The second annual Ford/Fordson Collectors meet was held in
conjunction with FarmFest’93 in Austin, Minnesota,
August 3-7, 1993.
It started out a bit rainy, but the last three days were sunny
and clear according to participants and organizers. Tractors were
exhibited by owners from Ohio, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, New
Jersey, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Many were rare models, including
several Funk’s 6 and V-8 conversions on 9N, 8N and NAAs.
Of special interest was Delbert Heusinkveld’s original
8N-V-8 conversion. Palmer Fossum and Doug Norman deserve the
lion’s share of the credit for making the meet a success. A
panoramic photo was taken and is available.
A business meeting was held on Friday, August 6. In all, the
meeting was a success. Even the local newspaper gave the meet some
coverage.
Once again, many think the old tractors stole the show from
today’s high technology tractors and other farm equipment.
Sixty models were on display during the three days of
FarmFest.
‘The majority of us were raised on the 8N or 9N Ford model
tractor. We grew up on the farm on a Ford. It’s this vintage
that we remember best,’ stated Palmer Fossum, one of the
exhibitors. ‘They were big enough to do the job and small
enough for young people and others to operate.’
The tractors were built in the United States through 1927 before
the auto maker moved its tractor manufacturing operations to
Europe. By 1953, Ford began manufacturing larger tractors just like
its competition.
The NAA Jubilee model built in 1953 and 1954 was, said
collectors and experts, the best Ford tractor.
The convention concluded mid-day Saturday with Harold Brock, a
retired Ford Motor Company tractor design engineer. Brock, 80, is
considered an expert on the model and made a presentation and
answered questions.
The third annual Ford/Fordson Collectors Association National
Meet is scheduled for August 24-28, 1994 in Portland, Indiana, at
the Tri-State Club Grounds. For information, call or write: Duane
L. Helman, Box 17, Rosewood, Ohio 45070; (513)362-3871 or
(513)362-2862.
