Ford 861: The claws are comin’ out…

Ford 861 Powermaster FWA listing on TZ

Ford had really done some amazing things with the N-series tractors during the 40s. The success of the 8N in particular was pretty astounding. With over a half-million 8Ns sold, they are the best-selling tractor of all time. Deere, Case IH/New Holland, and AGCO can duke it out for supremacy these days, but Ford owns the best-selling tractor record and they always will.

That said, the fifties brought about quite a bit of innovation in the market, and Ford wasn’t about to get left behind. At the time, everybody was chasing International Harvester and John Deere, as they already had a full model lineup across the horsepower spectrum. Beginning with the NAA/Jubilee in 1953, Ford released several new models and configurations in order to keep up. They were all powered by Ford’s “Red Tiger” engines.

Multiple Masters: The “01” Series

1958 brought about another distinction in Ford’s tractor lineup. The Red Tiger engine family grew to include a larger, more powerful 172ci engine rated at over 41 horse on the drawbar (about a ten-horse bump over the original 134ci mill). It would be used to power the 801/901 model family, where the smaller engine would power the smaller tractors. That power distinction may not seem like much today, but back then, it was the difference between pulling a 2-bottom plow or a 3-bottom. That’s 50% more coverage per pass during spring tillage, which is fairly significant!

Ford felt that the increased capabilities of the bigger-cube tractors was worth some distinction, so they included some visual changes each model family. The small-cube tractors had a red hood and the traditional grill carried over from the previous models. The big-cube tractors have a two-tone red and gray hood and a redesigned front grill (which I think is rather handsome). They also gave each family a name. The smaller tractors were called the Workmasters, and the larger ones Powermasters.

But what if you wanted something a little beefier yet? What if you wanted to let the Red Tigers flex their muscle a little?

Enter ELENCO…the company that let the claws come out.

(Side note: The “01” series is also known for the 1959 release of the Select-O-Speed transmission. However, I think that’s a topic for another day.)

ELENCO

Elwood Engineering Company (ELENCO) was an Illinois company who specialized in building power front drive axles for Ford tractors. It was never a factory option. However you could buy the kit from your local Ford dealer. I’m told that the installation process was fairly labor-intensive. More often than not, I think the dealership mechanics handled the installs, though I’m sure a few brave farmers attempted it as well.

The axles for these little Fords were actually modified units from Dodge Power Wagons. They were driven by a chain-drive transfer case that ran off the pinion shaft. It was a neat little setup, and from what I can tell, it works pretty slick!

ELENCO was around for about thirty years – 1948 through 1978. They sold these conversion kits for a surprisingly large number of models, too. You could get them for anything from a late-production 8N all the way through the some of the industrial models of the late 60s and early 70s!

Were they a success?

Mechanically, I believe they were. A power front axle on a Powermaster was a game-changer, and really increased the tractor’s versatility. It didn’t give the tractor any more power, but it definitely helped the tractor use that power more effectively. They were popular in the Northeast – especially when bolted on to a loader tractor. Out in the Midwest, perhaps not so much.

From a sales perspective, though, I don’t think it was a runaway hit. I’ve never seen a pricelist, but I’ve heard rumors that the kit for a tractor like the Ford 861 was somewhere in the neighborhood of $12-1300 not including labor. That’s a pretty steep pricetag for a tractor that sold for a little over $3000 when it was new!

Still, they’re a neat piece of ag history, and there’s still a few of ’em around. I think a lot of the remaining ones are either in collections or they’re still working on acreages and small farms. We sure don’t see them very often on Tractor Zoom! I’ve seen a few over the past few years, but they aren’t real common. Maybe one or two a year.

Which brings us to this one that you can buy on September 10th!

Erik Myers’ Ford 861

This little guy is part of a pretty substantial Ford collection in Marshall, MI. It’s a 1958 model (diesel) with a 5-speed transmission, live PTO and 3-point (though I don’t see the top link pictured). The tractor was restored at some point, and the motor was overhauled as well. The tach, which I believe has been replaced, reads just over two hours, so I think the motor overhaul was pretty recent. Fresh rubber all the way around, too.

In my opinion, this is a really neat tractor. It presents well enough to put in the collection, or you could pretty easily put it to work and be happy with it, too. You just don’t see these things very often, and when they do, they tend to garner quite a bit of attention. This tractor is no exception there, either. With twelve days left on the auction, the bidding currently sits at $14,000. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if it sails past $20,000 before it’s all said and done, too.

I’ll leave the link to the TZ listing down below. Make it a great day, and if you happen to be the lucky one to bring this tractor home, drop me a line! I’d love to know what you’re going to do with it!

Ford 861 Powermaster FWA listing on TZ