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2022: The year of the antique muscle tractor
Ryan Roossinck covered a lot of auctions this year. Whether it was a heartfelt send-off to the man behind a legendary IH collection, celebrating a marriage years in the making, or empathizing with some of the more misunderstood tractors, Ryan saw it all.
If there was one constant through all the auctions this year, however, it was mean-machine muscle tractors. Let's take a look at some of the biggest and most powerful tractors we saw on auction this year, and their final hammer prices.
Jerry's Farmall 1206
Jerry and Joyce Mez closed the doors on Farmall Land USA in 2020, selling nearly everything from the museum. Everything except for 14 tractors, including Jerry’s 1206 — his favorite tractor.
It saw some restoration and upgrades over the years, and with a new pump and bigger injectors, Jerry figured his 1206 ran around 300 hp. on the pulling track. Ryan estimated this tractor would sell somewhere in the low to mid $40,000 range.
Final sale price: $33,500
Oliver 1900: The barnyard bully
The Oliver 1900 was a barnyard bully. Loud, obnoxious, heavy — this tractor made no apologies for itself. Weighing in at 12,000 pounds (over 18,000 pounds when fully ballasted), these beasts had almost 99 hp. at the PTO.
Ryan estimated this would come in somewhere between $20,000 to $23,000, but these get auctioned so rarely, it was hard to tell.
Final sale price: $18,000
- READ MORE: Oliver 1900: Loud and heavy
Allis Chalmers A-C 8050
The Allis-Chalmers 8000 series were a good mid-range tractor, released with some terrible timing. The cabs were quieter than a SoundGard, spacious too, and the tractors were nimble, with tight turning radiuses. Unfortunately, they came right as the Farm Crisis swept through the United States.
The tractor in this auction was a 12-speed power shift A-C 8050, with a new motor, and sparkling-clean interior. Based on previous sales, Ryan estimated this tractor would go for $34,000 or higher.
Final sale price: $36,000
- READ MORE: Allis-Chalmers 8000 Series: Bad Timing
Ford 8N V-12: The hot rod
The Ford 8N was probably the best-selling tractor in North America during its run, but rated at 30 hp., it wasn’t exactly a powerhouse. This left it as a bit of a blank canvas for modifications. The tractor on auction used a V-12 engine from a Lincoln Zephyr, which got a bad reputation from some oiling problems at low RPM. Fortunately, it bolts right up to the Sherman Overdrive transmission.
Aside from a scratch here and there, this hot-rodded tractor was in great condition. While there’s no Blue Book value for this type of conversion, Ryan guessed the hammer would fall somewhere between $6,500 and $7,500.
Final sale price: $14,700
- READ MORE: Ford 8N V-12: The Hot Rod Lincoln
Garrett Twin Drive 400
One of the funkier looking tractors on auction this year, the Garrett Twin Drive is two Farmall 400 tractors bolted together, essentially set up as a crawler. In theory, since 400s ran at about 44 hp., this would run somewhere around 88, but no tests were ever run.
This tractor traveled cross country during the course of its life, finally landing in Stew Paquette’s Historical Farmall Tractor Museum. This tractor was hard to put a value on, but Ryan estimated it would land for somewhere over $15,000 and wind up in the hands of another collector.
Final sale price: $33,500
- READ MORE: Double Vision: The Garrett Twin Drive
Allis Chalmers D-21
There’s been some debate about what is the “OG” muscle tractor, and Ryan decided once and for all that the Allis Chalmers D-21 is what defined the category as it is today. Everything on this tractor was bigger, and more rugged than precious D-Line tractors. At 8 feet tall, nearly 10,000 pounds, and testing at nearly 128 hp. at the PTO shaft, these were certifiable monsters.
Final sale price: $28,500
- READ MORE: The D-21: The OG muscle tractor
Gary Peterson's 4450
This is the tractor John Deere never built, but should have. This open-station 4455 MFWD is an animal, built out of a nearly-totalled tractor. With some modifications, this tractor now looks nearly factory-fresh.
Final sale price: $75,000
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