viking Posted October 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 thanks, ill look out for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) several models...... major power major super major super six there was another one made up by Doe's where they bolted 2 majors together..... Edited October 17, 2017 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 my mate has just said that one fordson im looking at looks like an industrial one, is that a good or bad thing or neither here nor there Industrial were mainly for light haulage work and for converting to things like road sweepers or winching tractors. The normally dont have PTO, three point linkage or a belt pulley but instead have improvements for road use like speedo, single brake pedal and improved brakes (i think) under slung exhaust and often came with wheel weights and cabs. Every industrial tractor i have seen was always originally yellow. Ebay prices seem to be quite steep, i would keep an eye on Gumtree or the auctions. There was recently a large vintage auction in cambridgeshire the results for majors are listed here https://machinerysales.cheffins.co.uk/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/131/?page=1&view=list&key=major&sale=undefined&catm=any&order=order_num&xclosed=no&featured=no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-dot Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 That one in the picture has an Italian owner? I have an Italian middle name it is Xpelair.... an extractor fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningDJC Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 The 6cyl majors were all conversions as said to my knowledge and industrial engines. The most desirable major is the blue/grey painted new performance super major from late 63- late 1964. Ive got a dexta amongst a few other fords and its a nice fun tractor for road runs/shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 I've done that I fitted a 140hp ford 360 turbo engine in one. Unfortunately the gearbox input shaft bearings cannot take that amount of torque for very long. I have been told a power major back end can handle around 500hp with little modification as such they are very popular with the tractor pulling boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 remember on the farm ...the land was very stiff with clay....off came the wheels and on went "the spuds"...........fitted with those it would pull anything as longs as it could gets its feet in the ground.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSpredder Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 One of our neighbours traded in his old dark blue Major for a brand new light blue model. Came home on day with 3-f plough on the back and not much weight on the front, saw something lying in the lane and decided to stop and pick it up, pressed down on the clutch pedal and spun sideways into a deep ditch. Anybody who has driven both types will know that Ford re-arranged the controls, so what would have been the clutch on the old tractor was in fact one of the independent brake pedals. No doubt some sanctimonious Mr Clever-Clogs will point out the he should have locked the two pedals together, but when you have been using the independent brakes all day it is easy to forget. And in any case, in the days of non-reversible ploughs you were always using one brake much more than the other, so they very soon became unbalanced even with the pedal lock in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-dot Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 My grandfather had the first Fordson Major in Scotland and the lack of exhaust extention killed him eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 when we were cutting marrowstem kale for the cattle ..our gloves used to get wet and our hands were freezing.....so we used to dry the gloves out holding them on the exhaust....and t5he seat was a hessian sack full of straw............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 I have been told a power major back end can handle around 500hp with little modification as such they are very popular with the tractor pulling boys. Your bang on there they did use them. when we were cutting marrowstem kale for the cattle ..our gloves used to get wet and our hands were freezing.....so we used to dry the gloves out holding them on the exhaust....and t5he seat was a hessian sack full of straw............ That was luxury we just used provin bags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSpredder Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 ..... seat was a hessian sack full of straw............ Ah, those hessian sacks. So many uses for them, not least of which was to wrap around the top strand of barbed wire at crossing points. All our grain went away in hired sacks until around 1958. Railway sacks, West of England Sack Company (were those the ones with the squirrel logo?) and Gopsill Browns (a term still occasionally used for any stout dark trousers – “Is that a new pair of Gopsill Browns you’re wearing?”). I was big enough to work the manual winder and raise the 18 stone sacks of wheat, but thank God I was still too small to carry them on my back like the grown men were doing. Railway sacks were either so tough or else so foul tasting that the rats tended to shun them and go instead for the thinner, more open weave hessian bags. We seemed to spend half the winter using Copydex to patch up damaged sacks; what on earth do folk occupy themselves with nowadays when it's too wet to go on the land? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 I have been told a power major back end can handle around 500hp with little modification as such they are very popular with the tractor pulling boys. You are quite correct the backend as in the diff and reduction gears and halfshafts are very strong. But unfortunately not the gearbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Farmer next to my father used to deal in old tractors fordsons, & dexters, the john deere's with 3 wheels A3's I think. Growing up my favorite on the farm was our orange Nuffield, One of my colleagues tells tales of Buster Barnes place at Gedney Dyke, abit before my time unfortunately as i'd have loved to have a route round that sort of place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Ah, those hessian sacks. So many uses for them, not least of which was to wrap around the top strand of barbed wire at crossing points. All our grain went away in hired sacks until around 1958. Railway sacks, West of England Sack Company (were those the ones with the squirrel logo?) and Gopsill Browns (a term still occasionally used for any stout dark trousers – “Is that a new pair of Gopsill Browns you’re wearing?”). I was big enough to work the manual winder and raise the 18 stone sacks of wheat, but thank God I was still too small to carry them on my back like the grown men were doing. Railway sacks were either so tough or else so foul tasting that the rats tended to shun them and go instead for the thinner, more open weave hessian bags. We seemed to spend half the winter using Copydex to patch up damaged sacks; what on earth do folk occupy themselves with nowadays when it's too wet to go on the land? all that was still happening in 65...66...67....i know i was doing it...we used to wait for the sack lorry...it would turn up then the driver would fit the stretcher hoist...stand up top and i would move the sacks with the sack barrow onto the automatic hoist......................... remember cutting patches for the copedex job...smacking them into position with a wooden mallet........................ im not that old and it was still happening then.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Well Iv only gone and bought myself a tractor. I will save the reveal till it arrives. Should all being well be Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 wanna com fer a roide orn my traaacter............................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSpredder Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 all that was still happening in 65...66...67....i know i was doing it... Gosh, you make it sound as though the inhabitants of Norfolk were slightly backward. Presumably they are not like that nowadays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Thanks for the preview Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Cheers. There goes the Big un vale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) Gosh, you make it sound as though the inhabitants of Norfolk were slightly backward. Presumably they are not like that nowadays? aaaaaaannnd..............we were still threshing ............reaper/binder used to do 40 acres every year .....then stook and stack....threshing in the winter for the straw for thatching.......... Thanks for the preview Lee i know what that is.........put me out of my misery........ Edited October 17, 2017 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 its a pile of scrap is what it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 aaaaaaannnd..............we were still threshing ............reaper/binder used to do 40 acres every year .....then stook and stack....threshing in the winter for the straw for thatching.......... i know what that is.........put me out of my misery........ Nice little Ransome ditchman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Nice little Ransome ditchman. wast it called the ransome merrytiller ...or something like that....aimed at the market gardener ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 Thanks for the preview Lee Ransomes MG5 crawler......... worth a bob or two now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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