1960's HUGE Ford Tractor

[Kermit Vetter]

Okay Ford Buffs, Ford built a huge powerful tractor around 1960. It was a tri-cycle type, blue in color with a 6 cyl. diesel eng. (I Think)
I can't recall if it was a 6000 or 9000 but I think it was the most powerful Tri-cycle tractor ever built.
Can anyone enlighten me with info on this tractor?
Kermit

 

[Ultradog MN]

Huge is a relative term. Some of the Steiger built Fords are huge in my book and yet are small compared to some of today's monsters.
It sounds like you're talking about the 6000 series. I think they were all 6 cyl. and often were tricycle models. I think they all had SOS trannys which sullied their reputation. A friend of mine bought one when it was about 5 years old.
Worked the snot out of it.
He still talks about what a great tractor it was and rues the day he sold it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You are likely referring to the Ford "6000". It was available in tricycle, wide front, or short-wheelbase front axle. Gasoline was six cylinder, 223 cubic inch; diesel was a six cylinder 242 cu.in.
"Huge" compared to the rest of the Ford line at the time, although just marginally more powerful than the Fordson Super Major Diesel, which was imported from England and sold by Ford dealers concurrently with the 6000.
It was marketed as a 5-plow tractor in the 65 horse range, which was big of course in the earlyl 60's. But compared to the JD 4010's, Oliver 1800's, etc, it was already trumped on horsepower at its' introduction in April of 1961.
Ford, imo, would have been wise to market this tractor at least a year or two earlier, but it must not have been ready for introduction. As remarked, the selecto-o-speed power shift that was standard in this tractor had its share of problems, especially in the early years, hurting the reputation. Ford might have done better if they had offered a more basic, conventional transmission as standard, or at least an option.
I had one of these about thirty years ago, that I bought well-used. It had lots of guts, and a tough diesel engine.
They were built up until 1967 I believe; then the 5000 was increased in horsepower about 1968 or 69 to cover that horsepower area.
The new Ford 8000, introduced in late winter 1968, was a much more successful tractor. At 105 horsepower, and a 401 six cylinder diesel, and 4 x 2 tranny, it gave Ford a very competitive tractor in the 100 HP class.

 

[souNdguy]

Makes you wonder why they built a tractor so 'close' in specs to the 5000.

soundguy

 

[Anonymous-0]

I've never thought of a 6000 as 'huge'... I'm guessing you're thinking of the 9000, or it's replacement, the 9600. Both were available with a narrow front, although I've only seen wide fronts, both long and short wheelbase. Both used a turbo 401 6-cylinder, and came standard with 38" tires. 9000 was rated 131 PTO h.p., 9600 was 135. Roughly 6' tall at the hood.
Sounder - the 6000 preceded the 5000 (except for the Super Major 5000). Early 5000's with the 233 engine were 10 h.p. and something like 2000# less tractor than the 6000. Later 5000's with the 256 were a close match in power.

 

[DaveH IA]

this one is a 63 the first ones were red and gray" They looked huge to a 12 year old like myself

 

[souNdguy]

How early did they start making the 6000? Not before 65 right?

soundguy

 

[Anonymous-0]

I always liked the styling of the 6000, and wondered why Ford didn't adapt it to other models like the four-cylinder 4000, etc. Maybe the problems the early models encountered had something to do with it.
Also, Ford brought out its' new world-wide line in 1965, I believe. Pretty-much totally new engines, sheet metal, and overall design...the new blue 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000's. 8000 added in 1968, and the 80 horse 7000 in about 1971 I think. Maybe they didn't think it worthwhile to re-style the other existing tractors, whose styling dated back to the 600-700-800 and 900 series of 1954-55.
I have only seen two of the original red and grey 6000's. Many apparently were repainted to the blue and grey color of the later ones.
As someone here mentioned, the first blue 5000 with the 233 engine was around 55 hp I believe, maybe slightly higher. I have a row-crop 5000 gas like that, a good tractor.
The later 5000's went to the 256 cu.in. engine, and power went up to around 67hp or so.

 

[Anonymous-0]

REd and grey 6000's were made in '61 and part of '62, Blue and grey were mid-'62 through '67.

 

[jbirnsch]

My dad couldn't have been happier when he traded in his 6000 for the 8700. The 6000 gave him nothing but problems. Rear end, PTO, tranny, and finally the engine.

Jason

 

[souNdguy]

Ahh.. that clears it up.

soundguy

 

[ZANE]

The first 6000 we sold at our Ford dealership in Talladega was in about 1962. It was red and grey. It would pull the heck out of a five bottom 16" turning plow in fifth or sixth gear with the front wheels touching the ground only once in a while. Fastest I ever saw an acre of ground turned back then. Had to be a shear bolt plow or it would break something when it hit a stump or rock etc.

Thrilling!

Zane

 

[tbzep]

9600 was 135. Roughly 6' tall at the hood.

My brother farmed with his father in law when I was a kid. They had a couple of cabbed 9600's with duals. As a kid, I thought these were monsters! The looked physically about the same as the IH cabbed dualies that roamed the local country side. There weren't any JD's around at the time, but later on, I started seeing them and some big 8 wheeled Cases once we got 20 or 30 miles from home...they really were monsters!

After all this rambling, the short version is "huge" from a kid's point of view could be anything bigger than an 8N (that's what we had), and it was a monster compared to our Farmall Cub.

 

[Julian H]

Were the blue and beige Super Major 5000s painted the same color as the Ford 6000? I am trying to determine the proper paint for a Super Major 5000 and not having much luck. Is the Blue of the Ford 6000 different from the World Series blue that started in 1965?
Thanks, JH