Super major

[blackbob]

Cast Iron front wheels (no wheel nuts) = Power Major
Hydraulic control quadrant 90 degrees to what we now expect = Power Major

Live drive = Super Major

Would that be OK to tell between the two?

Yes and no..

@Kevtherev is correct, the draft control, with quadrant parallel to the wing, and diff lock are unique to the Super.
Anything else could have been swapped over the years!
Mine came with the 6-stud wheels but I put on older cast ones to keep the nose down carrying bales, the bonnet wasn't original either (has decals), also Halfords 'headlights'
It was a 1961 Super, with draft control etc, but single clutch (poverty spec!), awkward for so many jobs
Sold her inc the duals and full set rear-wheel weights for £250 in '87, absolute madness looking back, the weights alone would be worth that now
SU 9886

 

[S J H]

Yes and no..

@Kevtherev is correct, the draft control, with quadrant parallel to the wing, and diff lock are unique to the Super.
Anything else could have been swapped over the years!
Mine came with the 6-stud wheels but I put on older cast ones to keep the nose down carrying bales, the bonnet wasn't original either (has decals)
It was a 1961 Super, with draft control etc, but single clutch (poverty spec!), awkward for so many jobs
Sold her inc the duals and full set rear-wheel weights for £250 in '87, absolute madness looking back, the weights alone would be worth that now
SU 9886
View attachment 68731

I'm sure it's the same nose as that but the lights are missing.

 

[Mursal]

Looking back we all did mad thinks .........

 

[blackbob]

I'm sure it's the same nose as that but the lights are missing.

The nose cones are all the same anyway

Looking back we all did mad thinks .........

That was what I had paid for her in '83, with most of a cannibalised white-wing (from Drumsleed, anyone down that way, @AndrewB perhaps?)
had bought a more modern Leyland 344 with loader for £600 so the Super was redundant really

Guessing '86, first year of wrapping, had to stab & patch in those days!

 

[Mursal]

Talking of mad things, anyone do bags back in the day, for the round bales?

 

[Red Fred]

Talking of mad things, anyone do bags back in the day, for the round bales?

Yes, it was a nightmare if the bales were a bit too big and then I got my first wrapper, a roll-along Wilder mini-wrapper which just rotated the roll of wrap as you reversed the bale along the ground. Even so, you could still wrap over 120 bales a day on our little IH250 after having baled them with the big tractor first, it kiiled your left knee though with all the inching in reverse.

 

[Nearly]

Don't get me started. Uncle sold an immaculate NP super major with 6 cylinder engine, Duncan safety cab, pickup hitch and 16.9 30 wheels.
I'm told the buyer put it back to 'original spec'

 

[blackbob]

Talking of mad things, anyone do bags back in the day, for the round bales?

Oh I think an awful lot of people have done that.. including using MF/Farmhand belt balers, where it was easy to be careless/greedy and make the bales too big for the bags

Might as well post this pic while I'm at it as it goes with the one above, I was working for a contractor so used his (Claas) baler/Ford 7910 to bale my own silage, and got another contractor in with his newfangled wrapper, all very new, Doddy only had this wrapper the one season before going for one of the first Tubeliners. Silage turned out well as I remember

 

[Chuckie]

Power major:
Pneumatic governor
Basic up down hydraulics
No diff lock
Drum brakes
Cast and steel wheels options when new.
Live drive optional.
Supermajor:
Draft control Hyd
Disc brakes
Diff lock
Mechanical Simms pump
Steel and cast front wheels optional.
Headlights in front grille.

The very first supers had the pneumatic pump and 3 spoke cast wheels like the power majors

 

[Ray]

Here's a few features to tell which is which..

Fordson major = Four spoke cast front wheels, side throttle, drum brakes, wide fan belt and throttle linkage through cylinder block (Mk1)

Power major = Three spoke cast front wheels, dash clocks and throttle, drum brakes, basic hydraulics. side mounted headlights.

Blue/orange super major = Three spoke cast front wheels, draft control hydraulics, internal headlights, metal bonnet badges, pneumatic governors. single cranked gear lever, diff lock, disc brakes. higher type hydraulic linkage levelling box, larger type bonnet handles.

Blue/grey super major = Pressed steel front wheels, hydraulic drop control valve, different steering joints, "FL" cast onto cylinder head, "Fordson" bonnet decals, mechanical injector pump.

 

[Chae1]

Oh I think an awful lot of people have done that.. including using MF/Farmhand belt balers, where it was easy to be careless/greedy and make the bales too big for the bags

Might as well post this pic while I'm at it as it goes with the one above, I was working for a contractor so used his (Claas) baler/Ford 7910 to bale my own silage, and got another contractor in with his newfangled wrapper, all very new, Doddy only had this wrapper the one season before going for one of the first Tubeliners. Silage turned out well as I remember
View attachment 68737

doddie Mac? What a guy. His tubeliner still in action with Scott Willox a neighbour. I know his son Allan, used to come and chop our silage when he worked for ian petrie. A few contractors out of that howe.

 

[blackbob]

@Red Fred you posted just as I was writing mine.. I have seen Wilder roll-along wrappers and they are just like the one in my photo, but I have the idea that one was a Newlands? @Chae1 you will be far too young to remember, I see @scott telford is a member here too
All those contractors, and mostly with Ford 7000's and 7600's - Ian Petrie, Ed Ewen, Ian McLaren.. Is Banky Watt still contracting, had a JD3130 and JD chopper in late 1970's?

 

[Red Fred]

I think the Wilder wrapper was later sold by Parmiters. I still have mine for emergency use and it has got me out of a jam a couple of times. I've seen them mounted on the front of Bobcats and they can really move then, as they can roll steadily and you are not looking over your shoulder all the time.
Mine did 1000 bales a year for at least 15 years and it never burnt out a clutch on the IH 250, I was told that with only 30hp going through it, clutch slip wasn't a big problem. It's very simple with just a big bearing and a hydraulic motor to worry about, and the IH250 could spin it as fast as was sensible on fast tickover.

 

[Chae1]

@Red Fred you posted just as I was writing mine.. I have seen Wilder roll-along wrappers and they are just like the one in my photo, but I have the idea that one was a Newlands? @Chae1 you will be far too young to remember, I see @scott telford is a member here too
All those contractors, and mostly with Ford 7000's and 7600's - Ian Petrie, Ed Ewen, Ian McLaren.. Is Banky Watt still contracting, had a JD3130 and JD chopper in late 1970's?

yes. Gordon and Bill still going strong. they are next door neighbours. Specialise in draining now. You forgot Jim Gray! Another Ford Man.

 

[blackbob]

yes. Gordon and Bill still going strong. they are next door neighbours. Specialise in draining now. You forgot Jim Gray! Another Ford Man.

Yes of course! Bill had another 3130, and what did James have? A Roadless 118? And can remember Sammy (?) who had the digger, in the mid 70's having a yellow Roadless Major with front dozer blade for back-filling... so almost back on topic!

 

[borderterribles]

O

Is this the same John Wright Plant that had a workshop in Kelsall? I think it is a Co-op shop now.

I don't think so, the man in the FW articles christian name is Wright, his surname being Plant, rather than what he dealt in, or repaired.

 

[Alf]

Just found this . I dont know about the price though

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORDSON-C...K_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item4adc9d9dc1

 

[Kidds]

O

I don't think so, the man in the FW articles christian name is Wright, his surname being Plant, rather than what he dealt in, or repaired.

Ahh right. Wasn't sure if that was the case, esp with Wright being such an unusual christian name.

 

[S J H]

 

[S J H]

By the number plate I think it's 1963? And registered in peterborough, I think I know the who was the first owner, next door farmer to my grandads old place.