History of an Icon.. The Fordson Major Story.

[@calvinkalmon6746]

You really must have a Major, I have 6 of them here in Wisconsin USA and love each one.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

I'm on the look out for a new performance super major. Hard got, but I'll get one 👍

[@russpiraino9096]

I need a cylinder head for a 62 SM MK2. Any recommendations?

[@garthmcgibbon4285]

I have three Fordson Power Majors. Keeping them rolling!

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Excellent, are they still in use?

[@russpiraino9096]

I need a cylinder head for a 62 SM MK2. Any recommendations?

[@JohnAsmith-rw6uo]

I'm jealous wish l could find a Power Major.

[@jefftheaussie2225]

Plenty of Fordsons came here to Australia. My father’s first tractor was an E27N. We also had a Power Major for a while. The 9G Chamberlain was far ahead of the Fordson. I know of a fellow who had a fleet of Power Majors as his hay contracting tractors in the late 70s till about 1990 when he finally changed over to Ford 5000s. Those Fordsons were old when he got them and they did 10s of thousands more hours in his business. They were a tough simple reliable machine that would go forever with a minimum, and I mean minimum, amount of maintenance. I could go on. The E27N with the diesel option was the Perkins P6 which was a sweet sounding motor. Good run down on a legendary tractor. Jeff

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks Jeff. Glad you enjoyed it. I have a video coming up early in the new on Chamberlain you might enjoy. Thanks for watching 👍

[@tammydayashburton5534]

My father bought a new power major in 1959. I remember coming home from school and it was being delivered. Morven, Waimate, New Zealand.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

It seems they were very popular in New Zealand. Thanks for watching 👍

[@marcgordon2416]

Nice to Here the story of the fordson majoor and the dexta. I drove whene i was youg, 10til 18years old a majoor and a dexta, and a smal one 1000 serie and a7700. Later i drove a fiat,cormick and Renault. I have work a fiwe years as a monteur by Deutz tractor. But the time when i was yong and drove a ford tractor i never forget. Thanks for this information. Greating from the netherlands.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@dellhell8842]

Great channel. Before I moved away from farming, I grew up on Browns and Fords in Ireland. My late father had TVO Fordson E27Ns, and DB Cropmasters, a DB 25D and 880 Selectamatic, Fordson New Performance Super Majors and a 6Y Ford Force 5000. After porous block issues on the 5000, he moved onto Masseys that I never warmed to.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

That's a great line up... There were lots of DB and Fords here in Ireland back then.. thanks for watching 👍

[@nickfox6339]

Great video thanks. I drove when I was just a boy the old model N, the High Major and the new 1953 diesel Major. My grandfather owned a farm in Suffolk and I drove these tractors whilst I was still at school. The High Major had a petrol/kerosene engine. I.e you started on petrol then switched over to kerosene when the engine warmed up. Incidentally in about 1953/1954 Fordson brought out a beautiful die cast model of the 1953 Fordson Major, and just about every boy in our school had them for a Christmas present. We left Suffolk in 1956 when my parents immigrated to Australia unfortunately I have never driven a Fordson since but I still love those old tractors.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for that, you have great history with them. 😊

[@mrrooter3630]

Great tractors. Done plenty of work in their time. Would always start on a cold day.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Unlike some moden stuff.. thanks for watching 👍

[@TaherTaher-uk8jt]

Powerful tractor with simple maintenance. It is still working. It is my favorite.

[@morrismclean3584]

Around about the 3/4 1950's my Dad got off our E27N Major while ploughing and said you can take over for a while. I still recall looking back, as I moved from mudguard clinging, to sitting in the seat, to see if he had actually gone and he had. So it was me, ploughing on this smallish,flat but ugly diamond shaped, bit of land. Adjacent to a creek. I was about 7 y/o. To push the clutch in I had the stand on the pedal with both feet and pull on the steering wheel. There was always that jolt as I let!? clutch out.This was at Figtree, NSW, Australia. It was the kerosene/petrol variation.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

That's a nice way to start out your driving career 👍

[@Gearoid35]

Good informative video thanks for posting

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@gerthholm1220]

Great video.... I am the Lucky owner with my boys age 6and 8 years, they have a super major and I have my granddad's super dexta... love them...

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Fantastic 👌

[@patwatters8205]

Great video,I pushed up silage in 1967 with a Major,I was 11 years old..The farmers son was cutting and drawing to the pit with a Super Major neither of which would have been bought new.The son still farms the same farm and still has one of the Majors..I myself had a Dexta about 1987, they were fast on the road

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

My kinda childhood 😊 Thanks for watching 👍

[@feirmfactor859]

Great interesting video. Good job!!

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@lauriepearce8266]

My father bought a brand new E1A Major in 1952. I can vaguely remember its arrival as a toddler. Of course in later years I learned to drive it, fond memories of the various tasks I did with it. Ploughing with the inevitable retinue of sea birds and crows feasting on the worms and insects that were turned up. It was a huge improvement over the E27N . No swingeing on a starting handle or messing around with petrol and TVO. It was always a instant starter even in cold weather as long as it had a good battery.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for that. Nice memories 👌

[@HorseMalone]

A tractor and a quarter...and then still plus a bit !

[@kennethbrewer1743]

My favorite ford

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

👌

[@apuuvah]

Plenty of Fordsons still doing small work in Finland. Very popular. We got two legends, Fordson Super Major - 64 and Massey Ferguson 135 - 65.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

@apuuvah Very good. Look.after them. Thanks for watching 👍

[@ozziefarmboy3569]

Mys got a detachable front blade and is my favort tractor with out a cab I own

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Nice.. 👌

[@FlyingFergyMan]

Great video 👍very interesting 👍

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks. 😊

[@martinbarnicle3667]

Another great video did all my site work with super major 1981 belonged to my brother in law.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Does he still have it Martin?

[@martinbarnicle3667]

A neighbour has it parked up for several years

[@kazawhaki60]

I learned to drive on a fotdson major at age 10 (in the early 90s). Pto driven cement mixer on the back building a shed with my father. Scrawny little ten year old arms swinging out of the steering to reverse around 90 degree corners with the cast iron front wheels was no easy task 😂

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

🤣🤣 Thanks for watching 👍

[@erik_dk842]

Majors look badass when they get a 6-cylinder engine of the same basic type from for instance a New Holland combine. Majors were used used as base for rollers, backhoes and even articulated dump trucks. As a little kid, I could always recognize the "face" of the Fordson Major and its litlle brother, the Dexta

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

The 6 cylinder is savage in them.. and the V8's ive seen 😆

[@Dave.w-ev9qn1962]

Thanks for the information! So was more for the export market then. And not used like you would start a petter engine, but to lube the engine before starting. Great content, keep it coming👌

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Yes, cold climates. Thanks 👍

[@MARTILOU]

Exelent presentation ive always been intriged by them imy dad aleays called them english fords Thank you

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

@@MARTILOU Thank you 👍

[@EoineyMTX125]

I have a Dexta lovely little tractor looking to get a power major to go along with it

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

That would be a nice combination 👌

[@michaellynskey7124]

Started driving a power major and super major when I was 7 on a local farm where I would help all the year round, Even had time off school to drive a major on the front of a potato harvester, Several women including my mother were picking off rubbish and clods on the harvester which was a whitstead duplex,

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

You had an excellent childhood 🤣

[@callumhudson802]

My granda has a fordson power major which is paired with a 2 furrow Ransomes ts64 plough. This combination has won a few trophies at Ploughing matches in Scotland. I also learnt to plough on this tractor and plough combo.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Excellent, great machines to learn on. Thanks for watching 👍

[@erik_dk842]

The same uncle with the 50 hour MB Trac 1000, also had a pristine sales brochure for the Fordson Major. I remember how it described that the engine block was shared between all three fuel versions. The Cessna and Piper sales brochures were more interesting to me, though.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

🤣 I'm fond of the light aircraft brochures myself 👨‍✈️

[@keitharmitage1801]

Good video, thanks. Just to add that the power major had the throttle and instruments up under the steering wheel.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks Keith, yes I did find that out after I made the video. Thanks for watching 👍

[@davidbrennan3613]

Excellent video as always

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks David 👍

[@dougpeterson5257]

Always liked the way the Perkins diesel sounded. I spent quite a few hours on one for a couple summers. The live pto was a great improvement

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@ozziefarmboy3569]

LOL just got off mime 40 minutes before watching this

[@MsButtons55]

Fordson Major was my first tractor to drive i was aged about 7 at the time

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

A lot of kids learned to drive on the Majors I'm sure. Thanks for watching 👍

[@reginaldhowell2261]

Like your show ! Still use a 58 power major it was my dad he bought it new he fitted a blade to the front and the optional power assisted steering in the early sixties dad use to contract plough 500 acres plus his own 200 acresand push up rock heaps yearly after 6yrs he had the rings and bigends done a compression ring was completely missing! And funny enough it did'nt seem to make any difference in HP ! Later on he moved to the south east of Western Australia and the power major helped in landclearing mostly pushing windrows of chained mallee scrub in very dusty conditions he also had post rammer on the 3 point linkage , the engine was reringed in the early nineties, i dont know how many hours but it would be more than 10,000 i guess i recently replaced the dual clutch and replaced the radiator .The parts are quite reasonable and if your got basic mechanical skills its not hard to keep fordson major going .R

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Great information there, thanks. I spent some time in South East WA so I understand how dusty it can get 🤣

[@farmideas]

I hate being negative, but the Major was a poor performer on slopes in Wales. I had a couple of frights with my Major Diesel and found a Zetor 5545 (4wd, 55hp, 5 x 2 box) which was outstanding. Lower centre of gravity and front tyres narrow enough to dig in. Needless to say I used Zetor throughout my 25 years as a farmer. Now doing Practical Farm Ideas reporting on other people's bright notions. Great job!

[@of-Israel]

How's farming going over there Europe seems to be treating the farmers very badly..

[@ozziefarmboy3569]

Got an e1 love it

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

👌

[@lukey6534]

I still use a fordson for sowing, cutting and small baling lucerne. The low HP jobs. It will pull a 25 tyne scarifire or a 3m disc just at a lower speed than a 100 hp tractor.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Still well able to put in a good day's work.👌

[@lukey6534]

I didn't expect much from a 70 year old tractor so it was the least disappointing tractor I have ever ran. There was grain growers in Australia that grew 500 acres of crop with them back in the 60s. The pull better than their HP. They were like the case magnum of their time

[@m0ogy]

Great video and information 🙂

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@jamieshields9521]

My first tractors I drive IH WD6 n A554 then I drive MF 100 series n later in early 20’s I drive Fordson Super Major with huge respect this tractor did some heavy lifting n pulling with oil been contaminated by water from crack water jacket? She just kept going for years. Many years later I drive Ford 5000, I might been IH fan but definitely like Fordson/Ford tractors unlike MF which were frustrating tractors also some of Chamberlain tractors like Loadstar.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@Mackeson3]

Frustrating? Dad told that many years ago me he got a contracting job baling hay for a neighbour using a Massey 65 with an IH B46 baler. When he arrived the farmer had also asked ANOTHER neighbour to come and help bale it too, coincidentally he had the same baler as dad but this time pulled by a Major. Apparently the windrows were 'bloody awful' all lumps and bumps. This was in the days when the Major still had the single clutch, i.e. put your foot on the clutch and the tractor stopped and so did the PTO. Dad's like all MF 65 and 35 tractors came with the dual clutch as standard so he could stop the forward motion of the tractor and leave the PTO running so he could 'creep' up to these lumps to feed them into the baler whereas the guy on the Major was well and truly buggered. Anyway Mr. Major driver walked up to dad and said "It's all yours Fred I've had enough, I'm going home!" 🤣

[@jamieshields9521]

@@Mackeson3 MF steering n awful cab but trying hitch folks or bucket up on the Chamberlain was frustrating n then selecting gear to takeoff. WD6 had no power steering but it’s main job was saw bench, where A554 had power steering great access from back, it would pull all farm equipment with ease like 511 seeder.

[@flatheadV8]

That rib round. the fuel tank - great for removing skin from your fingers once the gear leaver got a bit worn. Thumbs out on the outside of the steering wheel, otherwise you risked a soar thumb when the steering wheel spun back if a front wheel caught a rut or stone.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

I can imagine 😱

[@hotarutomoeofficial]

My ex boyfriend in hokkaido near him in a shed stood a yellow fordson major with tracks on it i myself love kubota tractors i have 2 older kubota sunshine models one restored to working original condition Much love Hotaru

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for watching. I'll have a video on Kubota in the future that I'm sure you will be interested in 👍

[@hotarutomoeofficial]

@@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery oh my that would be soooo amazing^^ thank you alot

[@RobertGoodson-ti3pd]

Still using 2 Fordson in my business here in Australia

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Excellent. Thanks for watching 👍

[@KrishanPhogat-e1n]

Best tractor in 60"s

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

@@KrishanPhogat-e1n Super machines. Thanks for watching 👍

[@brianmarshall1637]

I would just say the new performance looks the most modern and with thereafter and bigger front tyres is almost contemporary.

[@ientu-iencongnghiepbinhmin2811]

I have a ford 508e diesel head that is currently used as a generator. thank you

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

No problem.. Thanks for watching 👍

[@FenlandCrusader]

Interesting but not to criticize anybody's videos i know mine are not perfect but i was always led to believe the only factory fitted perkins in e27n was the p6 the L4 was done by dealer's and sold ad kit's. Correct me if I'm wrong 😊keep up the good work ❤

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Yeah that's interesting, I'll look into that for sure!! As I said in the video, I got a lot of conflicting information when I was researching the Major. Thanks for watching 👍

[@johnsweeney1712]

Great video. Good to get the timeline and the details about the various iterations of the Major. Like you I never drove one… I think that the Ford tractors of the late seventies eg the 6600 made the Major seem dated in just over a decade, just like the MF135 made the TE20 seem relatively obsolete in about the same era. Keep up the good work.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Yes they became dated very quick when the 100 series and new ford's came out. Still, they are doing a good shift on some farms around the country..

[@scorm3088]

My brother legitimately has 6 Majors different versions like the power majors, super majors, regular major's & 4wd majors

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Amazing !!

[@ontarioman6301]

My dad and brothers had 1954 and 1962 super Major

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Very good. Thanks for watching👍

[@nicstorer6375]

My wife's aunt was a land army girl in Yorkshire

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Very good.. They were a huge part of the war effort

[@warrenscott8491]

the new major was known as the DKN

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

It sure was 👍

[@eliaspiraino2814]

I need a 3.6L diesel cylinder head for a 63 Super Major, in U.S. Any suggestions. thanks!

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

In the US, I wouldn't have a clue, I'm afraid. Sorry

[@petersmith4455]

hi, great video.why was the air cleaner sometimes on the right of the engine but most times on the left on the fordson major, ? love these tractors grew up with them in the 60s

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

That's a good question, I'm not sure to be honest, I've only ever seen them on the left, I can only assume its got to do with the engine used.. I'll do some research and get back to you. 👍

[@Dave.w-ev9qn1962]

Interesting video on the majors!👍. Spotted decompression lever on a super major wile watching video from USA. My 1962 super major not got one and can’t say I’ve seen one on major hear in England. Was it just for the export market?

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

The decompression lever was an option in some areas, standard in cold climates (eg New Zealand) or not available in others (eg Australia). The lever lifts the valves of thier seats (hence the reason the engine will not start)and alows the engine to be turned by hand (16:1 comp ratio makes the engine hard to turn over) and is used in cold weather. The procedure for use is engage the lever, turn the engine with the starter or by hand for about a dozen revolutions. This will pump oil up to the crank. Return the lever to its normal position and start the engine. Thanks for watching 👍

[@nwhitten7306]

They were still being built up to the 70s in Spain under the ebro name !

[@patrickkelly1055]

So can a super major have the cast front wheels or all super majors have the pressed rims

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Super major had cast rims, "New Performance Super Major had pressed rims 👍

[@__This_idiot]

My nabor has 5 of them hear in sweden

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Excellent. Does he work them or just a collector?

[@__This_idiot]

@@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery he has one that starts and gose with no breaks and a notera one with a broken gearbox and one he plows snow with that works tho the oter 2 are broken

[@robertsmith9810]

i owned the later ford 3000 it was not a bad tractor but the hydraulics let it down not as good as my MF 35 or my MF135

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

I'll have a video on the ford 3000 in the future 😉

[@laurencecharlton8760]

The e27n had the clutch pedal on the right,fergie pedal on the left,took a few brake slam issues now and then if you were going from one to other!!Needn't ask me how I know!!👍🤔😂

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

This is true, I heard that from a lad who used to drive one and had the same experience 🤣🤣

[@Garybob-e9q]

8N or 9N Ford.....

[@johnpayne3953]

At 5:51 why can’t you tell a Dexter from a major

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

It is a file picture of a 3 point linkage for those out there who don't know what a 3 point linkage is... Thanks for watching 👍

[@churchparkfarm3178]

A great tractor but it never bet the te 20 or 35

[@hdw5831]

Good subject, bad sound. Unfortunately.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Thanks for your comment, and thanks for watching? 👍What exactly do you find bad about the sound?

[@hdw5831]

Your voice sounds hollow. Not pleasant to listen to.

[@AgrimotiveFarmMachinery]

Well, that's my Irish accent, nothing much I can do about that, unfortunately. Sounds good to me on my phone and laptop. Anyway, thanks for your input. All comments are appreciated, and help this channel within the KZbin algorithm and help push it out to a wider audience 😀