It's 1959 (hypothetically)

[NY 986]

Tell me what 40 - 50 PTO HP tractor you would buy and why. Since we are day dreaming on a slow winter day let's make it real interesting and say you just inherited 10,000 dollars back then. What tools would you buy at the same time or what did you wish was on the farm that was not in terms of tools. 1959 was before my time but even as a young kid I had a sense of what dad or gramps would have done if in that position. I'll go first.

Like I said I was not born yet back then and grandpa held the checkbook. Grandpa did not like hand clutches so he would not have gotten a JD or MM. I'm thinking he probably would have gotten an IH 460 diesel because of the TA and fast hitch. He would have gotten a plow, transport disk, and side mount mower for it. Probably would have bought a new grain drill, a couple of forage wagons, and a modern side delivery rake.

If I were around back then I probably would have gone with a JD 630 or an Oliver 770 diesel. Maybe an IH 460 diesel or Ford 960. Similar line of implements as mentioned above.

 

[NY 986]

Oop's. I forgot to mention a loader for my version. Anyways, to reiterate a JD 630 as top choice but if somebody made a real good deal on an Oliver or IH that could influence my choice. Ford 960 while a good tractor would be the dark horse as the Ford dealer would be furthest away. The JD dealer being the closest would figure in the decision.

 

[paul]

Oliver would have been first choice for 3/4 of my family, counting uncles on both sides. Big knot of Oliver fans here back in the day.

The Ford 960 is the first I drove, and I still have it. I?m pretty fond of its features compared to the other tractors around here over the decade or two, and would choose it.

JD seemed to be behind on features until those 3020/ 4020 machines rolled around, I wouldn?t pick the older Green. I understand those are fighting words to some, but just how I see it, solid machines but a decade behind.

Lot of Red machines around the neighborhood from that era, they were good solid machines but not as featured as the Fords and Oliver?s of that era.

Orange and that other Red were not at all popular in my neighborhood so I just don?t know much about them.

Paul

 

[NY 986]

I get what you are saying and there is no right or wrong answer as we all look at things differently. Grandpa bought the Oliver 88 new in 1951 that I have today and would consider an Oliver in 1959. I just think that with IH having a few years under its belt with the TA and the convenience offered with the fast hitch he would have gone with a 460. Yes, the 630 was getting dated but was a pretty good tractor and the nearest JD dealer at that time was maybe 5 miles away with another JD dealer being 7 miles away. If grandpa was in a bad mood over driving to get parts maybe he would have bought a 630 and put dad or my uncle on it.

 

[Bob N.Y.]

My father bought a Massey Ferguson 65 High Arch and a 4 bottom plow in 1960.

 

[Donald Lehman]

Pop bought a S-88 Oliver in 1959. Don't see any reason to not do the same. Would have added a S-99 for the extra power on the forage harvester, too.

Still have the S-88. Nice, simple, reliable tractor from a much simpler time. No electronic junk.

 

[Adirondack case guy]

In 159 My choice would have been a CASE 800B tractor with Case-0-Matic drive, a Case model STA44 trip beam semi-mounted plow (4-14"), A Case SA 13'-6" transport disc. If there was some money left, a Case spring tooth drag, and a Case grain drill, and 4 row corn planter.
I think I have shot my 10K, but would have a great tractor and related equipment to get the crops planted.
Loren

 

[NY 986]

Not the 801B row crop?

 

[Adirondack case guy]

Yes, I guess you and many others; don't understand how a COM tranny worked . The torque converter was driven off the flywheel. It was capable of delivering 3.14 X the torque that the engine could deliver straight off the engine crankshaft and it had a manually controlled hydraulic clutch pack that locked the converter solid between the flywheel and an 8spd. manual tranny when the load was light. The operator could shift between torque converter drive and direct drive when he decided it was necessary, and manually shift the 8spd, to suit conditions.
The auto transmission in your truck has a torque converter powering a modern day auto controlled multiple geared trans. Back then the tractor's performance depended on the operator. Today. computers control all the shifting functions.
Loren

 

[NY 986]

COM not available on the row crop then. But they had COM when the 830's came out (831).

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

I am not a two cylinder fan so for me it would have been an Allis D-17. Also some snap coupler implements like a three bottom plow,disk and 4 row cultivators and maybe a 72 All-crop combine. Tom

 

[Adirondack case guy]

The 100B series Case tractors produced 1958-60 had COM transmissions 400B-^600B and 800B. The odd numbered excluding the 200B,ranging from 300B-500B- 700B-900B all had manual dry clutch tranny. When the 30 series came out, Com was available in 530-830 series tractors.
Loren

 

[rcgrey]

I agree with ACG on the 800b gas or diesel, and yes that tractor was introduced in 1958 and was only 'case-o-matic'.the 700 was the dry clutch version of the same tractor.

 

[rcgrey]

ACG you hit submit the same second I did LOL.

 

[jddrawbar]

I've had at least one 630 since 1968.....they are about as good as it gets. I was raised with the hand clutch, so it's just second nature for me.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

A little over the 50 HP but an Oliver 950.

 

[SVcummins]

John Deere 830 . John Deere 100 tool carrier 666H five bottom pull type plow 95h combine

 

[db4600]

570 Cockshutt. With wheatland fenders. Live power and that Hercules diesel sounds mean pulling the chopper in the low ground.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

AC D17. Power steering, 8 speeds, and a better ride than the WD45.

 

[randyjinla]

That's the year my dad bought a 530 John Deere with all the options, wide front, flat tops, float ride. That was his main tractor for about 8 years. I asked him why he didn't buy a 630 or 730, and he said all his equipment was sized for that size tractor. He could already chop corn with the 530 faster than they could blow it into the silo.

 

[NY 986]

Power Director was offered by that time?

 

[ADB-Ia]

I was only 6 years old in 1959 so I didn't get my '59 bought until 2005. I've always liked the 3 and 4 digit Olivers.

 

[NY 986]

The left hand shift lever a hi-lo? I've seen a number of 770's where I live but none with that lever.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

D14 and D17 arrived in 1957

 

[ADB-Ia]

Yes. Oliver called it a power booster. They were a sprag clutch under drive that gave a 25% (I think) gear reduction and a dry clutch direct drive, very similar to a Farmall TA. Not as reliable as the Hydra Power that came out with the 4 digit tractors and later the 3 speed Hydral Shift which were very dependable.

 

[fordfarming]

Ford 981 diesel select o speed

 

[ss55]

I think $10,000 was a few years pay for most people back then. To be honest, if I had a whopping $10,000 windfall back then, I would buy on indoor toilet, a private phone line, house insulation, better house windows and a decent gas furnace for the house. Then I would blow the rest on a '59 Cadillac Eldorado and either a new black and white TV or a black '59 Chrysler 300. On second thought, make that a new house, the Eldorado and the TV.

 

[NY 986]

Oops. I should have said 961 for 1959.

 

[paul]

Grew up with Oliver 88, Farmall H and 300, Ford 960. The 88 left, got my uncles Super 77.

The Oliver?s were pretty smooth, live pto and 6 speeds. No 3pt I think that came tho by 1959 model years?

The 300 is a good tractor, but the fast hitch sure wasn?t a 3pt and the disc brakes suck, the TA needs rebuilding every now and then.

The Ford 960 has poor brakes, but shines with the 3pt and nimble and power.

Like you say, no right or wrong on this, I agree.

Paul

 

[jon f mn]

You got my list almost exactly. You would have been living large back then with that line up. Dad had about that same line up with a front mount cultivator added in. He traded the 800 on an 830 a couple years later, that's what I learned to drive on.

 

[popper50]

what we did get in 59 was a Case 801b big tractor back then

 

[redih55]

I would like to have an IH 660 or 560. Always liked the style of those tractors.

 

[rusty6]

I believe tractors were getting up near the $100 per horsepower mark by the 1960s so you would have had half your $10,000 left over after buying your favourite tractor. I'd lean towards the Cockshutt 560 or 570 myself. That Perkins diesel powered 560 had a reputation for durability and excellent fuel economy.

 

[fixerupper]

If that $10,000 in 1959 money was put away in a safe place, be it a plain old CD or slow but constant growth muni’s or mutuals, 60 years later it would be a nice little retirement nest egg. Machinery in itself has never been a good growth investment.

I grew up on a 630 dad bought new in 1960. I have spent many thousands of hours on it, it has been a very economical and dependable machine. I still have it and it’s in very good shape but now looking back, in 1959 it was a dinosaur and the 460-560’s were the Cadillac at the time when they were new. I’m not talking about problems later down the road because that wasn’t known in 1959.

Ya I know, I’m grouchy tonight, snowed in in a motel room.

 

[flying belgian]

In 58 we got the 700. Dual-range, gas.

 

[shinnery]

!959 a good year to graduate from high school and join the Navy.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

You are going to get your 10K$ confiscated for not spending as required.Put that in your CD.

 

[KL in Wi]

I would have bought the same thing that my dad bought. An Oliver 880 with wide front, traction hitch and three bottom plow. Still would have had almost $5000.00 to spend on something else.

 

[Ande]

Agree, yes it would be a happier time also.

 

[Ande]

This is the tractor that would suit me fine, yes I already have one, but not with factory cab like this

 

[Den N Ms]

My choice also 1959 801B Case O Matic Great tractor,Cut mt teeth on that one lol Started with a 4-14 pull type Case plow,13.6 transport disc.Later after I rebuilt the engine with bigger bore selves and pistons.Got a 5-16 semi mounted plow and it would walk the dog with it! Great Tractor

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If this is without benefit of hindsight, it would have to be a shiny new Farmall 460. It's a brand new model, and I'd probably be the first one one the block with one.

 

[INCase]

ditto or a case 800 Diesel

 

[INCase]

COM came out with the 1958 Case 800. 2 years before the 731/831s were out.

 

[NY 986]

No hindsight. You are in 1959 and you don't get to see the future as far as flaws with any one tractor. Also, I get that machinery is not the best venue for a dollars and
cents return but this thread is strictly for fun. Further, that 10,000 dollars took a long time to earn but is very much within the realm of possibility as far as a 1959
inheritance goes.

 

[coshoo]

If you'd bought $10,000 in Berkshire Hathaway stock (Warren Buffet's company) in 1959, it would be worth about 250 million today. No wonder he's such a rich old coot. $12 a share then, $300,000 a share today.

 

[Rich'sToys]

As far as hand clutches are concerned, Minneapolis Moline had already gotten away from them by 1959.

I was 10 years old in '59. My Dad had a John Deere A and a MM UB. The Moline was a couple years old when he got it. In '59 there was no money in his budget for a new tractor, so not sure what he would have gotten--perhaps a new John Deere or Farmall.
As for me, that's probably what I would have gotten also.

 

[rrlund]

It'd have to be a 770. Oliver is all we knew back then. For the difference in price,and since it was found money,I'd most likely spring for an 880 though.

 

[JK-NY]

Assuming that I would be shipping milk I would have gone with either a Farmall 560 or Oliver 880 and a new 3x plow. The rest would go to a new pto driven forage chopper and a couple self unloading wagons and hopefully enough left to look into a bulk tank . I think around 1959 or 1960 was when the first bulk milk tank went in and for several years you would get a premium for your milk as opposed to can price. With the no hindsight rule the tractor would probably be a gasser, as gas was still pretty cheap for a few years more back then.

 

[rusty6]

I guess the new 880 Oliver diesel would be $5000 or more, depending on options, by the time it got to the dealer's lot here in Canada. This page from the 1958 price book shows some interesting figures.

 

[NY 986]

WFE or NFE? Gas or diesel?

 

[rusty6]

An actual bill for a new 410 (known as the 400 here) Case in 1959 in Sask. It shows the base price plus what would have been typical optional equipment here in those days. The 400 was a very popular tractor here and was a predecessor to the 730 which would put it into the 50+ hp range.

 

[NY 986]

Always interesting to see actual invoices. I'll have to look up the exchange rate for 1959 to see how it would look here in the US.

 

[K Effective]

Dad got drafted around 1959, so Grandpa was still milking or just got out of it. By 1960, Gramps bought a new JD 1010 with a Green Brothers grape hoe, a five foot KB lift disc, brush chopper, number 9 mower, 2-16 plow, one-row cultivator with side-dress, Skibbe fertilizer spreader, and a rear slip-scoop. But, never made over $10K in any year of his life, so he claimed.

 

[NY 986]

I just looked it up. One Canadian dollar equals 75 US cents.

 

[ss55]

If I read correctly, a diesel engine added about $500 or 13 percent to the list price?

 

[rusty6]

(quoted from post at 17:22:45 02/15/19) I just looked it up. One Canadian dollar equals 75 US cents.

Yes, today, but it was a different story in 1959. I think the Canadian dollar might have been a bit more than the U.S. dollar at that time.

 

[NY 986]

What I looked up was 1959. 1.00 Canadian = .75 US.

 

[rusty6]

(quoted from post at 18:37:50 02/15/19) What I looked up was 1959. 1.00 Canadian = .75 US.

Ok, my mistake thinking backwards. In fact today our Cdn dollar equals .7538 cents U.S. No bargains for us in the U.S. at this point.