An interesting looking conversion. Possibly a model 285 of 32hp @ 1000rpm.
Ours, shown below, is a 1939 LC2, 35hp @ 1200rpm. The CLM importer told me that he brought in 2 conversion kits to Australia before the war put an end to imports. The other one was smaller than ours and has probably gone to scrap.
Oddly enough, I bought this engine from the man who imported it. He must have traded it back in at some stage, and it lay outside his workshop. We fitted it to a 1939 tractor we happened to have. I should have asked more questions and taken more notes when the seller was still alive. The air cleaner is not French, and the bonnet and fuel tank were locally made. The tank that came with it was rusted out, so I fitted this ex-military one which looks OK.
As you can see, it has electric start. The battery box, which was missing, is from an Australian IH tractor. It is long enough to hold two 12 volt batteries. It needs a sniff or aerosol starting aid to get it going from cold.
In 1928 Peugeot set up a diesel engine division called Compagnie Lilloise de Moteurs. So was born the CLM. Although a CLM engine, it would also be correct to call it a Peugeot. Two strokes sound nice whatever you call them.
As to the story about the Fordson rearing up with light front wheels, it is a myth I have written about before. The Fordson was no lower geared than any other tractor. Turning over backward was caused by a high drawbar, which is bad enough on a heavy down pull, but a chain around the rear axle housing is really stupid. It was operator error, not Fordson design that was the problem.
Eric
