Does Green match with Red?

Stan

Sam

Stan made a good invitation. I'm not an expert, but would like to add a few things to the discussion.

My Grand Dad had a Farmall H and a John Deere 60 when I was growing up. I got to ride on both of them. I learned on the H then got to drive the 60. The green popper was always my favorite, and I've got one of my own now. Someday, I'll get an Farmall H to go with it. So... 1. I don't think the colors clash.

2. In Hendricks county, Indiana, a JD 60 would pull a 3 bottom plow and an IH H wouldn't. But an IH M would. A late model JD A is the direct predecessor to a JD 60, and they had roughly the same horsepower. JD A's, B's and IH M's and H's had 15 to 20 year production runs. The engines did grow in size and power over the years... that's competition. A super M of 1954 has a few more ponies than a '54 60, about 7 more than the last A and is a few shy of a '54 JD 70 in power, and so on. A late model JD B or JD 50 is more evenly matched with a same year H Farmall.

3. The WD-9 IH is a brute of a thing! You're right, closest green competitor is a JD R, built only as a Diesel, and is kin to a JD 80. I don't think the D was ever a Diesel either. A JD AR is the "standard" version, A JD A is the row crop version.

4. If you got a JD R or an 80 and put it next to your WD-9, it would look like you had pair of bulldogs in red and green. Low, squat things. Put an A next to your WD-9, and it will look like you brought a setter or wolfhound into the family. It's just a taller, sleeker looking animal. Will it look good? Sure, why not. Who can account for taste? Where I grew up, everybody had row crop tractors, rarely saw a standard. So, naturally, I like the looks of an M better than a W-6, and so on.

5. Maybe that guy with the Farmall when you were a kid was a Methodist. The side of my family that most recently came from Germany were all Lutherans, but they hadn't farmed in a few generations. The other side had been here from Germany long enough to drift over to a Baptist church, and they owned red AND green tractors. Even had some kin with Olivers, Case and a dutch uncle with an Allis Chalmers - but he was Presbyterian. Doubt that has anything to do with anything, but red vs. green debates get so out of hand -- I figured I might as well add breeds of dogs and religion to the mix as well.

6. and last: Get that old A! The price sounds pretty good if it's still moving around well. Fix it up; it can still work for you on a daily basis. It may cost a bit more to run than a WD-9 -- specially if you're buying road taxed pump gas. But you'll be taller, look better, and sound more unique when you're out in the field with it!!

have fun!

Steve

Of the row crop lettered series John Deeres, there was the H, then the B, then the A, and finally, the G. The MT came along a little later.

The A could be compared with a Farmall M, although, in our area of Indiana, an M would always be pulling a three bottom plow and the JD A usually pulled a two bottom plow. A JD G of that era would be pulling a 3 bottom plow, right along with the Farmall M. The '47 JD A would have about 35 hp, whereas the M might be in the 39 hp range. In my opinion, the A would be between a Farmall H and a Farmall M.

That A would look good standing next to the WD-9.

Yes, the AR is the standard tread version of the A, with the same engine.

I believe the W-4 compared to an H, the W-6 copmared to the M, and the WD-9 was a bigger, 4 plow tractor. The R is probably bigger, for sure. We had one in our neighborhood and he pulled 5-14s with it. The R was only built as a diesel.

The D was never built as a diesel.

Well, I may have started a good argument/discussion here, but let's see what the experts have to say.

Stan

Doc