The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

A friend John was visiting and correctly noted that my fleet of old tractors and autos were old. Then he said something worth memory.

Wayne, "its not that you own old things still in good condition that is awesome, its that you use them regularly and work them, and you are able to keep them in great condition..."

[anybody can buy an antique, park and store it,but useing and driving antiques long term... that's awesome he said.]

I had not really given this much thought, but once the idea was introduced, I mentally noted people I met a shows that bought it already refurbished and their role now was transporting it to shows and the hobby was talking about that model.

My salute to all you who keep them running and bravely keep using them.
May we always find the part.

Wayne

Not everyone has the land to work these old ones Wayne but I totally agree with you. Tractors like Henrietta look great when all painted up but to me, the sound of her flat out on the plough with the exhaust red hot and the sharp clear crack of the exhaust note is what it is all about.

Nuffy on the rotovator with black smoke drifting on the wind is another great sight.

Brian wrote:Not everyone has the land to work these old ones Wayne but I totally agree with you. Tractors like Henrietta look great when all painted up but to me, the sound of her flat out on the plough with the exhaust red hot and the sharp clear crack of the exhaust note is what it is all about.

Nuffy on the rotovator with black smoke drifting on the wind is another great sight.

Couldn't agree more. Looking forward for this weather to clear up and the ground to dry out a lot so I can get on and get some ploughing/rotovating done with the old major!
Huzey

I definitely agree that putting these beasts to work is what it is all about, but at the same time I have to admit that I'm also a bit apprehensive. Brian has the skill to repair whatever is broken, others may have the money to have it repaired by someone like Brian. Most of us, however, have neither . As time goes on, original spares will be more and more difficult to find. All this may inspire many folks, myself included, to treat their prized machines gingerly.

An anecdote: before I sold Ol' Blue to BarryT, I frequently took her out on long drives. Summer, winter, any time. These drives took me 20-odd miles from home. Given that I do not have a farm, do not own other tractors, do not own a trailer that can carry a Dexta nor a car that could pull it, always the thought crossed my mind that I might have to drive all the way back home in reverse (if the gear lever slipped out of its cradle, which never actually happened but is a well-known occurrence with older Dextas) or even walk home and find a way to somehow collect the Dexta (which also never happened).

One time I actually did find myself in trouble. I was driving her up North, a 200-kilometer trip, to the farm of a friend who lives up there. About halfway there, the throttle mechanism failed. The metal rod that goes down through the fuel tank is connected to a perpendicular metal plate, and it is this plate that actually moves the throttle. In my case, as I was accelerating after waiting for a traffic light, the weld that held the plate to the rod broke. So I was stuck somehwere in the middle of nowhere with still a hundred km's to go. I did carry some tools with me, and I actually managed to find a way to control the throttle from the driver's seat so I could continue my trip (I put the rod underneath the fuel tank instead of through it, and it protruded just enough for me to get a grip on it).

Long story short: it all depends on how much risk you want to take, how much skill you have to fix it, or how much $ you can spend on having it fixed.

I will be working mine on the land, so won't break down far from home
Fortunately the engineering is pretty simple, so it should be possible to fix most things in the future. Best of all no complex electronics
I get the impression there is an increasing range of repro parts becoming available and compared with many cars, parts are cheap.

Of course there are many more Fergusons running than Dextas, but many more types of Ferguson too. Has anyone an idea of how many Dextas, and Majors are running in the world today, ie what is the size of the parts market? I have no idea.
All the best,
Ben

Oscar,
Many in the USA owe the Fordson page forum many thanks. When I first bought my Dexta, and went to ask for parts, I would get that look of are you 'tarded, Dexta? We can't get parts for those.
My Dad had a Dexta when they were new, he made a little mound, backed the wheels up on it, and would shut the tractor down. Roll it off, run it all day and shut it off. It didn't have a battery in it. I sat at the shifter while he plowed and held the wheel. Good memory of my Dad who passed in '66.
My point is I wanted a Dexta and when I got it, knowledge of parts and where to get them was lost here in the US, and the Dexta was considered legacy junk. Somehow your site gave the market in the US traction, and now I can almost find any Dexta part I want, with eBay regulary a source, as well other Web sites. Dexta are again known.
I sat at the computer one night and google parts in my parts book and I was getting high hit rates on most parts, all consumables and high wear by part # right out of my book.
It didn't happen (again) by accident. Many parts available now are new stock, by demand not old stuff laying around since the 60's. Oscar, your hobby and passion made a difference.
I appreciate it. I have two Dexta's that run and one under the shed complete and all there, and highly suspect it too will run again. No hurry, sure I can find the part.
There are not a lot of Dexta in the US (now), and the tractor does not get collected like the 8n or the Deere, but of those who have one, the Dexta will get more work done.
I have a lot more STUFF to look for parts for than a Dexta, but my task has been made easier and I can see the difference.
Just wanted to say thanks.
Wayne

I would wholeheartedly endorse your post Wayne.

Oscar works away quietly and sometimes does not take credit for what he has built.

I have gained friends world wide through his action in setting up this site. I wish more of you could get to our annual gathering at Meddo and meet the man himself.

+1 on the above.
Forums like this one and Stefan's have been a huge help and encouragement, not to mention the savings in cost, in helping me with tractor restoration. Without such Fora, the task would be lonely and daunting.
Thanks everyone,
Ben

Wow! Thanks for that, Wayne!! Really appreciate it.

But truthfully guys, I haven't done anything to the site since last April, and I doubt that I will anytime soon . I simply do not have the time. I added the Wiki last year because it was easier to upload new stuff to the site, and because other people could do it too so it wouldn't all come down to me. In terms of content and uploads and all that, the site is really really really in need of regular updates and I can't provide them. I'm in a phase in my life where other matters must take priority.

So if I deserve credit, and personally I don't think I do, it's for putting the site up in the first place, y'know, making a small beginning. Since then, one man and one man only has made this site into what it is today - and it surely ain't me. You might know him, it's a chap from Norfolk named Brian . He knows more about old Fordson than the rest of us combined, and on top of that he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet. It's mostly Brian's knowledge and warmth that draws people to this forum, and once they (i.e. all of you) come here they stick around and make the place a better place. That's what I am most proud of actually, that Brian and the rest of you keep the site alive, drawing in new people, despite the fact that site updates are few and far between and despite the fact that I am actually neglecting my duties as webmaster as bit.

Here's to all of you! Cheers!



Oscar

Oscar, Brian,

Wayne is right.
There was once this guy who invented the wheel. It wasn’t that much to make the wheel but we would still be walking our feet’s of if he didn’t. We own a very great deal to him. The same with you Oscar. You had the idea you made it possible, so the credit goes to you.
Than there’s this other guy. If it wasn’t for him we still would not know how to use the wheel.
Brian knowledge helps every one to keep them rolling. Through this combination, the two of you are saving a lot of Fordsons. They surely would end up there lives somewhere in the bushes or in the fields, but are now saved and are giving a lot of fun to there owners.
So the credits are going to the both of you.
I’m thankful to be one of the members of this site, and hope we can go on for a long time together.

Bensdexta wrote:+1 on the above.
Forums like this one and Stefan's have been a huge help and encouragement, not to mention the savings in cost, in helping me with tractor restoration. Without such Fora, the task would be lonely and daunting.
Thanks everyone,
Ben

Totally agree, but is' fora' really the plural for forum?