Old Fergies

[ajhbike]

Requested to post about my 2 Fergies. I have a 49 TO20 and a 55 TO 35 and everything works on both thank goodness.

I got the TO 20 in S Jersey and it was in pretty rough shape...rusted all over, ignition issues, etc. On a Saturday I bought an old 6x12 trailer for $300 at the same transaction with a rotting deck and old tires. I brought some 2 x 12's for the deck, loaded up the TO20 and took off for CT. In the middle of I-287 in White Plains, NY, one of the tires shredded and I was able to get into the grass at an exit. Didn't know what to do since there was no spare...checked local tire shops wanting to buy a tire and rim and no luck...the local shops didn't sell rims which was strange. So I rented a UHaul car trailer, loaded the Fergie up and drove it home. Grabbed the other 5 lug spare off of my other trailer, drove the 50 miles back to the trailer and the lugs didn't match. Removed the wheel and took it home to the local tire company for a new tire mounting and left my name and number on the trailer.

Halfway home, a state trooper called and said since the trailer was there all day he would have to have it towed. Ugh. I was exasperated by then and told him he could have the trailer if he wanted it. He said no because it was missing a wheel...LOL.

Got a new tire and went to work in NJ Monday and arranged to get the trailer out of the contractors storage yard...preparing myself for the tow charge and the $100 a day storage fee. Turns out the guy had a Fergie at home and waved the storage fee. Put the new tire on and drove the trailer home. I rehabbed the trailer, added angle iron tread to the ramp for more support and I am still using it today! (see pic).

The only negative about the TO20 is that the rears are Calcium filled and I had to use a lot of JB Weld to fix some rotting and leaks. At some point I will have to remove it and re-tube the rears, but that is a big job. Runs great, everything functions, 3 point can lift an 800 lb flail mower easily and while I do like it, I am probably going to sell it for $1200

The TO35 was much more uneventful...I rented the tandem wheel UHaul again, brought it home and only had do the fluid changes, electrical and scrape and scrape and paint. I probably use it more than any other tractor around the house because it is easy to get on and has the Hi/Lo transmission.

That is the saga of the Fergies.

[Donegal Cub]

I have owned quite a few Fergies in my life and they were very popular this side of the pond, and very good tractors too, in fact I still have a 1954 diesel four cylinder Ferguson, to accompany my 48 Cub. Both your Ferguson tractors look to be in good condition. Love the colors on the 35.

[T-Mo]

Per a video I found, the colors on the TO35 is correct, light gray and green.

I almost bought a TO30, but was too late making up my mind, and it sold. I looked at a TO20, but the guy wanted too much for it.

BTW, your two Fergies are really nice looking. Thanks for posting abut them.

[ajhbike]

I would highly recommend holding out for a TO35. The Hi/Lo is a HUGE benefit, the PTO doesn't have to be engaged for the 3 point to work, and the 3 point works like a conventional 3 pt. The TO20 has that PITA 3 pt that is either up or down and the only way to set it in between is to rig up some sort of apparatus to fine tune it.
BTW, I know the colours are supposed to be light gray and green, but mine is actually beige and green which is a year or 2 off from factory. They used the beige and green for less than a year, but I really liked it....and it is owners choice to do what I want, right?

[T-Mo]

I agree - they had a lot of features that make it a very desirable tractor to own. Here is a video from the '50s (though not 1950 as the title says) on the Ferguson 35.

https://youtu.be/uLUry11WOy8

[Donegal Cub]

I agree - they had a lot of features that make it a very desirable tractor to own. Here is a video from the '50s (though not 1950 as the title says) on the Ferguson 35.

https://youtu.be/uLUry11WOy8

Enjoyed the video thanks for sharing.

[ajhbike]

Thanks for sharing that video. I remember those types of ads from when I was a kid

[Indy4570]

I have a TE20 and a TO20, the TO has a Hupp Hi-lo extra transmission, similar to a Sherman most commonly found added to the fords. I love having the extra low gears, the high gears scare me a bit, it just goes too fast1

[T-Mo]

From what I gather, the TE20 were made in England, therefore the "E", and the TO20 were mad in America, either Michigan or Ontario.

You might enjoy these videos as well.

[Indy4570]

TE stands for "tractor England" TO stands for "Tractor Other", and yes all the TEs were imported, Made at the Coventry, England factory. the TO was started in Detroit. One interesting thing, my TO 20 is a 1950, about the first years they made them in the US, information claims they used a Standard engine, the TEs used Continentals. My TO sports a different manifold but it has an identical continental engine as the TE has. The TO uses a one piece transmission cover/steering gear housing, the TE has a 2 piece. there are some other differences, the TE has HF cast into most casting for "Harry Ferguson". Other changes are the one piece grill as opposed to the 3 piece grill of the TE. some differences with ports for hydraulics as well. Another cool thing is that the early Fergies had one of the first, if not the first neutral safety switch. I wondered what the S was for, it is for "start" the gear shift in S is pushed forward to engage the starter. Early TEs had a magnesium transmission case. if they caught fire often they burned a long time and nothing was left of the casting. The TE is considered to be an iconic tractor due to the 3 point system being used to this day by multiple brands.

[T-Mo]

The Ford 9N's, 2N's, 8N's, etc., had a neutral safety start system as well, as early as 1939. The start switch was in front of the gear shift, and if the tractor isn't in neutral, you couldn't push down on the starter switch. A lot of them over the years, were replaced by switches on the dash as owners did not want to pull the transmission cover to get to the safety switch. I saw a guy on youtube who was messing with his "new" 2N who got ran over since a previous owner put a switch on the dash. Luckily the guy survived, but was in bad shape after being run over.

[SamsFarm]

She's an old fergie, and she dont know what to do

Should she plow up the garden
Should she disk it up too

She's an old fergie, she's just trying to adjust

Should she hitch up the sickle mower
Will it work with all that rust

[phill_mi]

My '52 Fergie TO-30 in Fordish work clothes with patina is my only work horse since last fall, doing all my plowing, both snow and field work. When I got it the quadrant was not adjusted right and the 3pt was either up or down. But now it can be adjusted to maintain any position. I really enjoy using the Fergie, but as I work on the Farmall 560 and Cub I look forward to the day when all three of them are working. The TO-30 was built in Deering, MI and after the merger with Massey the TO-35 was built in Ontario as I understand it.

[T-Mo]

Just read an interesting book on Ford Farm Tractors. A lot of the book covered Harry Ferguson. What a piece of work he was. Even in the 1920s, he turned off associates or would be associates. And he was going to use the Ford drawings for the 9N, unauthorized, to go out to suppliers to try to make tractors in England. David Brown went into business with him to make the Ferguson Brown tractors, but they soon regretted it and only a few of the tractors were made due to being too light and having the 3 point, farmers didn't want to buy special implements. Even though he made millions off of Ford while Ford lost millions (and also Henry loaned Harry $60K to start the distribution company), Harry thought he was being shortchanged and called Henry Ford "Black". Bottom line, everyone that went into business with Ferguson regretted it and wanted out.