The Outsider

[Brian]

I do not really know how to classify this. It is not a Fordson or really a Ford as we know it. The engine and transmission/rear axle were all built in Basildon and at South Essex Motors with some parts being supplied by County. But the rest was built and assembled in Australia.

All I know is I WANT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! But how do I get it back to England.

It is of course the Ford 840!!





Barry took me to meet this one and the owner let me drive it around the yard. I was dead chuffed!



No lift and linkage.



A massive drawbar.



Heavily weighted wheels,



Massive tyres.



87/9700 engine. This was a beast built to lug!!! Very few were made.





This one still has all the implements that came with her. Cultivator.





Disc.



Made for me!!!





Roller made by the owner.

She is in semi-retirement now but she has done a lot of acres with little trouble. According to the numbers she was the 54th one made. Early in her life the final reductions broke up, originally she had a 7600/7700 rear axle with three planetary gears. Ford had had problems with these as horsepower increased throughout the world, so she was upgraded to four planetary gears at Fords expense with the owner paying labour costs. Since then she has been no trouble.

[Oscar]

That's quite a beast!

[JC]

That's quite a tractor, Brian.
How many horsepower does it have? Around 110?
What transmission does it have?

[The Swanndri Guy]

looks a bit like this New Holland "8140" TSG.

[Brian]

It does except for the flat tyre.

I said to Barry when he introduced us that I wondered whether it was a trial for new models. She is rated at 109.8 hp (81.9 Kw). (manufacturers estimated hp)(?) and is a 8700/9700/TW engine on a 16 speed Dual Power gear box and rear axle from a 7600/7700.

For some reason, Ford US were reluctant to sanction Ford Australia to build this tractor to compete with the John Deere range. David Pearson, in his autobiography says how much of a fight he had with the US head office to get the 8100/8200 built too. The 8210 is very similar to the 8401 with the same engine rather than the 2700 series one.

[Pascal]

Great tractor!
Were these tractors only fabricated in 2WD?

[Brian]

Hi Pascal,
There were no 4WD built as far as I am aware, from the leaflets and other details that Barry has given me.

[Eric Schulz]

To Brian and others who may be interested.

We are fortunate to have some Ford tractors unique to Australia. Not only the 8401 as already mentioned, but the articulated FW series.

Unlike the 8401, the FW’s were not built by Ford, but under contract by James Nagorcka of Waltanna Tractors, Hamilton, Victoria.

James built an articulated tractor to use on his farm in 1975. A neighbour asked for one too. Thus began Waltanna Tractors, continuing to 1992. These tractors were well built and professionally finished.

The FW25 and 35 were based on TW25 and 35 components. The FW310 to 400 was Caterpillar powered with a Spicer transmission and Raba axles. I haven’t checked this, But I suspect these tractors were slightly modified Waltannas, rather than a specified Ford design. The Ford/Versatile tie-up put an end to Australian production.

James Nagorcka also built crawler tractors with his own design of rubber track. This was so successful that his system is now used by major manufacturers.

Lots of good inventions have come from Australia. This could be because, due to our geographic location, brain power gravitated down our way.

Eric

[Brian]

That is it Eric! That is my excuse to come back next year! Barry has got to find me one of those to visit!

We had seen pictures of those over here and one of the magazines did a writeup on them a couple of years ago. Wonder why Ford did not bring either the 82/8210 or the FW30/FW60 into Australia instead of going in different directions. After all, the 8401 was very similar to the 8200, with the same engine/transmission, just seems different tin work. The 8401 looks more beautiful to me anyhow in those colours. Could it have been shipping costs or price do you think?

I will think about the "brain" remark and get back to you, Having been back about a fortnight now, my toes are starting to unclench. All that hanging on upside down you know.

[Dandy Dave]

Lots of good inventions have come from Australia. This could be because, due to our geographic location, brain power gravitated down our way.

Eric

Awwww heck, Everone knows the best Ideas come after a round of Fosters. It's in the Beer I tell ya, it's in the Beer. Dandy Dave!

[Brian]

Here is the story of this tractor written by Ian Denton of J.O.Denton, a Ford Dealership for 75 years until their closure in 2000. Ian was involved in early discusions with Ford management about producing the "8401"

http://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/wiki/ ... nFord.html