1996 through 2000 Ford Compact Tractors.

[LBrown59]

I'm interested in the Pre New Holland Ford Compacts.
I would guess in the years 1994 to 2000 when they were plain old Fords before NH got involved.
My cousin has one he bought new sometime during that period.
The looks / style and size of it resembles the Kubota B series tractor of those years.
I visit 2 other tractor boards regularly and have been on several other ones.
I have never seen these particular Fords mentioned or discussed on any of the boards.
Would like to know what compact models and numbers were produced by them in those years.
Would love to view pictures of them.

Any body on this bord know any thing about these tractors or have one of them?

 

[billbill1]

Where I used to work, they had a 1996 Ford 1715. It had 450 hours on it and it sold 6 months ago for $7900 with a back blade and a 4' rotary mower. Good looking little tractor but I thought the price was too high.

 

[Soundguy]

I believe that you will find that NH did have something to do with Ford.. at least later in the 90's. My 1997 1920 had both a FORD and NH badge on it.

You see lots of the 4 digit models.. and the 10/20 were decent units.

Soundguy

 

[thcri]

From what I understand. There was a time when Ford owned New Holland. That got switched around and New Holland bought out Ford and then purchased other lines. Thus we have the Case New Holland Corporate Name. Steiger, Versatile are part of this corporation??? I put big question marks on the last statement because I was told that even though Ford owned the Versatile line it did not come with the purchase of Ford by New Holland. But just two days a go I saw a brand spankin new Versatile sitting at a dealership that was the exact as the New Holland sitting next to it.

But anyway it is my understanding the when New Holland purchased Ford they were allowed to use the Ford name for like 6 years. The emblem only carried the Ford name, then went to Ford New Holland and then just New Holland.

As far as Kubota having anything to do with Ford or New Holland I don't think there ever was a relationship there.
murph

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Any body on this bord know any thing about these tractors or have one of them?
)</font>

Here is some info that might help.

Tractor Data

 

[oliver28472]

In addition to what others have said, some of the Ford compacts were made by Shibaura. I don't think Ford ever made it's own, but I've been wrong before.

 

[allpontiac]

My '97 model 1715 has both the Ford and New Holland badges on it

 

[aesanders]

From what I remember, Ford was primarily a tractor maker prior to 85 and New Holland was big in harvesting Equipment. I believe (but maybe wrong) that ford made most of the tractors over here in the U.S. (at least the larger ones). Once Ford Purchased New Holland they became a complete rival with Case and John Deere who already had entire lineups of tractors and harvesting equipment.
About the same time Deutz had aquired Allis Chamblers and Gleaner Combines to make their own large corp but this later was sold to or became(not sure of the transaction) Agco. Agco later bought out Massey Fergusen which made them a very formidable force in the Ag industry.
Not too long before ford purchased New Holland Case bought out Interantional Harvestor, and became Case International. The International Axial FLow Combine was about the best combine around back in the 80's. They later bought Steiger and had perhaps the best large tractor aorund at the time. I wish they still painted the Steiger's that puke green color. They were quite recognizable back in the day.

I'm sure I'm leaving some things out, and maybe wrong on some things but this is what I recall.

 

[jimmysisson]

I have a 1993 2120, says only Ford on it. Runs and works great, a little loud from the Shibaura 4-cyl. It's still very tight at 1200 hours, quite impressive. There's also, I think, a 13.., 15.., 17.. and 19.. series that lots of guys like.
Jim

 

[rambler]

The early 1980's was a very terrible time for agriculture in general, and a lot of farmers, dealers, and the big companies went under. Ford initially bought into New Holland, which was/is huge in baling & haymaking equipment, as well as developing a new rotory combine about that time. This was a good match for Ford ag division in an attempt to save it, which was down to just about tractors any more.

But, then the auto manufaturers ran into their own problems with auto sales also, and Ford decided to dump the ag line & concentrate on cars & pickups. They were not using any development money for ag-tractors, and it was showing in the (lack of) quality of the machines they were selling. So, New Holland spun off during the 90s, with a 6 year or so use of the name Ford. The mid sized Ford tractors came from Europe, or at least major components.

Ford's & New Holland's compact tractors have always had a Shibaura design, with assembly in the heart of Tenneese I believe. Very little change in their design or parts supply all along the way, fortunately. Just the usual upgrades & such.

When Case & New Holland were joined up by the Europian company that owns both, they were not allowed to keep a monopoly of some ag tractor styles, and so some of those off-beat (but good!) lines were sold out. Buehler (sp) of Canada is producing some of them now.

I think there were 12xx, 13xx, 15xx, 17xx, 19xx, & 21xx series compact machines, each bigger as the number increases. they started with xx00, next upgrade in features was xx10, the xx15 line was an ecconomy version of the newer xx20 models.

I have a NH 1720. It started out back in the 80s as a 1700, then a 1710, then a 1720 (with the ecconomy version 1715 also), each basicly the same tractor but hydraulics, levers, safety, etc improved a little bit.

--->Paul