High end sports cars have tractor roots

I knew the Porsche and Lamborghini sports cars trace their roots to tractor manufacturers, but I learned a new one yesterday. The Aston Martin DB5 made famous by the James Bond movies was built when AM was owned by David Brown the tractor manufacturer. Hence the "DB" series name.

That Pebble Beach Concurs crowd ought to invite a few of us tractor guys to hang out with the beautiful people at the champaign tent, to find out the real roots of their million dollar cars. S'pose I'd have to clean up a bit to fit in.

I like this Porsche tractor ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgtdsmFuk_4

Interesting. I loved James Bond's original Aston. I knew that his Aston Martin had nothing to do with the original Aston Martin Company that went bankrupt a zillion times. I did not realize that David Brown was one of the companies that tried to capitalize on the Aston name.

Here's one named after J.I.Case of tractor fame.

I think you'll find that the David Brown mainstay was the gear works. Aston had a long history before he bought it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin

ARE WE SAYING THAT FERDINAND PORSCHE MADE TRACTORS, BEFORE THE VOLKSWAGEN PEOPLES CARS??...BE BLESSED, GRATEFUL, PREPARED...1962 LOTUS SUPER SEVEN MAN...NOT A TRACTOR, 950 POUNDS, 95 H.P....DONT KNOW IF COLIN CHAPMAN DESIGNED TRACTORS, BUT THEY would WIN...

Case Cars did compete in early Indianapolis races.
Loren

Nik, this tells a little bit about Porache tractors
https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hmn/2006/05/1956-Porsche-Diesel-P111/1281936.html

The exhaust looks big enough but it discharges directly onto the roller chain drive and tire.

Wonder how that worked.

Interesting, though.

Dean

yep dont forget that ih made cars too back in the brass era,

Hot exhaust aimed at chain-- but probably a lot of hot oil in the exhaust that would help lubricate it. think of old Harley before 1936(?)- didn't have return oil pump, oil spun around crankcase and exited after few passes out exhaust- or dribbled on road or weeped out valve spring area that wasn't covered until knuckleheads (still weeped some). Splash lube common- think of IHC F20, 10-20 with light smoking exhaust about normal. Maserati might be another agriculture maker that got into sports cars-- Ferrari article had reference to broken transmissions on early Ferrari's using Fiat car types, Maserati demonstrated his transmission wouldn't break, Ferrari said wouldn't use farm tractor parts so Maserati made a V8 with some of his factory tractor parts, transmission and rear axle with gears from earth mover/tractor, live axle with agriculture implement brakes, went racing just to annoy Enzio Ferrari (and get some publicity). Longer than sprint races the Ferrari's always took lead for first few laps, out handle Maserati's on curves-- but after 100 miles or so Maserati's were in lead because Ferrari's rear axles or transmission were broken and if not then brakes were acting up, sometime clutches slipping. Ferrari found other than Fiat car parts to use- some from FIAT truck line or other strong racing parts maker or made his own- no longer a hot rodded Fiat. Maserati GTs had reputation for reliability over Ferrari in Italian- favored by wealthy vineyard owners and farm estate owners and joke was they wanted fast tractor that their usual ag implement maker had in stock, knew it would last- and some would have a Agriculture license plate in some countries that made tractors used on road have license plates, registration but cost a lot less than fancy car plates--MOT/Ministry of Transport would see maker name and it would be on list of tractor makers so give cheap plates. Lancia had some agricultural implement, maybe special tractor for vinyards-- but that was after the trucks and sedans, sporty sedans already made. Fiat tractors, Renaults were like Fords- agriculture tractors were after the car and trucks made a few years so the Gordini and Abarth hot rod variations might be considered after tractors made. RN