On The F.F.A stand we had a "Fantastic 3 F Display", which marked the Centenary of this Fordson model off to a T.....or F should I say???

This Superb Kent event was held on Saturday 1st April at The Kent County Showground, Detling near Maidstone.

Again Rodney Gibson & his Freinds pulled in rare and beautiful tractors to be on the F.F.A Centenary Stand here. Clive Munrow's 1918 Hercules engined MOM which has not been outside for 45 years and "never" shown before, Nick Bullock's narrow 1923 F Model, Nick Hanks 1924 model F, Ian Prince's 1960 Ind Major fitted with a Cooke 2 speed winch & Cameron garden reloader to name but a few in the FFA display area.

Anyway more about these later as it was time to go forth and wander about the vehicles, exhibits and Club Stands that were set up here.

Maidstone Model Engineering Society showing their high detail in fabricating their steam engines.

1956 Cyclemaster which was made in England using a BSA bicycle frame. It has 32cc - 0.8hp - 25:1 petrol mix - 20/25mph and a fuel capacity of 230 miles.
The electic lights were 6 volts, so not to bright...This was one of my show favourites.......

Mopeds, Lambretta's, Vintage & Classic British, Japaneese motorcycles were all here on display.

Outside in the sunshine were the Vehicles & Commercials Displays

Modern back end with a Classic Cab BMC ...I think this works nicely together.

Of course the great variety of Buses here each year, taking passengers for free rides around the County Showground vast area were really good fun not only for our grandkids but us aswell.

On my way back to the FFA stand for a cuppa.... I noticed this 1946 Garrett BMB Ploughmate.

It has a 6hp single cylinder Coburn petrol engine and spent most of its working life at Fawkham Green, Longfield, Kent. This is a very rare piece of history as only 3 were made and this one was exhibited in the Royal Smithfield Agricultural Show of 1946.

After my cuppa it was time to gather the information of these rare beauties that were adorning the FFA Stand......

1924 Model F owned by Nick Hanks

This model F was brought back from France and mechanically rebuilt by Cox and Turner, then sold onto an Essex collector by the name of Billy Woods, who showed it at various shows and events for a few years.
Purchased by Nick approx 5-6 yrs ago after Bill put his collection into Cheffins. We shown it at various events in the South East and Essex as part of the Hanks collection.

1918 Hercules engined MOM Owned by Clive Munrow

This tractor was manufactured in early 1918 by Henry Ford & Son at Dearborn, Michigan, USA. It was part of an order by the British Government during WW1 under contract for the Ministry of Munitions to mechanize farming to increase food production. Believed to be part of the order shipped to the UK in kit form and assembled at the Ministry of Munititons Agricultural Tractor Factory , Trafford Park, Manchester. This may explain why the tractor serial number of 4071 is missing from the Official tractor records.

MOM Tractors as they have become know, have certain features that are different to and predate Henry Ford's highly successful Fordson Model F tractor.
This MOM tractor was issued with a Kent Registeration of KE 8751 when first registered in 1922.

Above Words & Photos - Clive Munrow

The MOM was stored / left in above shed in a field for 20 years and Clive has had it for 25 years.It has never been at an event or shown to the public for what he can remember being at least 45 years.

1924 Fordson Vineyard Model F

The model F tractor under went many alterations in it's years of production from late 1918 until it's end of model in 1927/28. The N model was then evolved and produced in Dagenham England.

This tractor is a production model from 1924, made in Michigan USA with the modified Holley 295 manifold and twin filler fuel tank. It was supplied new to a Ford dealership in Toulouse France where it was converted to a narrow wheel base for use in the areas vineyards by shotening the axle drive shafts, recasting shorter axle castings and forging the steering rods. We know this modification took place because the tractor underwent mechanical renovation and it's hidden history were embroiled upon the cork maretial of the gasket. Upon research the address found was indeed once a Ford dealership and a Foundry before WWII.

Over time and events in history this tractor worked it's way eastwards across France, where it was found by an agricultural dealer in Bastogne in the 1990's. The tractor was put into his Ford dealership showroom along side a 1918 model.

The present owner bought it from the above Gentleman in 2006 and brought it on it's last leg of mobile history to England, were over a long period of time it under went an intensive mechanical overhaul. The engine was siezed solid and was rebuilt using as many of the original parts as possible, the gearbox was rebuilt
using new bearings and seals. A replacement bronze crown wheel and worm drive had to be located for the differential, as the original was unuseable.

In 2014 in it's 90th year, it started and ran for the first time in many years....

For those interested in history........

In 1914 the German army massed a counter attack on the allied forces advacnce in the area of Bastonge France which got it's name "The Battle of the Bulge".
Now if items could tell a story please look at the bullet hole in the drivers seat and the use of a Scintilla magneto usually found on tank engines of this period.... interesting is'nt it...

Thank you for taking the time to read the history of this 1924 Model F Vineyard tractor and i hope you enjoyed it as much as I have bringing it back to life....


Above History & Words - Present Owne