John Deere Model R

Carrie thinks I have a tractor problem. She is probably right. But if buying an old tractor is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

The latest tractor in the stable is a 1952 John Deere Model R. This was John Deere’s first Diesel tractor. And it is a beast. Ten thousand pounds. 6.8 liter two cylinder Diesel engine. The Diesel is so massive, there is a gas pony motor that you start first so there is enough power to get the Diesel going. She tops out at 11.5 mph, but can pull 6,600 pounds. A good plow tractor.

I found it on Craigslist. Turns out Dave of Dave’s Tractor in Red Bluff has a vintage tractor collecting hobby, and this is out of his collection.

It is a good thing Carrie and I cleaned out the barn a few weekends ago. It has a nice spot in the center bay. The barn is so massive it makes the big Model R looks small!

The tractor was originally bought by the Solano County Road Department. This is where it gets a bit interesting (if you find old tractors interesting). It appears it was originally painted in construction yellow. There aren’t too many old Deeres from this era that came from the factory in yellow, but there are lots of signs that this one may have.

Both the drawbar and the PTO show signs of an earlier coat of yellow paint. The underside of the engine does too. I guess a previous owner just needed his Model R to be JD green. Painted right over the Model R decals on the side. It does need a bit of work. You can see there is a leak in the hydraulic system. But it starts up and runs just fine. And boy does it growl.

This will be a working tractor. I’m going to get a plow and a bush hog for it; it works best in straight lines. Maybe at some point, I will put it through a restoration. Lots of time to figure that out.

— KLM