49'AW was shipped to Deere Webber

JDNPC

Member
Anything special going on at Deere & Webber in 1949 that they would have wanted this AW shipped there directly as a final destination. Not looking for rarity factor, just curious as to what they may have used it for?
 
I'm going to guess that you have a research document from T-C that gives you this information?
So does the document say that Minneapolis is the "branch" that the tractor was delivered to and also that Deere & Webber was the "final destination", or does it say something different, like a number, for a final destination?

If Deere & Webber is actually the final destination (the end purchaser of the tractor) then it would be all conjecture as to why they would keep the tractor. The primary reason I can think of would be as a workhorse around the property. Most of the workhorses used around the branches and factories were either standard tread models or wide front general purpose tractors, so an AW would be a candidate for that. I believe that they almost always had a secondary tag on them somewhere to indicate that they were the property of the branch or factory where they worked.

Have you found anything unusual on the tractor, or details told by someone else, that would give any clues about this?
If it was owned by and used at the Minneapolis branch for a number of years it would certainly add some interest to the tractor.
The Minneapolis branch was a big one with direct family ties. Sometimes they did some of their own "modifying" or use of non-traditional implements that were specific to the needs in their territory. The San Francisco branch was known for a lot of this type activity. Maybe a "demonstrator" of sorts?
 
It was a long time friend of mine who owned it. He came across the need for some money and I became the new owner. He purchased it from a man up in Minnesota. On the 2cyl research, it stated Branch: Minneapolis, Minnesota Destination: Deere & Webber. Serial# 635819 ship date May 20, 1949. I haven"t really looked for any signs of ownership tags as I just figured it was a run of the mill AW and I was glad to own it. Sitting inside all winter I sat down and reviewed all of my documentations on all my tractors and this just popped out at me. Thanks for the insight.
 
Mind saying what the build date was? If just a day or two before the ship date, it may indicate that the tractor was intentionally ordered for whatever it's intended purpose was as opposed to being pulled from a long standing inventory at the factory.
May not really matter much, just curious. The more blanks that get filled in, the more likely that some conclusion can be drawn.
Maybe you could put in a request with T-C and see if they would check the records at Archives (time permitting) to see if there was any other info out of the ordinary on the tractor.
To bad more records from the branches aren't available.
 
Yup, build date of the day before the warehouse date; May 19th. I had the research done back in October, 2010. I"m just now getting some spare time to look into it further. I will get out this weekend to thoroughly look it over for any additional tagging or unusual equipment or modifications. It did come with front axle extensions that have matching patina.
Thanks for your input.
 
(quoted from post at 21:57:47 03/12/13) Yup, build date of the day before the warehouse date; May 19th. I had the research done back in October, 2010. I"m just now getting some spare time to look into it further. I will get out this weekend to thoroughly look it over for any additional tagging or unusual equipment or modifications. It did come with front axle extensions that have matching patina.
Thanks for your input.

If everything works out, it doesn't matter what the tractor looks like, the paperwork is the money. Sort of like a registered animal.
 
If anything, its a good story. It very well could have been used for demo purposes, or even just for moving stuff around the warehouse.

We have a 1939 BN, serial number 60006, which makes it the first Styled BN produced. It was built June 14th of 1938 and then went to the Sales Dept until August, when it was shipped to the Portland Branch. From what we have figured out, it was most likely used for photographs for sales brochures and manuals. There is a pic that has been used in several books from mid 38 of a BN on full steel, most like likely the same machine.
 
Ok an update. I just talked to a good friend of mine that is the brother of the previous owner. He actually picked the tractor up and hauled it from miles city montanna back here to Ohio. Apparently the tractor was in mizzoula montanna from there a friend picked it up in mizzoula and hauled it to miles city, met my good friend who hauled it home for his brother, from whome I purchased it from. My revised question is: how did this thing wind up in mizzoula montanna from being bought by Deere & Webber.? Now what can you add?
 
Guess I should have clarified something early on, if you didn't already know. Deere & Webber is/was the Minneapolis branch house. The "branch" and the "final destination" are one and the same in this case.
Now............the tractor may have been any of the things already mentioned previously (yard tractor, demonstrator, etc.), owned by the branch for some time, and later sold as used to a dealer in their territory (which Missoula MT is).
It may have also just been another tractor in the branch inventory, sold in short order to a dealer anywhere in their territory.
It may also have been sold close to Minneapolis, and later made it's way to Montana by second, third, etc. owners.
Almost anything is possible on how it got to Missoula.
To me the key interest would be..............was it once owned and used by the branch, Deere & Webber, for some period of time, and why.
Keep us posted on what you find out, if anything. Maybe repost if some time goes by.
I would see if T-C will give you any assistance in checking Archives for any further info. Maybe see if there is anything left of the branch in Minneapolis. Probably would be called a depot or distribution warehouse now. See if you can track it backward anymore, and of course check the tractor over closely for any clues.
This kind of stuff is all very interesting to me.
Don't be let down if it just turns out to be a plain old AW with no particular history. After all it's still a JD and an AW at that : )
 

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