Kinze

[55 50 Ron]

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Kinze Innovation Center in Iowa. Very
interesting if you are interested in that kind of place. Some firsts in agricultural
inventions are shown. It's located along I-80 between Des Moines and Iowa City.
a unique display of grain carts as shown in the attached photo.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

I had the tour of the plant and visited the innovation centre in 2019. It was very interesting. We saw the grain cart tower as well as the corn planter monument, I guess that is what you might call it. Well worth the stop .

 

[fastfarmall]

Did you get to see his tractor collection, and he found his dads H Farmall also !!

 

[tomturkey]

Fastfarmall and others, I was fortunate enough to get to visit the Innovation Center and see Mr. Kinze's tractor collection and manufacturing facility. In fact he came out and told us about his planter boxes and the John Deere lawsuit, which he won. I do not know if it is still the case but reservations to have the tour are a year or more out. They were also re-powering tractors for awhile of which he has several models. It was an experience I will not forget. gobble

 

[Bruce from Can.]

We got to see about a dozen of tractors he had re powered or built from various truck parts. One tractor had I believe 3 engines and pulled a massive plough they built as a demonstration for the farm progress show, to tell the mainstream manufacturers that farmers were wanting higher horsepower tractors

 

[Jaden]

For some interesting reading, do a Google search for John Kinzenbaugh.

 

[Rich'sToys]

(quoted from post at 14:46:06 07/31/23) I do not know if it is still the case but reservations to have the tour are a year or more out.

Ron also sent me that picture, plus a couple others. I'm surprised he hasn't been back here to respond, but he told me that the reservations for the tour are now 2-3 years out.

 

[tractorkrum]

I read his book 50 Years of Innovations. Would recommend it to anyone, as it has been such an interesting story.

 

[55 50 Ron]

Here's the Farmall H. It's a 1946 and is on display there. It still had the blocks of wood attached to the clutch pedal so a short-legged boy or girl can reach it. The blocks are visible in this picture. I asked about the tractor collection. It is located at his farm, and he only gives the tour once a year according to what a gift shop employee said. Thanks, Rich for adding more info about the tour. I've been lax with following up.

 

[55 50 Ron]

Here's a special re-power that is on display there. The two axles are from John Deere 5020s. The two engines are V8 Detroits. It was demonstrated at the Century of Progress with a 12 bottom DMI plow which is attached in this display. There are You Tube videos of it plowing and also in the tractor pull at Century of Progress. It's really not correct to call this a re-power because it's special built from the beginning and I think it's the only one of its kind.

 

[55 50 Ron]

I just looked up the book. It's called 50 Years of Disruptive Innovation by Jon E. Kinzenbaw. 309 pages AND quite expensive!!