Grey Fergie on steroids

CAMS290 · 08-06-2009, 06:23 PM

Just got home from a relaxing weekend at Echuca, while we were up there we took a look at the Historic Steam Festival, plenty of old steam traction engines, old vintage tractors and trucks, but this thing stood out more than anything else I had seen in quite a while.......some people just have too much time on their hands.

Bmobile · 08-06-2009, 06:28 PM

That gives me an idea :evil3:

4Vman · 08-06-2009, 06:29 PM

Gold! love it!

CAMS290 · 08-06-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B mobile

That gives me an idea :evil3:

Do tell !

Joining two XM's together ? lol

Jason[98.EL] · 08-06-2009, 06:34 PM

Cam i have seen that thing working out in the padock

and i have to say even though it only has 18 hp in each of the motors it can pull a 6 mtr air seeder quite comfotable

it has been a few yrs since i saw it though

Jason

CADSKY · 08-06-2009, 06:54 PM

OMFG! WTF is that??

dave351cid · 08-06-2009, 07:04 PM

first one i have seen in australia (well, seen pics of anyway).

i have seen a few pics of these in british tractor restorers magazines.
apparently there was a company in england that used to do this conversion . seen pictures of the old fordsons done the same way.

would be good to see it in the flesh to see how they joined the two tractors together.

4Vman · 08-06-2009, 07:05 PM

Must be fun changing gears.....

Rooster · 08-06-2009, 07:10 PM

the guy that built this also has a grey ferg with a 253 Holden in one. nil restriction on the exhaust and gets up and moves like a demon. Very alien to see the old girl lose traction.

**DJR-351** · 08-06-2009, 07:25 PM

Sorry guys nothing new about these set ups in Aus. I used to drive one of these things on a wheat farm outside of a little town called Kulin in WA back in the early 80s.

The one i drove was made out of two Chamberlain tractors, you could order a turntable kit for them at one stage, but some of the old cockies seen how easy it was to do and did their own.

The one i drove had two of everything in the cab (yes mine was the luxo cab version) the gear shifter for the front tractor was about 5m long and the clutch was hydraulic as was the steering, all operated from the rear tractor, the engines were about 100hp each from memory.

They where a poor mans 4WD tractor, but they where a hell of a lot of fun to drive.

Ghiadude · 08-06-2009, 07:40 PM

That thing would have some serious traction in the mud !

**GasoLane** · 08-06-2009, 07:59 PM

Typical Cockie...too cheap to buy a proper one

dave351cid · 08-06-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Typical Cockie...too cheap to buy a proper one

lol

they had to start somewhere :eclipsee_

that johndeer is just a cheap copy.

:

XD 351 Ute · 08-06-2009, 09:19 PM

I thought these were the original big 4x4 tractor?

http://www.mackagri.com.au/images/tr...ractor_023.jpg

Ed

madmelon · 08-06-2009, 09:21 PM

I bet that engine and gearbox was never designed as a structural member or to be cantilevered like that...

**Burnout** · 08-06-2009, 09:32 PM

Drove similar unit in the 60's Chamberlain Countryman 354's, the only duplicate item on both was the clutch.
I've also seen them in 455 Inters & the Upton, which ran the 35 ton back end out of a Carson Tank.
The Stiger, Versitiles were big units until the 'Big Bud' from Qld in about '75.

Current monsters still look good:

A 600HP Baldwin for example.

Had a TEA20D grey Fergie on the farm, they are a remarkable tractor, with more pulling power than their 20HP rating.

geckoGT · 08-06-2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Typical Cockie...too cheap to buy a proper one

Do you have any idea how much an articulated 4WD tractor is? I remember back in the late 80's our Versatile was in the realm of $200-250k. I would hate to guess how much the old man payed for the new Case or JD he has (both new in the last couple of years).

I would say these things were an invention out of necessity in a time when 4WD tractors were not available. In the early days of 4WD tractors they were prohibitively expensive and only in the very large models. Now they are much more affordable and have filtered down to the smaller sizes.

**ebxr8240** · 08-06-2009, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmelon

I bet that engine and gearbox was never designed as a structural member or to be cantilevered like that...

It will take it.. With a carryall fitted to 3 point linkage with too much weight it would easy lift front wheels ..
Its the turntable that takes the load..
These things where way over engineered..

Jason[98.EL] · 08-06-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmelon

I bet that engine and gearbox was never designed as a structural member or to be cantilevered like that...

on what one the fergie or the last pic that was posted

if you are talking the fergie well yes rhe chassy as such is what the whole tractor was built arount the motor all the rest hangs off the engine and rear diff that are bolted together

most standard tractors are built that way even today

Jason

GUTLES · 08-06-2009, 09:45 PM

Its amazing how many TEA20's are still around, considering there 50-60 years old, people still have them & love them.

If you want to see an impressive Tractor search Youtube for Fendt Trisix..

Jason[98.EL] · 08-06-2009, 09:51 PM

yeh i have one and love it

Jason

mad cow · 08-06-2009, 09:55 PM

i know the guy who built this tractor (lou ianacone) he owns a tractor dealership and wreakers here in echuca and is a huge fergie fan. this is an authentic replica of a tractor that was produced in the uk, (none were sold in oz) but very few were built over there as they were too big for the pommie farms, they would have been a hit here though. the front gearbox is left in a middle gear and all changes are done with the rear tractor. it is truly a work (and working) piece of art. he also has a model in his office of the same tractor. his other toy is the v8 powered fergie and was purchased off a local lockington farmer who used it with the v8 installed on his farm.

it sure was a lot of effort to get 40hp from a tractor......

Terraplainin' · 08-06-2009, 10:02 PM

More info here...

Personally, I think that it's an awesome effort.

fos408 · 09-06-2009, 09:06 AM

Cams 290 you must have too much time on your hands if you attend one of those events (just kidding)

4Vman · 09-06-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

It will take it.. With a carryall fitted to 3 point linkage with too much weight it would easy lift front wheels ..
Its the turntable that takes the load..
These things where way over engineered..

True, the greys aren't great with even a 6' blade on the back, you normally need some weight at the front to stop it mono'ing everywhere.

JG66ME · 09-06-2009, 11:01 AM

These tandem Fergies are popping up all over the world.

The most popular production "Tandem Tractor" was originaly developed by Ernest Doe in England. At that time no one produced a 100hp 4 wheel drive. Doe, a Ford Tractor dealers in Essex, England developed the Doe Dual Drive based on the Fordson Power Major and later the Fordson Super Major.

The front tractor was worked from the rear unit by solonoids and hydraulics.

These tractors where used to pull large 6 furrow moldboard ploughs in heavy wet clay soils.

Today these tractors sell to collectors for 40 to 50 000 GBP (A$85 000 to $105 000)

Here is a Super Major Triple D ploughing at a field day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE6sD...eature=related

deanp100 · 09-06-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burnedout

Drove similar unit in the 60's Chamberlain Countryman 354's, the only duplicate item on both was the clutch.
I've also seen them in 455 Inters & the Upton, which ran the 35 ton back end out of a Carson Tank.
The Stiger, Versitiles were big units until the 'Big Bud' from Qld in about '75.

Current monsters still look good:

A 600HP Baldwin for example.

Had a TEA20D grey Fergie on the farm, they are a remarkable tractor, with more pulling power than their 20HP rating.

Did you take these photos of the Baldwin? Do you know where it was in Qld? Toobeah perhaps?

Road_Warrior · 09-06-2009, 11:54 AM

But unconnected to anything it would need some rather large counterweights on the back to keep the rear on the deck, no?

I drove a CASE somethingorother at a friend's farm in Kukerin recently, with the seeder, but they have 'only' got a 30ft bar to go along with it. A baby compared to that big bastard in Burnedout's photos!

Jason[98.EL] · 09-06-2009, 12:01 PM

i used to make air seeders but nothing like the size you posted above

we had a 6 8 and 10 meter seeder that was the biggest needed in this area

Jason

Spanrz · 09-06-2009, 12:39 PM

I've seen some contraptions in my time.
Seen some old shots of 2 dozers going at it with one operator. Usually 2 dozers side by side, one operator controlling both.
There's a Grader made froman Italian company called ACCO, which is made in the 70's or 80's era. Huge spastic thing...And a dozer too boot. It's hideous and spastic at the same time.

I've seen a picture of a dozer with wheels. It was built from a base of a D6 dozer and they pulled off the tracks and put wheels on it. (50's mentality)

I can go along with Burnedout's comment about the Upton tractor. Jeez, what a piece of tank that is....I seen one a few years ago, 3 or 4 inch chassis rails, holycow...
I remember trying to unload it from a step deck, with a broken clutch (jammed on), no brakes and a stuck throttle on xmas eve....Not a good choice to have on Xmas eve.
It was a tank.