Front Wheel Assist Classic Tractors+ The purchase price
Before the “modern” four-wheel drive tractor, there were front wheel assist (FWA) tractors
In this article, we take a look at the ten top classic tractors
The front wheel auxiliary was a modification that made the front axle longer and became more drive wheels
Most of these versions were built by third parties and some were factory installed
Factors such as inefficiency, high power and unique design make these tractors sought after by collectors
Read Classic Tractor Fever’s list of ten of our favorite classic front wheel drive tractors
1 – Minneapolis-Moline G1000 Front Wheel Assist
The G1000 had three different engines; 504 cubic inch Minneapolis-Moline 6-cylinder diesel engine; Minneapolis-Moline, 504 cubic inch, low-pressure 6-cylinder gas engine; and a 6-cylinder Minneapolis-Moline gasoline engine of cubic-inch 504
These engines can develop 111
on PTO and 100 hp on steam
Front wheel assist was an existing option on the G1000
Production volumes of the G1000 with this 4WD variant were limited
2 – Oliver 2255 Front Wheel Assist
The Oliver tractors were fitted with steel front brackets manufactured by Clark
Clark supplied the axes to the Oliver factory, where they were installed
The Oliver 2255 is an impressive front wheel drive tractor
These tractors continue to be popular with collectors and show sale prices
Listed below are the sale prices for the Oliver 2255 tractor
3 – Allis-Chalmers 220 Front Wheel Assist
A 1970 front-wheel drive Allis-Chalmers 220 owned by the McNarara family in Minnesota
The Allis Chalmers 220 was produced from 1970 to 1973 with a total of 1,865 built
These are powered by the Allis-Chalmers AC 3500 engine, a 426 cubic inch turbocharged 6-cylinder diesel engine capable of producing 117
drawbar horsepower and 136 horsepower at the PTO
4 – The Oliver “El Toro” Front Wheel Assist
In 1964, Oliver named their 4WD tractors that they export to Latin America “El Toro”
The only difference from the same car (with front wheel assist) sold in the United States is the El Toro decal on the side panels
The EL Toro was available in three sizes: 1900, 1800 and 1600
The 1950 was added to the line after the launch of the 50 series line
El Toro was discontinued when the 1950 series line was completed in 1967
5 – John Deere 4020/4320 Front Wheel Assist
One of the most famous John Deere tractors from the new generation has to be the 4020
The 4020 was introduced in the second generation of the new generation, which saw a significant design change from the 2-cylinder cars that the company has become
known for his
Along with the 4020, the 4320 has become a popular tractor in the new generation lineup
The 4320 was produced in 1971 and 21,485 were built at the time of production
John Deere has also fitted the 4320 models with an accessory front wheel
6 – Massey Ferguson 97 Diesel Front Wheel Assist
This Massey 97 has an optional front wheel assistance system
This tractor was sold at the Aumann Vintage Power Fall Harvest 2020
The Massey Ferguson 97 is a popular tractor for collectors, but the low-end front wheel support added increases its value
This front-wheel-drive 1963 Minneapolis-Moline G706 was sold at auction by the Richard Lowry Minneapolis-Moline Collection
CLICK ON PICTURE to see more details of this tractor
7 – Promotional Minneapolis-Moline G706
Minneapolis-Moline only produced one of these LP gas powered G706s in this paint scheme
The G706 pictured above was a promotional tractor painted green instead of brown at the factory
In 1962, Moline launched an advertising campaign to let farmers decide what a new color would be for the company’s new line of tractors
Moline has taken advantage of this promotion by attending various agricultural shows and national fairs throughout the United States
Farmers have chosen between this orange and brown color
The oranges are missing
This orange G706 tractor is the only one known to still be in good condition
8 – Oliver & Cockshutt 50 Series Hydraulic Front Wheel Drive
Oliver 1650 with Levy hydraulic steering
The tractor is being auctioned from Dureau’s extraordinary collection
There are two main types of auxiliary front wheels: mechanical or direct drive and hydraulic
Oliver and Kokshat use mechanical drive on most of their front wheel drive tractors
Only a few such tractors with hydraulic front wheel drive are known to exist and are highly coveted by collectors
These hydraulic systems were built by Levy of Canada and are called the Levy Live Power Wheel
The hydraulic system is installed at the front of the tractor above the front axle
These hydraulic axles were probably not as reliable as a mechanically driven system
Either way, low production volumes make these tractors a hot commodity, which is reflected in their selling prices
9 – International 1066 Front Wheel Assist
In 1971, International introduced its 66 series line that included the 766, 966, 1066, 1466 and 1469 as well as the 4166 all-wheel drive half-speed power
modulation of hydrostatic transmission
Powered by a turbocharged International Harvester 6-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of 414 cubic inches, the tractor can produce 105
drawbar and 125 hp at the PTO
A total of 54,947 IH 1066s were built at the plant in Rock Island, Illinois from 1971 to 1976
The number of 1066s produced with the front wheel is very small, but it is difficult to know exactly how many
International Harvester did not post serial numbers or keep any records of their two-wheel tractors that they converted to four wheels
It is safe to assume that production was in the hundreds
10 – Minneapolis-Moline GTB FWA
The Minneapolis Moline GTB was produced from 1947 to 1954
It was powered by a 403
2-inch Minneapolis-Moline 4-cylinder gas engine or a 425
5-inch Minneapolis-Moline 6-cylinder diesel engine
It has 58 horsepower at the belt and 49 horsepower at the drawbar
Back in 1954, this tractor would have cost you $2,400, or about $2,300 in 2020 USD
