about 7 years ago)

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