Ferguson Spanner Clones

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

This may be a long post and offend some members but I'm thick skinned so here goes. I am a Ford Tractor man mostly, but like the Fergies too and any old iron for that matter. I have done my homework on history of both Ford and Ferguson, written several articles for various publications on them, tools mostly. History proves that the famous Fergie Spanner, known as the plow wrench, was conceived and designed by Harry Ferguson though he probably got the idea of putting incremental hash marks forged on to indicate inches from a LaCrosse wrench. This tool was issued with the Ferguson-Brown Type A Tractor, of which only between 1200 and 1350 units were ever built. When Henry Ford and harry Ferguson agreed to build the Ford 9N, Harry took the tool to be made and sold by Ford with the Ford part number 9N17014. After the 1946 split, Harry went to England to build the TE20 and the tool took on his 'new' part number, "TO-17014". Now, I have acquired a good collection of these tools, with several odd makes but all have the same dimensions, sizes, and inch marks. I have a few KVERNLANDS; a few VBW with a Staffordshire Knot logo; MHF; an unknown brand, probably UK with a ribbed handle and sizes marked 1-1/16 & 11/16; MANZEL, Ferguson with metric scale on one side and an 'EN' number; the regular FORD & FoMoCo styles, and the regular TO-17014 style. Recently I bought the ribbed type and have seen a model marked SPAREX. My quests to define makers of all the clones out tehre have turned up empty. When I try to get info from Ferguson clubs I get nowhere because, a, many Ferguson guys hate us Ford guys, b, only know the Ferguson story beginning with the TE20, and c, simply don't know of the tool history. I have only met three Ferguson guys who really know most if not all the Ferguson history - George Fields, David Lory, and Gene Kruse. I am once again researching this spanner/wrench and seek data to support the makers of these clone wrences. The VBW tool only turned up the probable maker,Vaughan Bros. Willenhall. Sparex seems easy but when, where, and how was it sold are big unanswered questions. I welcome all positive response and any valid information supplied will certainly be credited. Thanks for your support...

Tim "PloughNman" Daley(MI)
 

[Tony in Mass.]

Could you post a pic or pics of a few of these things? To ...enlighten us? I wouldn't know one if it jumped up and bit me!
 

[2tractors]

Post your question for John UK. He's probably got one in each pocket.
 

[Bob (Aust)]

I don't see how Sparex could ever produce a genuine Ferguson plough spanner?

I thought production of the last genuine Ferguson plough spanners ceased maybe five years ago?



These spanners were embossed "EN19" and sold by MF/Harry Ferguson Ltd as Part No 827436M1.

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20
 

[Graeme(Aust)]

I suspect you may have seen this site:

http://ozwrenches.com/ferguson.htm#21

Graeme
 

[Tim PloughNaman Daley]

Bob-
Yes, that is a later Ferguson tool sold inthe UK and properties and they have 'EN16' 'EN18' and perhaps other numbers forged on. Not sure what the EN stands for. May be the forging company logo. My search at M-F to buy one has been a nowhere street. Sparex evidently sold one as I have one and probably came much later, but this one too is no longer offered.

Tim
 

[Bob (Aust)]

Tim

I think they were briefly offered around 2005, probably only in the UK. They were never available here in Australia however I was able to buy quite a few in the UK before stocks were exhausted.

They are embossed "EN19" and have inches on one side and centimeters on the other side.

I still have a few left in the original packaging.

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20