1946 Chevrolet Prototype Tractor Built With Chevrolet Truck Parts! Classic Tractor Fever

[@AtomicReverend]

This tractor makes sense, cheap for parts, excellent power, same parts as a pickup from the era and just super simple.

[@maxpayne2574]

Those engines did well under the strain of being used in grain trucks I think they would've worked fine. The fact parts would've been available through car dealers and regular parts stores would be handy for farmers.

[@karinadler2308]

Great story, man Chevrolet missed out on an entire market

[@pbgd3]

Think this would have been a flop. Missing a lot of the bits some else had. Hydraulic PTO 3 points more gears etc. Also low torque

[@357bullfrog9]

Yes I deed. Can you imagine what they could've done by building then? We'd be saying . ...ford? What's that?

[@PHIL5251]

Do you know why Chevy never produced a tractor ? Because it would suck

[@erictownsend4236]

Wow, never knew about this tractor. Would love to see it pull against the Farmall's , JD's etc of the era. Ninety hp. in line 6, 4 sp. with a 2 sp. rear end , had some interesting, innovative idea's.

[@FarmAlarm]

I have a 1949 Chevrolet pickup with the same 216 engine. I recognized it right off the bat. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@Niterider73]

Is that ohv?

[@FarmAlarm]

@@Niterider73 yep

[@AtomicReverend]

Funny I noticed it too from a mile away. Kinda weird not hearing it with a split manifold and peashooter exhaust lol (my neighbors have tradional low riders).

[@AtomicReverend]

@@Niterider73 216/232/261 OHV 6 cylinder, I think they ran from 1937 until 1963 and came in every Chevrolet in the time frame but I am no bowtie expert just a lover of old cars.

[@Niterider73]

@@AtomicReverend was this basically the blue flame 6? I don't think it would have had babboted rod bearings in the 60s did it?

[@georgewomack8260]

Super video I was able to meet this man and see his tractor in Rantoul 2019 thoroughly enjoyed talking to him and seeing his tractor.

[@farmerjbird]

I was at Rantoul in 2019 with my Allis-Chalmers D-17 and 90 pull type combine, I never knew this tractor was there! Very cool!!! I hope to be at the 2021 show and hopefully it don't get cancelled!!!

[@jamesranger6283]

Very neat. I had no Idea Chevrolet ever entertained the idea of a farm tractor. Especially something over 50hp. Wow.

[@JS-nr9wp]

Thank you for preserving another piece of history Great job!

[@powerhousegaming9286]

I've met Dave before! Real cool tractor and real cool guy.

[@captainknuckles652]

I have actually seen this tractor in real life, quite a cool sight

[@philipwagner7929]

Great Save, and you have a machine for you and your wife to be very proud of owning !

[@michaelfield9467]

Outstanding job thank you and your wife for the restoration and history of this tractor

[@ohioplowboyhawk6738]

This tractor is pretty awesome seen it at the half century of progress Dale Hall himself is also agree guy

[@deanbarr5740]

Awesome, never knew this. To bad they gave up on it. You and the wife did an awesome job restoring this ageless iron. I bet it is a real power house. Thanks for sharing.

[@johncholmes643]

I can truly appreciate the fact that he hauls it with a Ford....

[@jerrysalgat3406]

Your granddaddy did a lot of walking!!

[@johncholmes643]

@@jerrysalgat3406 At least he wasn't rusting away

[@super44lover]

Lets be honest they all took turns sucking

[@noahbianchi1920]

Haha that’s a great observation!

[@seed_drill7135]

I remember seeing that at the Auto Fair in Charlotte on year when they featured tractors. Neat to see it on this channel.

[@samsacre]

I like the moon hubcaps on the front!! classic tractor fever✌️

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

Simply fantastic! Thanks a lot for rescuing and restoring this extremely unique old iron. Also for taping editing uploading and sharing. Best regards luck and health.

[@michaelhalsall5684]

Great piece of American tractor history!

[@billmoran3812]

I saw that tractor inside the NAPA store in Shepherdsville KY. Pretty cool machine.

[@brianmulligan6239]

You my friend are a great history teacher!!!

[@jeremyswindell7460]

Very neat peace of history! Way to go

[@crslyrn]

Awesome find & really cool to hear the story behind the tractor. Stay safe.

[@jasonhewitt8005]

I live in Paris Ky. I’d love to own that tractor. I love Chevy, and I love antique tractors. What a perfect mix!

[@User0000000000000004]

I love the Kentucky accent! "Comp'ny" Beauty!

[@ihus9950]

Great find, and glad you took the time to bring it back to life. Priceless 👍

[@KubotaBXathome]

With all the straight 6 motors Chevy should have entered the market.

[@cyborgroxx]

That has to be worth a fortune. Somewhat of a holy grail in the tractor community. I wish I owned it.

[@cynthiaayers7696]

I wish I owned it, and he had a feather up his butt. Why you may ask? So he would be tickled about the idea.😅

[@peterhambleton7649]

your discription of the tractor when you found it , sounds like the makings of a country song

[@jamesrichardson559]

Great restoration.

[@P61guy61]

Thank you for posting. Excellent

[@SKC640]

Absolutely crazy how simple of a machine it is in my area which is really rural people made a lot of their own tractors.a lot of people use model s and model Tees lot of people did this in pretty much made theirs from scratch took a ton and a half rear end use a splitter in the transmission to get a geared real low and put a decent horsepower size motor on it then once after world war II hydraulic started coming in about where they would put the crank start they would just put a hydraulic pump right out on the end of that so they could even run hydraulics pretty amazing and pretty simple a lot of people don't realize how simple farm machinery really is including hydraulics in itself hydraulics is one of the most simple concepts there is

[@scottm.franklinnc7942]

I grew up on a dairy in a small town in Oregon and 2 brothers lived down the road from us...the built 90% of their farm equipment... Some a lot simpler then the commercial and did the same thing and some was...holy moly what is it and what's it for...lol 1 that sticks out even now was a 8 wheel -all wheel drive tractor that pivoted in the middle...yrs before any commercial ones came out.

[@loganbeedy5950]

@@scottm.franklinnc7942 building homemade 4WD articulated tractors was popular back in the day as some farmers need a big horse and the equipment manufacturers either didn’t make them or they were too expensive

[@bcgrittner]

I never knew about this tractor. Come on up to Minnesota some time. We have some great threshing shows.

[@jamesbrown-yy1qo]

wow what a nice tractor ,, thx for this video .. Ed Loretto Ontario Canada

[@andrewrife6253]

You know, as powerful as it is and using as many production parts as it does I could see it being a potential hit. The price could have been pretty low and I could see farmers and industrial users who already had Chevrolet trucks being excited about it. It's a shame they never went through with it.

[@andrewrife6253]

@@mylakay100 it would have competed with the big boys for sure.

[@dyer2cycle]

I agree.....but it could have done with some better sheet metal styling, as styled tractors were a big thing by the late 1940's..pretty plain looking...

[@trobertson1825]

Thanks I had never seen this 1 of 1 good for you

[@maxpuppy96]

I own a Golf Course and we have a Toro Parkmaster we made into a dump it had the same engine transmission and rears as that tractor still run it to this day.

[@mtpocketswoodenickle2637]

Mark Nairn. Have you ever looked into the Ventrac companies, line of lawnmower/grounds maintenance equipment?

[@maxpuppy96]

@@mtpocketswoodenickle2637 I had a demo onetime and the drive belts tore off while I was running it and I was not impressed, maybe it was just dumb luck. I am a Toro man all the way, Jacobsen has been in a decline for years and John Deere just has not broken through the market yet. I do have John Deere tractors. I know other golf courses who love their Ventrac's.

[@cynthiaayers7696]

How about some punctuation?

[@dirtyshame2444]

We have a 1946 Chevrolet truck in the pasture..I drove it until 1964. My Dad never traded off anything.

[@kdow7034]

Love it 👍would love to have it

[@albertwilliams8919]

This video is very very interesting,, I love Chevy trucks and cars,, and John Deere TRACTORS,, thank you so much for sharing,,😇

[@3madeamps]

love it .. love that the wife helped even more ..i love it when my wife helps but thats very little ..

[@markjurkovich7814]

I'm not a fan of GM, but that is a tractor I'd own in a second! That thing is way cool! Great job restoring it Sir.

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

Now that is an interesting tractor...👍👍

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

I bet that's the fastest tractor built at that time

[@drhookq]

The Chevy tractor ℹ helped pull out of a old barn had a hand crank start on the front. This is not the only Chevy tractor!

[@darrelstinson4737]

That’s a neat old tractor! Great video.

[@shanepersons383]

Wow what a find pard! Love it!!👍 very nice work on the resto!

[@tomshiba51]

First farmer I've seen wearing a bow-tie while out tilling the fields.

[@scottm.franklinnc7942]

You must of never met my "gramps"... I never saw him with out one on ... lol, even in his milking bids ...always wondered if he worn one to bed but wasn't brave enough to ask him . brothers and cousins would get together and be boys ... If we got to a level he thought was to much ( can hear him today..lol) "boys now that's enough or the next trip is gonna be to the barn" non of us ever did go to the barn but we had seen the strap hang'n in there ..he had painted with a artists brush ( I pressum) "the rod of correct to the seat of knowledge"... ...lol

[@tdbaud]

Very good job on the restoration and video, very interesting, and thank you.

[@paullyon-vv9tb]

Thanks for showing it. Never knew about it 😂

[@alansmlth7989]

One of a kind for sure. Interesting.

[@interman7715]

Beautiful tractor .

[@mitchelrowe7363]

That is one way cool tractor!

[@robertheinkel6225]

Don't think I have ever seen hub caps on a tractor before.

[@scottweatherman3266]

Very nice video. TY

[@AndyFromm]

3:02 farmall & deere had hydraulic brakes in the early 60's

[@billclifton8400]

Ford did in late sixties

[@jeffrey717]

I'm guessing he meant "stand alone" hyd brakes not using the hydraulic system??? I had the same question.

[@danw1955]

Pretty interesting tractor. The old stovebolt six would have done pretty well as a tractor engine, I believe. It was a low rpm, high torque engine to start with, and as long as it was governed between 1800-2500 rpm, they would run for a long time with proper maintenance (I know, because I had a '47 Chevy pickup for about 22 years, and the first 10 years I had it, it retained the old 216 stovebolt motor). I think GM missed out on a lucrative market in farm equipment. They supplied several tractor manufacturers with small GM/Detroit diesels for their tractors, but never built tractors themselves. If they had partnered with a company like Oliver (who used some of the 4-53 Detroit's in their tractors), they could have done pretty well I believe. There's a lot of tough 4 and 6 cylinder engines that would have worked well in the industrial arena like the 235 that came after the 216, the 151 Iron Duke 4 cyl. and several others.

[@ohlookadragon]

Like the Gentleman said its splash lubricated with babbit bearings. I don't think it would hold up to fieldwork very well

[@danw1955]

@@ohlookadragon The Ford Model N was splash lube and look how many of those are still around and running well. As long as the rods and internals are actually *getting* oil, they will live. *Correction:* I was thinking of the 8N and confusing it with the Fordson N, which actually WAS splash lube. The 8N actually did have an oil pump...

[@ohlookadragon]

@@danw1955 yes I am aware believe it or not I have a 1939 English fordson. The only thing is it turns at maybe 1200rpm max and the basic engine design goes all the way back to the late 10s with the fordson F. There is a reason the 10-20 put them out of business in the states.

[@4literfandaniel373]

Holy cow a Chevy that runs!

[@scottm.franklinnc7942]

Lol..Chevy and I have a love hate relationship...they love for me to wrench on them and I hate too ... 👍 and no I don't own one ... I grew up on a dairy mom bout a new 68 F250 from her inheritance sold it in 78 with over 400k on it ..it hauled everything from a - z and taught 3 boys to drive ... figured had to be a good brand ... but I've also owned some mopar that held their frowned as well a 71 d100 with a slant 6 .. I'd put it any place 4x4's would go and it would hold it's own..

[@alaskarailroad3996]

What world do you live in? Of course it runs. Its a CHEVY.

[@isthebeeflol]

Amazing.

[@markgamble8377]

Would have been ahead of its time.refinements woulda followed. I put a ford falcon engine in a massy haris junior. What a ride.

[@ShainAndrews]

Not sure what about it is ahead of its time. Doesn't even have PTO or a three point lift. I'd be curious on the gear ratios for tractor use since it is all off the shelf parts with tall tractor tires bolted on.

[@wilburfinnigan2142]

@@ShainAndrews With the 2 speed rear end and granny first gear i am not sure it was geared low enough, maybe add another trans in the drive train !!!

[@ShainAndrews]

@@wilburfinnigan2142 My thoughts as well. Prototype proof of concept sorta deal. On the other hand I bet road gear is a real treat. LOL.

[@hubertrobinson8825]

This one's new to me

[@tomr3074]

Man , that should have sold good 👍

[@tanksoldier9770]

That is so cool , thank you two for restoring it !!!! If you were building another and had a choice what engine would you choose ? Thanks. TANK

[@Thoroughly_Wet]

imagine if this took off and lasted A few generations. Imagine a 1958 model with a 348 big block v8

[@be5575]

I like the looks of that Chevy. Wonder what the GMC model woulda looked like?

[@oscarhedden8828]

A 270 six with 144hp

[@adammosher5818]

It's beautiful

[@maryolson7833]

Nice. Tractors

[@jimsteele7108]

Wow, very interesting.

[@davidshultz4986]

I really like that chevey tractor

[@BRPFan]

Wow very cool!

[@jerrykinnin7941]

I saw that tractor at the KOI calvocade of customs in Cincinnati A while back.

[@jmccracken491]

This is way awesome .

[@ih1206]

Pretty cool. Never knew GM tried to build a tractor.

[@justinstearns9723]

They had previously, in the 1910s, bought out Samson Iron Works and modified one of their tractors called the Sieve Grip, by putting a 4 cylinder GMC engine in it and slapping GMC badges all over it. After that they built the more conventional Model M to beat the Fordson F, but it couldn’t compete with the price of the Fordson, and Samson disappeared quickly.

[@wilburfinnigan2142]

ih 1206 GM never tried Mr Nutter did and offered it to GM !!! Pay attention !!!

[@ih1206]

Wilbur Finnigan sounds to me like Mr. Nutter was under contract to build this prototype so it’s would still be a GM product. I understand GM didn’t physically build the tractor but they commissioned the project.

[@thomasbeck9075]

That tractor would have been a success

[@lukebecker1959]

I had a Ford ad at the beginning of this video

[@scottm.franklinnc7942]

Lol .. Me too .....kinda funny really

[@RoadRunnergarage8570]

1 of 1..

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Interesting Story .. a Blue flame engine with pressure oil system would have plenty of power.. No Pressure oil to the rods would be bad.. No PTO either ..

[@justinstearns9723]

A 292 would be my choice. Biggest Chevy Inline 6 made and just about indestructible.

[@barrysimmons4724]

I noticed the lack of PTO also. Guess you'd have had to take off the trans. side plate.

[@chadbailey8152]

I disagree with no oil pressure to rods, yes it's good, but Farmall f 20 and 30 had splash system to lube rods, the tractors were ledgenary!!!!

[@barrysimmons4724]

@@chadbailey8152 if you kept your oil in them and did not overwind them they would run forever.

[@cdjhyoung]

A tractor with this high of horse power would have been intended as a tillage tractor more than a stationary power source, so the lack of a PTO may not have been that big a deal. Not having hydraulics seems to be a bigger issue to me.

[@jeffscott8323]

Don't blame you for grabbing this one

[@cardinalforlife1143]

Don’t worry when it breaks down I will pull it out with my ford tractor

[@markgamble8377]

The way the hood opens is recent. Improvment on current tractors

[@rontownsend8235]

The most prominent sign on the street is "COLD BEER", imagine that would you. It just stuck out like a sore thumb.

[@chevyfan82]

Would have been cool if chevy went into production of tractors I like the ideal of using truck parts.

[@AtomicReverend]

Cheap and reliable for the era... Genius in my opinion and I am not a hardcore GM guy, more or a Nash/Rambler and Mopar guy in that era but a cheap 6 cylinder that even by the post war era was proven a great engine GM would have sold a million of these to the brand loyal guys and with power numbers that was unheard of until probably the late 1960s.

[@chevyfan82]

@Mark Grudt well if the trucks that hauled the goods we're good enough to to do the job I don't see why the tractor wouldn't have been up to the job every tractor has it's strength and weakness. keeping that in mind that it is a first prototype and would have under gone many changes. That being said they could see that there was no room in the market look how many tractor manufacturers are left compared to what was.

[@AtomicReverend]

@@chevyfan82 I was thinking like you, I could see a guy that was using Chevy grain trucks and pickups going "I could buy all my stuff from my local dealer and get a good deal and have GM reliability (at that time gm was by far the biggest company) and get all my parts at the western auto (1950s parts chain) in town..." Having the same drive train as the other vehicles on the farm you could memorize stuff like plug gaps, points and valve lash adjustments and wear items you could have on the shelf and not have to carry on hand 5 different distributor caps for example. As for farm tractors of the era none of them were really huge in size yet, it wasn't until the mid sixties sizes got monstrous... This tractor would have been ideal for a small to medium farm of the era just like a 8n Ford... Except with way more power.

[@chevyfan82]

@@AtomicReverend yep it would have been very reliable and very affordable and with hydraulic brakes that would have been a game winner, but with previous venture's GM did with making tractors they decided to just focus on vehicle production. Some might argue that having a splash oiling system for the rod bearings was a weak point, but most early engines were like that and they are still going strong. It's funny because the people that say this would have been a bad idea must have never been around many farms of that time to how many farmers would take there old car or truck and turn it into a tractor.

[@AtomicReverend]

@@chevyfan82 I guess they never read the history of the Jeep either... After the war it was sold as a cheap 4 wheel drive implement machine... They sold all kinds of tools for It (although as a jeep lover I have never seen a single tool but I am not exactly "farmer Al" either living on my 1/2 acre in California but I digress). It wasn't until rhe early 1950s that the offroad hobby took off and made the jeep into a legend but its commercial roots was in farming.

[@jeffscott8323]

What a tractor

[@bluesharp59]

Thumbs up liked for you.

[@jimmymyers1152]

That six cylender would have pulled great

[@ultimacats2009]

i seen that same tractor with gmc stamped on both sides of the rear axle in ontario canada. it was green with red rims.

[@marymatthis2827]

Ultima & Cats got a picture?

[@ultimacats2009]

@@marymatthis2827 no it would have bein 1990ish

[@frankwurth5375]

I would like to see some documentation showing a real connection with GM management. Until then, it could be just a good home built project from back in the day. Totally fascinating as it is, very well thought out. As for the dipper rods, IHC and others used that in tractors for decades with great success. As long as the right oil is used and the rpm kept realistic, it would have done well. I've seen that stove bolt 6 used to repower an Oliver 70, years back. It also was down in the KY area, nice fit up. The guy claimed he pulled 4 plows, but I think he would run out of traction in any hills or heavy soil. Those truck engine and trans assy lent itself to easy fit up with many older tractor chassis.

[@Bill-sp8kb]

Do your own research.

[@dagorithe]

I was recently wondering if Chevy made a tractor ... Keeping the Ford vs Chevy war going.

[@AndyFromm]

We see who won that.

[@applesucks2633]

Did this have a Ford 9 inch rear end? LOL!

[@genewoody7187]

@@williamsidis5489 I was in Harrison, AR at the dentist in the late 50's. I was walking by the ford dealership and a car hauler was there with some cars still aboard it. The hood was up on the truck. There big as life was a GMC engine in it. It was a V6 Detroit.

[@wildcoyote34]

@Apple Sucks if you listen to the video he clearly said it had a 1.5 ton truck rearend from a 46 GMC truck 9 inch ain't nowhere near that big

[@scottm.franklinnc7942]

@@applesucks2633 ROTF..burn outs with a row crop tractor ... wonder if wheely bars were available...lol

[@robertpayne2717]

General Motors I think entertained the idea of building tractors about the same time as Henry Ford right after WW1

[@MrRoadrunnerman]

Yeah... Ford made some tractors after WW 1... They were called Fordson... was made in the 1900 years. I have seen a few around... really simple tractor.. they didn't have a water pump... had a fan though... The circulation of water was used as the expansion of the water getting hotter which made water to flow through a radiator.

[@wilburfinnigan2142]

@@MrRoadrunnerman They use the Model T engine !!!

[@paulthompson5272]

The Fordson tractor had it's own engine, not from any car or truck. It also had babbeted rods with dippers and NO oil pump, the flywheel thru oil into a scoop that led it into troughs that fed the main bearings.

[@BriggsStratton11]

Interesting machine! I'm not sure how useful 90hp is when its turning skinny single 11.2" tires.

[@malcolmmeer9761]

I own a Custom tractor which was built in Shelbyville In in the late 40s Was made out of Dodge truck parts Tricycle front 5 speed tranny hydraulic brakes and factory tach. About 35 mph

[@ericcorse]

That is interesting and it had real brakes.

[@10832894]

Outstanding find one of a kind a Chevrolet Tractor. 😊🇺🇸🚜🇺🇸

[@roman8724]

Nutter lol (Peter Griffin laugh)

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

Only reason my dad owns a Ford tractor is Chevy never made one

[@alaskarailroad3996]

@Jim Watson very funny. Chevy was always the most reliable, and still is.

[@saltysteel3996]

@Jim Watson Found On Road Dead. Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge.

[@causwayspeedway]

The man said the rods were not pressurized so longevity was an issue?

[@eriet1]

@@alaskarailroad3996 no. that's silly

[@reno145]

@@saltysteel3996 Yeah, and Chevy's have never broken down.

[@markh2128]

Imagine going to your local Chevy dealer and looking at new cars,trucks and tractors all using basically the same drive line.

[@MorganOtt-ne1qj]

Ford left the tractor market in the 1990's. They actually made some good ones until they sold out to CIH, becoming CNH Global. Many Fords had British components after 1965. I would have loved to have had a Bow Tie tractor around though! 🤔👍

[@thepubliceye]

Sound like a good story if true.

[@jtoddjb]

I wish Chevy had made this and other tractors.

[@luispadilla7519]

Que lindo ese tractor con motor Chevrolet lástima que no esta traducido al español 😭