Forrest CIty Tractor Show
A year ago we made a trip to Forrest City, Iowa, and the Heritage Festival(previously called the Steam Threshing Festival!).
We have stopped here before on our way to family reunions on my wife’s side. Two years ago the show was featuring Farmall Tractors and this year-Minneapolis Moline.
We arrived Friday morning, the first morning of the show. There were not that many tractors there yet but I did run into a few fun Minneapolis Moline tractors. The grounds has I guess you could say a Pioneer Village. We checked out some tractors and a few buildings.
As I was surveying the tractors on display up pulled a Minneapolis Moline UDLX. If you are not familiar MM made the UDLX in 1938. UDLX stands for U-Deluxe. The UDLX was a model U tractor developed by Minneapolis-Moline for operation as both a tractor and an automobile. Examples were delivered from the factory with an enclosed all-weather cabin and rear doors, and options included an electric starter, a clock, a heater, and a radio. The tractor retailed for approximately $1,900 new, and after slow sales, a reported 50 examples were later returned to Minneapolis-Moline and retrofitted with standard Model U tractor bodywork.
An acquaintance of mine, Sheldon Knutson, owned one. I have never driven or road in one but they are quite a collector’s item One of the last ones that I saw sell at auction brought in about $211,000. When I was in High School we got the “Minnesota Farmer’s Union Newspaper.” It had a section with classified ads. So I sent in an add saying I was looking for a UDLX tractor. At that time tractor collecting wasn’t big, but even a UDLX was probably a collector’s item. Needless to say I did not get a call, and if I would have I did not have enough money for a UDLX!
The first tractor I even bought with my own money was a ZB Minneapolis Moline. So I have a soft spot for MM tractors. I good friend of mine has recently came across a nice U MM tractor that he hopes to purchase. I love my John Deeres but my recent connections with MM line has given me renewed interest the Minnesota machines!
How about a little tractor trivia.
1.The U Minneapolis Moline was made from 1938- __________ .
2. Was the R MM tractor ever manufactured with a factory cab?
3. The ZB replaced what model?
4. The U Minneapolis Moline had a _____ cylinder engine.
5. What is the official name of the “yellow paint” color used on MM tractors?
answers: 1. 1948 2. Yes, they are very collectible today. 3. The Model Z 4. 4 cyl 5. Prairie Gold
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Eric Mickelson
Green Magazine
RIchard's Publishing
Oklee, MN 56742
218-791-9157