Tractor Trivia

When I grew up we were farming with mostly John Deere two cylinder tractors, I am sure the reason they are my favorite machines. Eventually we moved up to a 4010 Diesel. We thought we had the world by the tail! I asked my dad once what was the best tractor you ever had. After some thinking he responded, “I guess the 4010!” I may agree probably it was the tractor I put the most hours on when I grew up.
A couple of our neighbors around that time had 5000 Ford tractors. I wasn’t familiar but the blue tractors looked nice as they moved across the field. I remember seeing both of these tractors doing a lot of haying. Later when I graduated from college and was teaching at Viking School in Viking, MN, I worked for a friend and neighbor once in a while. He had a 5000 Ford and pulled a Hesston Stack Maker with it, making those hay stacks that looked like a loaf of bread. I got to run that 5000 making stacks. It was fun! Of course, I always loved haying!
The 5000 Ford was made from 1965-1976. The first series was built from 1965-1967. They made some changes and in 1968-1976 the newer models were produced.  The 5000 had 4 cylinder engine available as gasoline or diesel.
A few years ago I was talking with Kelly Dahlen of Goodridge, MN. Turns out he has a 5000 Ford that was purchased new in about 1974 by his father, Erling. When it was purchased the 5000 did everything on the farm. Many hours were put on the tractor! Recently Kelly had the 5000 overhauled and has been doing some other fixing. He took me to the shop to take a look and hit the key and the tractor was running! Now the tractor is sort of retired.  Kelly’s wife Brenda will probably bale a couple hundred square bales with it, other than that its life will probably be spent on simple chores or hanging around in the shop!
Stories like this are fun to me, fixing up dad’s tractor and sharing a story or two about the tractors life accomplishments. Some people like their dogs or cats, but I like to spend time taking tractors! Everybody’s got their hobby and mine, well, it’s tractors!
Thanks Kelly for the story about the 5000!
How about a little tractor trivia!
1. The Ford 5000 was built in __________________?
A) Milwaukee, WI  B) Chicago, IL C) Highland Park, MI  D) Waterloo, IA
2. In 1965 a 5000 tested with 53.3 PTO hp and in 1968 it was tested at __________hp.
A) 59.94 hp  B) 63.94 hp C) 65.54hp D) 69.94 hp
3. In 1967 the price of 5000 Ford was $5400, in 1976 the price was _____________.
A) $9995  B) $10,500  C) $11,500  D) $12,999
4. Some of the  Ford’s  came with a 10 speed transmission called __________________?
5.DId Ford make a model 6000?
Answers: 1. C. Highland Park   2. B. 63.94hp  3. C. $11,500  4. Select-O-SPeed  5.  Y

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Eric Mickelson

Green Magazine

RIchard's Publishing

Oklee, MN 56742

218-791-9157