Sherman Napco front wheel assist

[Michford]

Here is my 1955 Ford 860 with a Sherman Napco front wheel assist. I found the front wheel assist on another Ford tractor and I purchased it. I removed it from the donor tractor and installed it on my 860.
Here is an advertisement for the Sherman Napco kit from a Progressive Farmer magazine.
Here is a brochure showing the specifications.
I rebuilt the engine and installed the front wheel assist at the same time and used it to snowblow my driveway for four years. Next plan is to get it cleaned up and painted correctly.

 

[bcp]

I've seen many old trucks with Napco 4wd conversions, before pickups and larger were available 4wd from the factory. Even one Ford sedan (late 30's-early 40's) conversion.

But never a tractor conversion.

Bruce

 

[Michford]

The Napco conversions were kind of late to the game as Elenco was already estabished. Napco never made the impact Elenco did. Still neat to have the Napco and I have retired the tractor from work duty.

 

[dnw64]

I had a 1964 Ford HD Industrial tractor with some sort of aftermarket 4WD conversion. I don't recall if I ever knew who the converter was. The 4WD worked pretty well, until I put it to the limit and spun the driveshaft (which ran off the mid-PTO). I believe I have only one picture of the tractor, and it is not well publicized, because my wife is driving it and she didn't want me to take her picture. I have it scanned somewhere, along with the original print that is under my desk blotter...

If you'd like to see it (not sure if/how much of the 4WD is revealed) let me know and I'll see if I can dig up the scan for you.

 

[Michford]

dnw64, I would love to see a picture of your tractor. These front wheel assist were very unique and ahead of their time. Their biggest downfall was their big turning radius.

 

[dnw64]

I found the pic, but it doesn't show any of the front end. I took it because my wife was sitting on it and she never had before (nor again).

 

[CADplans]

My FWD tractor may be a decade or two newer than your Ford,, but, it is still early in the AWD tractor era,,,

The tractor is amazing, as it replaced a similar size IH tractor that was 2WD,,,so, I truly know how much the front axle helps.

I had the 2WD for just over a decade, and the FWD for over 2 decades,,, so I have had plenty of time to evaluate them,,, :laughing:

 

[TractorNH]

This one has been for sale here in southern NH for a while and you can own it for a mere $25k. A very cool looking tractor but not sure it's $25k cool.

According to the ad it has a V-8 conversion, Edelbrock heads, dual 2 barrel carbs, Elenco 4 wheel drive conversion with locking hubs, Sherman 3 speed aux. transmission, engine driven hydraulic pump for power steering and V-plow lift, Dearborn original V plow, Fisher lift, SS fuel tank, engine oil filter system, 12 volt conversion.

 

[dnw64]

Mine had what appears to have been called the "Ford Select-O-Speed" Transmission. At the time (early '90s) even though it was "old", that feature seemed very futuristic. I had never heard of anything other than a non-synchro mechanical tranny, and the idea you could shift on the fly, on a 30 year old tractor, was almost unbelievable, except that I did it every day!

 

[ultrarunner]

This one has been for sale here in southern NH for a while and you can own it for a mere $25k. A very cool looking tractor but not sure it's $25k cool.

According to the ad it has a V-8 conversion, Edelbrock heads, dual 2 barrel carbs, Elenco 4 wheel drive conversion with locking hubs, Sherman 3 speed aux. transmission, engine driven hydraulic pump for power steering and V-plow lift, Dearborn original V plow, Fisher lift, SS fuel tank, engine oil filter system, 12 volt conversion.

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Even has rops ...

I bet it is loud with straight pipes!