Total Tractor! is all about tractors--from exciting vintage tractors and farming machines to the latest state-of-the-art John Deere. Galleries of colorful tractors of every kind and all their amazing attachments are interspersed with stunning images of tractors in action. There's a complete history of tractors from steam tractor to diesel, and many makes, such as Massey Ferguson, are shown in fascinating detail. Crazy contests such as tractor pulling are also featured. Total Tractor! is the must-read book for any child who is passionate about tractors.
The Complete Book of Classic Ford Tractors presents the evolution of the popular machines from 1917 to 1996. Model histories are accompanied by detailed specification charts and, of course, gorgeous photography of restored models.
The Complete Book of Farmall Tractors details the complete evolution of the popular marque's iconic models. The engaging text includes series evolution, historical context, and technical details, accompanied by beautiful contemporary and historic images. In 1923, International Harvester revolutionized the tractor world by conceiving the Farmall brand, a revolutionary new line of all-purpose tractors designed for small- to medium-sized farms. Eventually offering an array of engine and equipment options, by the 1930s Farmalls were bestowed with letters as their model names, from the compact A, B, and C models to the larger H and M tractors. Fittingly known as the "Letter Series," the tractors were even given a streamlined design by famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy. Not surprisingly, they went on to become some of the most widely produced and best-selling American farm tractors of all time, to be followed beginning in 1954 with the numbered Hundred Series models. By 1947, Farmall had built over 1 million tractors. Amazingly, many are still in use today, not just as collector vehicles, but often as working farm tractors. In The Complete Book of Farmall Tractors, tractor historian Robert Pripps explores the entire range of Farmall tractors, from their inception to their final model year in 1973. Pripps includes all models, from Diesel and LPG versions to orchard tractors. Pripps also explains the evolution of Farmall lines and gives coverage to the entry-market Cub unveiled in 1947, as well as the Hundred Series, right up to the cancellation of the Farmall name in 1973. Through engaging text and fascinating photography, The Complete Book of Farmall Tractors preserves the story of the legendary pioneering machines in detail. The book's content is organized chronologically, and its detailed text shines a light on Farmall's long history and evolution. Beautiful images, both modern and historic, bring the story to life and thorough spec tables highlight key technical and performance specifications. The result is the ultimate reference to some of the most popular farm tractors in history.
This comprehensive guide to both agricultural mechanization and road transport is divided into two parts, one following the development of the tractor and farming machinery and the other focusing on the origins and functions of different kinds of trucks. Written by two transport enthusiasts, this guide includes historic accounts of transport development, A-Z guides to all the major manufacturers and over 1,500 color reference photographs.
The definitive visual history of the tractor The complete history of farm machinery, from steam and vintage tractors to the latest combine harvesters is showcased in this lavishly illustrated volume. Packed with images and tractor data on more than 200 iconic machines, The Tractor Book explores the entire range of tractors and farming machines from around the world, such as Fordson Model F and Massey-Harris GP. Histories of famous marques, such as John Deere and Massey Ferguson, sit alongside immersive visual tours of celebrated machines. The Tractor Book covers how tractors work, their history, major marques and catalogues tractors from every era making this a must-have for anyone fascinating by these extraordinary machines.
"Mr. Dahlstrom...has written a superb history of the tractor and this long-forgotten period of capitalism in U.S. agriculture. We now know the whole story of when farming, business and the free-market economy diverged, divided and conquered." —Wall Street Journal Discover the untold story of the “tractor wars,” the twenty-year period that introduced power farming—the most fundamental change in world agriculture in hundreds of years. Before John Deere, Ford, and International Harvester became icons of American business, they were competitors in a forgotten battle for the farm. From 1908-1928, against the backdrop of a world war and economic depression, these brands were engaged in a race to introduce the tractor and revolutionize farming. By the turn of the twentieth century, four million people had left rural America and moved to cities, leaving the nation’s farms shorthanded for the work of plowing, planting, cultivating, harvesting, and threshing. That’s why the introduction of the tractor is an innovation story as essential as man’s landing on the moon or the advent of the internet—after all, with the tractor, a shrinking farm population could still feed a growing world. But getting the tractor from the boardroom to the drafting table, then from factory and the farm, was a technological and competitive battle that until now, has never been fully told. A researcher, historian, and writer, Neil Dahlstrom has spent decades in the corporate archives at John Deere. In Tractor Wars, Dahlstrom offers an insider’s view of a story that entwines a myriad of brands and characters, stakes and plots: the Reverend Daniel Hartsough, a pastor turned tractor designer; Alexander Legge, the eventual president of International Harvester, a former cowboy who took on Henry Ford; William Butterworth and the oft-at-odds leadership team at John Deere that partnered with the enigmatic Ford but planned for his ultimate failure. With all the bitterness and drama of the race between Ford, Dodge, and General Motors, Tractor Wars is the untold story of industry stalwarts and disruptors, inventors, and administrators racing to invent modern agriculture—a power farming revolution that would usher in a whole new world.
The Complete Book of Classic John Deere Tractors explores the range of iconic “green tractors” with which Illinois-based John Deere has become one of the world’s most recognizable brands. Part of Motorbooks’ Complete Book series, this fact-packed volume takes you through dozens of John Deere farm models, beginning with the 1892 Waterloo Boy and ending with the game-changing New Generation and Generation II lines. With selected text from The Bigger Book of John Deere by late legendary Deere historian Don Macmillan, this book details year-to-year model changes within each series and offers comprehensive specs charts compiled by Deere authority John Dietz. In addition to the Waterloo Boy, you’ll witness the entire 40-plus years of two-cylinder “Johnny Poppers,” from the 1924 Model D through the 830 Series models in 1960, and the styled tractors of the prewar and postwar years. Also featured heavily are the groundbreaking New Generation tractors launched to much fanfare in 1960 and their successors, the New Generation II lineup with their Sound-Gard cabs. Standard, row-crop, orchard, and even a selection of experimental models…they’re all here. In addition, you'll find coverage of John Deere’s rich international heritage, with tractors produced in Spain, Germany, and Australia. Illustrated with incredible color photography and period advertising, The Complete Book of Classic John Deere Tractors isan essential edition for the library of any Deere fanatic.
Did you know . . . That the first tractors had metal wheels with no tyres? That a tractor can weigh as much as five elephants? That a tractor can pull as much as 500 horses can? Tractors are big and powerful! They can plough, lift, dig, mow and power through the biggest farms, the longest roads and your very own backyard. Find out everything you want to know about these amazing machines in theBig Book of Tractors.
Original ads, historic design drawings, and factory photographs tell the definitive story of the American tractor's development, mechanical innovations, groundbreaking designs, and company histories. Best-selling author Randy Leffingwell researched and photographed restored classics and one-of-a-kind experimental models from coast-to-coast to deliver the goods on American farm tractor. This is the book that started it all! Previous hardcover edition (0-87938-532-4 pub 1991) has sold a staggering 150,000!