Fordsons were cheap, light, and you could get parts at your local Ford dealer, which, during the heyday of the Model T, were on every corner. It was a VERY basic machine, not even a governor or belt pulley were included in the purchase price which dropped to below 300.oo in the early 1920's. as Henry tried to bankrupt his competitors (many were). A lot of people got rich supplying accessories to the Fordson tractor owner to bring their tractors up to par with the other makes, just like they did with the bare-bones Model T Ford cars and trucks.
The 10-20 was a far better tractor for a bit more money. A PTO, belt pulley, governor and even a hood with louvered side panels came with every tractor and it could handily out perform the Fordson as well. It was more comfortable to operate (a platform to put your feet on and full-length fenders-ALSO STANDARD EQUIPMENT, no less!) and that smooth-running OHV, roller main bearing 4 cylinder engine was an easy starting (hand crank for both tractors) powerplant- unlike that Ford flathead...
If your nearest crossroads had a Ford dealership, there probably was a IHC dealer not too far away that stocked parts and probably knew more about their tractors than the Ford dealer, who was required by Ford to order and sell a certain number of Fordsons per month whether he wanted to or not!
I've owned both, and still have a few Fordsons. They are cantankerous machines, difficult to start, run way-too-hot and when in motion they howl like a sickly banshee from that worm drive rear axle. The ground speeds range from Too Slow to Too Fast and the feedback through the steering wheel quickly teaches you not to wrap your thumbs around the rim where a spoke can find it. I imagine more than a few new Fordson owners felt sorry for trading in a team of horses for this tractor after laying over one furrow. My dad grew up with both horses and a Fordson, but only his remembrances of their horses could be posted un-edited here!
The 10-20 is a more civilized tractor that starts easily and runs well, but like the Fordson, it seems a bit too fast (on steel wheels) to a modern derrire.
Get a Fordson first, then you'll REALLY be happy with a IHC. Its a far better tractor. That said, I really like the Fordsons best because they are so primitive, so basic and so historically significant. It was the first mass-produced light tractor that really sold well, and the first tractor on many farms from the late teens through the Roaring Twenties, despite Henry's penny-pinching efforts which should have made it a resounding dud.
And I didnt even mention its unfortunate habit of doing back-flips!
Upload one or more videos to your post. Photo and video filesizes should be less than 5MB. Formats allowed are gif, jpg, png, ogg, mp4, mov, and avi. Be sure to use filenames without spaces or special characters, and filetypes of 3 digits lower case.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Good As New - by Bill Goodwin. In the summer of 1995, my father, Russ Goodwin, and I acquired the 1945 Farmall B that my grandfather used as an overseer on a farm in Waynesboro, Georgia. After my grandfather’s death in 1955, J.P. Rollins, son of the landowner, used the tractor. In the winter 1985, while in his possession the engine block cracked and was unrepairable. He had told my father
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
2022 John Deere 5045E, 4wd, front end loader and 3rd function with grapple. 120 hrs, 55k new, must sell
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
