End of an era

rrlund · Apr 6, 2014

Last time I didn't have a John Deere around here was early 1981. I traded the last one off today. I found this Oliver 500 gas just 45 miles from home and traded the 1020 Deere for it.
Ya I know,parts,blah blah blah. That 1020 was just sitting here collecting dust waiting to be painted Oliver green and clover white with Oliver decals anyway so I traded. There were only 1648 of these made by David Brown anyway and most of those were diesel,so this is one heck of a hard to find tractor. I'm willing to bet there are fewer of these than there are Super 44s,maybe even 440s. How many Oliver collectors do you know who has one? I do. Serial number 100537G makes it a 1961.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 6, 2014

Not the best choice of a tractor but the Davy Browns were still popular in some areas. If you ever get real stuck for parts then contact me.....We have plenty of them broke up in the UK......Health to enjoy your new purchase!.............Sam

Bruce from Can. · Apr 6, 2014

Way to go Randy! You see it.. You want it.. You get it! Simple!

rrlund · Apr 6, 2014

If I ever get it done,it probably won't see daylight except to show it off. It's going to be the fun of the hunt trying to scare up a few parts that are missing. I need the emblem for the grille,the cover in the hood for the radiator cap and the original draft control top link for the 3pt.

NY 986 · Apr 6, 2014

I hope you have better luck getting around to projects than I do. I have had five tractor models in mind I would not mind picking up but am at a point where I might as well put off the purchasing portion for a few years. I know hobbies are good stress reducers if not taken too seriously but I keep on finding things that need to be done with the farm. I hope tractor shows don't become a thing of the past when I can be serious about doing something that will be pretty much a collector tractor.

rrlund · Apr 6, 2014

If I don't do any more than save it from getting any worse it's worth it. It had been sitting outside and he'd started doing a few "user modifications" to it. He took the ignition/light switch out along with the big push button for the starter and put a solenoid and a key switch on it,along with some rocker switches in the dash for the lights he hadn't gotten around to putting on it.
I hated to leave the Deere there. He had me drive it out in the corner of the yard out of the way. I told him this would be the first time it had sat outside since it was on the dealer lot.

lee little · Apr 6, 2014

Dang Randy I hope buying the 1850 don't cause me to trade off my Deeres. I hope you can find every last piece for it. I don't think you will quit till you do and I bet it wont be that long. Come to think of it though, an Oliver 1020 would be really rare!

rrlund · Apr 6, 2014

LOL,ya I was going to put 1255 decals on it. I had a great story all made up to go with it. I was going to say that the 1010 and 2010 put Deere so far in the hole that they came to Oliver begging for a utility tractor to sell in a hurry. Then claim that the 1020 and 2020 were actually Olivers and that after the demise of Oliver,Deere bought the tooling and took it to Mannheim. It was going to be a great story.

tomstractorsandtoys · Apr 6, 2014

Sometimes I am not happy with my Deere dealer either.The best dealer for parts in my area is red.I can not see trading my 4020 for a 856 or my 4230 for a 966,it just is never going to happen.My parts man at the red dealer worked at the Deere dealer and he says he likes his new job better but he would never trade Deere for Red tractors.But a good dealer is important and Oliver was good equipment. Tom

oliver fan · Apr 6, 2014

Don't bet the farm on that.

There were 775 Super 44's built and 700 model 440's. That makes 1475 total production, combined.

Ultradog MN · Apr 6, 2014

Did you misspell that?
If you got rid of your last John Deere wouldn't that be the end of an Error?

jennifer408 · Apr 6, 2014

(quoted from post at 17:42:52 04/06/14)
I hated to leave the Deere there. He had me drive it out in the corner of the yard out of the way. I told him this would be the first time it had sat outside since it was on the dealer lot.

I'd like to add an Oliver to the herd some day. i don't think there was ever a dealer out here in California. it is very rare that i see one on craig's list in my area. hopefully the planets will align and i will have the money at the time that one comes up that looks like i can do something with it.
i think you should go back and rescue your JD back and keep both of them.

jon f mn · Apr 6, 2014

DANG!!! I was lookin forward to that oliver green JD. Now I'll have to paint Jeff's 88 desert sunset/power red

Cumminsdeere · Apr 6, 2014

I thought I saw a whole room full of Deere in your house the other day I hope uoy didn't let them go to

rrlund · Apr 7, 2014

JS said he thinks fewer than one in three were gas though. That puts it at around 550 gassers by my calculator. He said all of the later ones with the unified thread bolts,he figures,were diesels.

rrlund · Apr 7, 2014

No,I've still got the toys. I just keep the door closed to that room. LOL

mab570diesel · Apr 7, 2014

nice find I just seen one on craigslist new philadelphia,ohio for 4,500. it is a diesel though looks to be a real nice original.

Royse · Apr 7, 2014

Glad to see the deal worked out, nice looking tractor too!
I'll keep my eyes open for those parts at the shows.
Might help if I knew what they looked like though!

RGMartin · Apr 8, 2014

A neighbor has a 500 and 600. Good luck on the top link. I need one too for a 900, it is probably going to have to come from England, or be made from scratch. Same for the trap door.

RGMartin · Apr 8, 2014

(quoted from post at 07:57:56 04/07/14) He said all of the later ones with the unified thread bolts,he figures,were diesels.

Do you own any Whitworth spanners????

End of an era

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