Choosing and finding a Fordson Major

[outwest]

Not a Major, but would do all you want and not far away.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255675281874 ... name=11021

Thank you! No, not a Major, but kind of an honorary successor?
Looks like an honest machine doesn't it.
Bit more than I'd want to spend - can't see my dilapidated old Defender fetching 7k.
But geographically close...

Added - another Ford 3000, also close, but a lot less - presumably due to lack of cab, higher hours, and provenance not as good...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 271527141/

Dan

[Hair Bear]

The 3000 is the successor to the Super Dexta. 3cyl engine, 4x2 transmission, live drive pto, position and draft control hydraulics, top link sensing, etc.
The other one you show there is on turf tyres, good for low ground pressure, not so good for hauling. The rear wheel rims look to be much later than the tractor. The correct wheels would have the rim bolts equally spaced, not paired as these are.
Looks ok though.

[outwest]

The 3000 is the successor to the Super Dexta.

I have a mental image of the Super Dexta being the rough equivalent of an MF35, so the 3000 would be a kind of MF135.
And the successor to the Major might be a 4000, equivalent to an MF165 I suppose...

Dan

[Billy26F5]

I think the Dexta is the MF35 equivalent and the Super Dexta the MF35x. The 4000 is supposed to be the successor of the earlier Major's, the 5000 was intended as the successor of the Super Major, but Brian had other thoughts, you can read them in the stories section (brilliant stuff by the way).
There are definitely many things wrong with that Super Major (which does seem to be a 63), but I think it's well worth having a belt pulley (see this to see what is possible with it: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8126), I wouldn't say no to Major front wheels either if you need to carry a heavy load as they're heavier than the Power Major wheels that were used 58-63; nevertheless, it's still too expensive for me.
Sandy

[outwest]

I think it's well worth having a belt pulley (see this to see what is possible with it: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8126)

That's amazing! What a versatile tool.

Dan

[Billy26F5]

The belt pulley is brilliant, you can even use it to start up if the battery dies, the one thing that is important for using it normally is to have a good belt, we don't have a good one and it's hard work to keep the belt on, especially at high revs.
Sandy

[outwest]

the one thing that is important for using it normally is to have a good belt

Out of curiosity, are such things still available?

[Hair Bear]

Telling Wifey I've bought another tractor always gets me a good belt!
I have clear memory of a very early 4000 (wrap around grille, D suffix reg I think) with a 'MAJOR' decal on each bonnet cheek.

[Billy26F5]

the one thing that is important for using it normally is to have a good belt

Out of curiosity, are such things still available?

I don't know for sure, but as we need one I'll get back to you on that when we get one. An auction might be the easiest place to get one, but it's not a real option for us.

I have clear memory of a very early 4000 (wrap around grille, D suffix reg I think) with a 'MAJOR' decal on each bonnet cheek.

That's how early Basildon tractors were sold, the 2000 Dexta, the 3000 Super Dexta, the 4000 Major and the 5000 Super Major. This was soon discontinued as it made it very confusing between the new Ford worldwide range and the real Fordsons still serviced by the dealers. The 6X tractors were completely new, and had a lot more to do with Ford USA than with EnFo. I thoroughly recommend you read Brian's story about this.
Sandy

[outwest]

Another expensive Super! The decals on the bonnet of this one look different to those I've seen elsewhere. Was it normal to have some variation or have they been added?

[Emiel]

Looks like a very late super, the new performance super major. That is for most people the most desirable Fordson major. Whether it is expensive or not is difficult to say. IMHO it is a well kept and quite original tractor. I like the cab to be honest and only the starter looks to be aftermarket.

[outwest]

Looks like a very late super, the new performance super major. That is for most people the most desirable Fordson major. Whether it is expensive or not is difficult to say. IMHO it is a well kept and quite original tractor. I like the cab to be honest and only the starter looks to be aftermarket.

Thanks Emiel. I guess in addition to the functional improvements, the short run/limited numbers make the NP something of a rarity compared to its predecessors and that also pushes up value.
The cab looks like quite an effort to get in and out of.
Doors open back towards the rear wheels maybe?

EDIT Now the advert is showing "Out of stock"...

Dan

[Hair Bear]

With that cab I'd suggest it may have been imported.
The 'suicide' door arrangement is now almost standard across most manufacturers and is in a lot of respects better than the forward opening variety. Also makes for a cleaner entry/exit as the door keeps you distanced from the rear wheel.

[Billy26F5]

Looks like an export NP Super Major, I don't know where from (see number plate in listing) but maybe France as it has yellow light bulbs. I would say it's a pretty good one a part from the price, but I'm not surprised either as it's very rare in Britain. I would maybe suggest it will need work on the front axle, as the wheels are converging the wrong way (closer to each other above than below, suggesting spindle and/or wheel bearing wear).
Sandy

[outwest]

Haven't seen many New Performance machines being advertised so far...

EDIT That NPSM is back under this listing, and £500 lower than the original headline price.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 5823098149

Too far to go and see, really.

Dan

[Billy26F5]

I saw they were claiming low hours, but looking at the top link ball and clutch pedal I would add at least 10000 hours to what they say. Far too expensive, but it would be a good Major to have.
Sandy

[outwest]

I saw they were claiming low hours, but looking at the top link ball and clutch pedal I would add at least 10000 hours to what they say.

Yes, I did look askance at the careful phrasing of "showing a low 694 hours". It would be more likely that it had gone round the clock. Anyway, too far, too expensive, and I'm not that keen on the cab. Unlike a farmer, I would not need to be out and about using it whatever the conditions, so weather protection is less of an issue.

There's an MF135 local-ish to me that claims to be on 85 hours. It looks clean enough for it to be plausible (as opposed to the Fordson above, which looks well-used), but I wonder how much faith one should place in such things.

In general, when buying an old tractor like the NPSM above, should one basically go by condition rather than paying much attention to stated age and hours?

Dan

[Hair Bear]

On the surface it looks like a nice restoration. I would think it's had new clocks in it. 3x2 transmission (no Multi-Power splitter). Foot throttle is a nice thing to have. It will have most of the bells and whistles on it compared to a Major, but then it is a whole generation ahead.

[outwest]

On the surface it looks like a nice restoration. I would think it's had new clocks in it.

Ah, thank you, hadn't considered the possibility of new clocks. So if looking at a Fordson or tractor of similar vintage a very low read on the hour meter shouldn't be taken as gospel even on a very tidy machine...

I am looking forward to the NVTEC Teifi Valley Group's working day on 4th September. Hope we have some rain between now and then, and none on the day!

Dan

[Billy26F5]

I would add 10000 hours to that one too, it does seem to have been looked after but it's not an easy tractor to start with, as access to many things is not great. One of the best ways to tell the hours is seeing the pedals, you can see wear in them with the hours, the more hours the more wear, on a Major the clutch pedal will wear smooth by 30000 hours or so. I think a cab is just extra work, as it reduces access and they tend to suffer bad corrosion with expensive repairs needed.
Sandy

[outwest]

Basically there are no free lunches or easy choices. One way or another, you have to pay. Pay directly in cash, or pay in time (and so, indirectly, money) to learn and fix things.

Dan

[outwest]

Not a Major, but would do all you want and not far away.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255675281874 ... name=11021

Prompted by the appearance on Facebook of a local Ford 6610 for a suspiciously small sum of money, I spent a couple of hours this afternoon reading about the notorious porous engine problems.

It has put me right off the idea of Ford and encouraged me to return to the path of the pure and good, namely Fordson.

Dan

[Hair Bear]

Column change Rubiks cube gearbox! Depends how long you want to spend trying to select a gear - any gear - disaster. It was supposed to be a syncro box but it took so long to get from gear to gear you always came to a halt. Flat floor cabs with floor change were ok, and I believe a few were produced with the earlier style 600 series straddle.

[outwest]

Column change Rubiks cube gearbox!

Fortunately this one is claimed to have a H pattern box. If it weren't for the porosity issue it would be looking pretty good.

Many threads on various forums about older Fords and owners spending thousands on relining them and so on without fixing the problem. Hard to justify that risk for a hobby tractor. Now I'm even looking askance at the little 3000 just up the road from me.

I haven't read of any similarly existential problems with Fordsons or MF.

Dan

[Old Hywel]

The liners in a Major can rust through, particularly if antifreeze hasn’t been used.