The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

The Petrol Dexta archive is up to nearly 100 tractors from all over the world BUT we are sadly lacking in tractor data from New Zealand and Scandinavia, most of the data is coming from Australia.

Please record and send me any data or pictures of petrols even if you do not own the tractor. I keep no details other than the numbers and the country of origin so there is no fear of owners details getting out.



Here is a picture I received recently that comes from the Turner Manufacturing Archive and shows a petrol Dexta under test. Unfortunately it is the only view of the tractor and does not show a side view which would be extremely interesting. The exhaust pipe is through the bonnet as a diesel would be rather than to the left side as the Standard engine is. Could this be a petrol version of the F3 motor on test? We know that Perkins were working on a petrol version which later came out in the MF 135 in Canada and the US. Could this be one fitted in a Dexta?

If anyone has pictures of an MF 135 with the three cylinder petrol engine please let me have a copy.

If the driver isn't careful he will catch a tree root and bend his plough beam!

"It looks likea normal Dexta to me - the trade plate was issued by Wolverhampton CBC so I suspect it was a demonstration, probably by local dealer Reginald TIldesley of Willenhall! All Perkins P series engines and derivatives had the exhaust manifold on the left hand side of the tractor and the inlet manifold on the right. The Petrol Dexta had a Standard engine with the exhaust on the right side!" A friend of mine said this but doesn't explain not having the inlet manifold

I have never found any reference in researching the Dexta to the use of any other petrol engine other than the Standard one - Ferguson on the other hand did try Perkins P3 diesel and Turner diesel engines before settling on the Standard diesel. Ford had considered the use of the Ford Consul MkII petrol engine but it lacked torque!

This tractor is marked as a prototype on the picture and Turners did a lot of work for Ford. My contact tells me that all the timing gear train on the '000nd series was manufactured by Turner. They seem to be on record as making the petrol conversion for the Dexta so I wonder if they were trying engines other than the Standard, we shall possibly never know but I will keep digging.

Ford used to farm out a lot of parts manufacture to other companies. J.J.Wrights made parts for them, all Cortina, Anglia and Escort front wheel hubs were made by them.

Brian,

Here is a shot from a local machinery auction a couple of years ago.
Are you sure this should be happening?



There are 3 more photos on photobucket if you follow the link.

Apologies to all,
Les

Thanks Les, I knew if anyone had a picture of the MF it would be you. Not sure were that leaves us though, from what you can see of the Dexta it looks possible. Be nice to see if one could fit such a motor in a petrol Dexta, it should line up OK and the starter is on the right side.

Would also be interesting to find out how many of those were made.

Brian.I came across a petrol Dexta recently in Palmerston North NZ when I was picking up 25 lts of 20/50 Morris oil,no 09C90997 a 1 owner tractor non live drive with diff lock avery original tractor.
Cheers Les.

Thanks Les,

I will add it to the list. Bit strange it has not got a live clutch as everyone I have found so far is a live. Dif lock was common after 1962 but became standard on the 1963 New Performance Dextas.

I am getting Dotty and Henrietta ready for the East of England Vintage Show at the Norfolk Show Ground this weekend. There should be at least two petrols there as one of my oldest friends bought one last year. His is a BITSA though as the engine dates from 1962 and the back end from 1964.

Brian.
Forgot to mention their is 1 also in Feilding just outside Palmerston nth which I think is non livedrive also.
Cheers Les.

I believe this is a diesel as the petrol had the location of the exhaust manifold (on the right side of the hood).

No it is not a diesel, it is a petrol Dexta on test according to the paperwork that goes with the picture and was taken at Turners of Wolverhampton test farm.Turners may have been testing a petrolised version of the F3 diesel for Perkins. That could be why the exhaust is on that side. I wish we could find out more. Turners were doing work on the "Red Tiger" program for Ford and it could also be the US petrol engine in a Dexta on test.

Also the picture of the petrol 135 shows the exhaust on that side too. The engine used in that tractor is a petrol Perkins F3 type.

Then maybe you are right brian, has you say need more info on it to be sure..!