SEGMENT: FARM EQUIPMENT
Brian Holst>ISM Walk & Talk Interviews>Holst, Brian, Section 1
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- FARM EQUIPMENT
- In 1918 the All Wheel Drive, or Dane Tractor, was built. In 1912 the pull motor tractor was built, designed after the Hackney Motor Plow. It failed. Joe Dane of Dane Manufacturing Corporation (acquired 1910) designed five prototypes of the all wheel tractor. He died in Minneapolis before the project was completed. In March 1918, Joe Dane, Jr. was approved to build 100 tractors. At the same time, John Deere acquired Waterloo Tractor Company. The expected retail price was about $1500, about $500 to $600 more than a Waterloo. They ended up making only 92 Dane tractors, and only two exist today. It is the first tractor to carry the John Deere name. It is the first four cylinder engine, not seen again in tractors until the 1960s. Had a gear driven water pump, not seen again until 1986, the same with the mechanical front wheel drive. The Dane tractor had a key switch, not used again until the 1940s. Shift on the go transmission, absent until the 1960s. There are no color photographs of the tractor, so they do not know that its colors match the original. The original fuel system has been replaced, along with some copper lines replaced with hosing. The is a single rear, three wheel tractor, making turning easier. There was not enough appeal for this tractor. It had 12 horsepower, weighs about 4000 pounds. People couldn't afford such an expenisve tractor. Had a large steering wheel. Operator sat in the back, keeping away from the heat of the engine, dust of the wheels. Kept them close to their implement.
