A Brief History

The Ford 600 Series tractors began production in 1954, and continued until 1957. Quite similar to the Ford NAA (Golden Jubilee) in design, it used the same 132 cubic inch Red Tiger engine with 31 horsepower. Several different models were made in the 600 Series, and these numbers were used to denote whether they used a particular transmission, hydraulic system, or PTO. The result was five different model numbers: 620, 630, 640, 650 and 660.These break down as follows:

All of these tractor carry the "Ford 600" series badge on the radiator.Considered a two-plow utility tractor, this one proved to be very popular with the farmer. Note: the picture shown above is actually of a Ford 671 model. Very similar in appearance, these were built after 1958 and had the Select-O-Speed transmission. A picture of a standard Ford 600 Series tractor (built prior to 1958) was not available at press time!

The Ford 600 Series Today

Although many of these tractors were made, they are very collectible due to their smaller size and favorable design. Many are still in use today on small and large farms alike due to their power and functionality. Parts are readily available. The standard 3-point hitch means that it can be used with today's modern implements (keeping in mind that the implements must fall within the horsepower range of the tractor).

The Specs

The specifications varied with each different member of the series. What follows is the specification for Models 640, 650 and 660.

Axle: Adjustable
Shipping Weight: 2800 pounds (varied with options)
Clutch: Dry Single Disc (640, 650) Dry Double Disk (660)
Height Overall: 58.7
Length Overall: 121.4
Wheelbase: 75.18 inches
Cultivating Clearance: 21 inches
Engine: Own, model EAE, 4 cylinder, displacement 134
Rated rpm: 2000

Nebraska Tractor Test Results

TEST NO. 560

Model: Ford 640

Ford Motor Co., Birmingham, Mich.

DATE TESTED: September 19 to October 4, 1955

Weighing 3,031 pounds, the Ford 640 featured 11-28 rear and 5.50-15 front tires. Also included were forward speeds of 3.13, 4.02, 5.54 and 11.55 mph. During tests F, G and H an additional 579 pounds of cast iron weight was added to each rear wheel. At a Test H rated drawbar load of 22.39 horsepower, the 640 pulled 1,873 pounds at 4.48 mph with a slippage of 8.05%. fuel economy in this test totaled 9.87 horsepower hours per gallon of gasoline. Test G yielded a low-gear maximum pull of 3,008 pounds at 3.18 mph with a slippage of 16.13%. The 640 used a Ford four-cylinder engine having a 3.4375 x 3.60 bore and stroke for a 134 CID. Rated at 2,000 rpm, it achieved a maximum engine torque of 197.9 foot-pounds with an engine speed of 1,125 rpm. No repairs or adjustments were noted during 42 hours of operating time. Under a Test D rated belt load of 27.64 horsepower, fuel economy was scored at 10.73 horsepower hours per gallon, with this figure climbing to 10.99 at a Test C operating maximum load of 29.46 belt horsepower.

Serial Numbers