Old School DIY Farm Equipment - Bill Whitaker's Homemade Tractor

Gallery 2019053-118-01

I want a tractor that goes 60 mph like this one! Winning pulling contests, drawing wagons, skidding logs, raking hay, pushing a snowplow: You name it and Bill Whitaker's do-it-yourself tractor does it. And the machine only cost $200 to build. And I'm wondering if that gives you any ideas?
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Posted by: Fresco on August 30, 2006 at 5:59 AM

http://www.amazon.com/Handy-Farm-Devices-How-/dp/1558214321/ref=sr_11_1/102-7646803-1640934?ie=UTF8

I found this book a while back at the bookstore in the Folk Art Museum in Asheville, NC. Pretty danged cool, eh? There was a whole series of these things. Makers have been around for a while.


Posted by: Pekar on August 30, 2006 at 8:47 AM

After the depression through the 60's, it wasn't uncommon to make your own tractor from jalopies and parts. These are often called doodlebug tractors.
http://thedoodlebugs.tripod.com/id5.html
http://www.gasenginemagazine.com/complete-archive/966/
http://www.antiquetractors.com/content/yph5873.htm
http://www.ronstultz.com/words/Words/Doodlebug.htm
http://cgi.ebay.com/1929-Model-AA-Doodlebug-Truck-Tractor_W0QQitemZ320020120329QQcmdZViewItem


Posted by: DGary on August 30, 2006 at 9:38 AM

$200 in 1978

which still isn't bad considering it'd be about $600 today, tho I doubt you could buy some of those vehicles for those prices now, or even anywhere near them.


Posted by: suburbanjunkyard on September 1, 2006 at 10:24 AM

The quarterly magazine "Farm Show" has DIY tractors and implements like this in every issue, and also have compilation issues with all the home-made gadgets, both big and small. The compilation issues are for sale individually without subscribing, but you can get some of them free if you do. Despite being for farmers mostly, it embraces the Maker spirit and reminds us it has been here a long time. www.farmshow.com

suburbanjunkyard


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