THIS week’s tractor – the articulated Ford FW-60 – is an oddity as the chances of an example of it ever working commercially in Ireland are slim to none.
Furthermore, this tractor is somewhat of an impersonator, having started life in a green colour, rather than white and blue.
Back in the mid 70s – where two-wheel drive was the status quo for most tractor manufacturers – farmers and contractors had to look to specialist manufacturers such as County or Muir-Hill for four-wheel drive tractors, mostly in equal wheel format.
Articulated tractors were on the rise in America, and found favour in pockets in Europe, particularly with vast arable estates in the UK.
Massey Ferguson launched their 1200 series artic tractors for the European market in 1972, and the larger 1500, and 1800 tractors a short time later for the North American market.
North America had bought into the idea of high horsepower articulated tractors with John Deere, Steiger and others, heavily invested.
Eager to buy into the market, Ford approached Steiger Tractors of North Dakota to produce their ‘artics’ under the Ford badge and colours, albeit with a few differences – primarily the use of a Cummins engine, with Steiger employing a Caterpillar unit.
The Ford FW range was released in 1977 with the FW-30 marketed in Europe. Interestingly, this is two years prior to the highly successful Ford TW series, which were the first conventional Ford tractors with 4wd as a factory-fitted option.
The FW-60 was launched in 1980. Imposing in stature, it had the power to match with 335hp pumping out from its 14.7 turbocharged Cummins V8 engine.
Technically it was a Steiger Panther III PTA-325 tractor. The tractor had a 5-speed gearbox and a floor-mounted gearstick, with a red handled splitter lever mounted next to a large hand throttle control to the drivers right.
Designed to work hard at high engine revs, the FWs are fitted with a decelerator pedal, similar to a bulldozer.
In 1982, FW tractors were dropped by Ford, with the FW-60 relaunched in 1984 with a Cummins 14l turbocharged and intercooled straight six engine, optional automatic transmission and revamped styling.
These models are easily identified by the white topped bonnet of the tractor.
These tractors were short lived as Steiger were in financial difficulty and ultimately purchased by the Tenneco (Case) group.
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