Plowing time in Southern Sweden

Time to plow here in Hittarp this week:

The Porsche thousands of ordinary Germans could afford already 50 years ago

Today most people associate Porsche with fast sport cars that only rather well to do people can afford. However, already in the difficult post war reconstruction years, thousands of ordinary Germans  drove a Porsche - albeit a Porsche tractor. 

The initial design and production of Porsche tractors began already in 1934. After the war there was of course a growing demand for tractors, and in 1956  Porsche-Diesel Motorenbau GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mannesmann AG, built a new production facility in Friedrichshafen-Manzell at the old Donier/Zeppelin factory.

However, already in the end of 1963 the last Porsche tractor left the production line, as Mannesmann decided to discontinue tractor manufacturing.

In 1958, when the 14 hp Porsche Junior model shown in the pictures below left the factory, altogether 20,000 tractors were made in Friedrichshafen-Manzell. 

This 1958 Porsche Junior belongs to a collector in Helsingborg, Sweden.

The look of a 1958 Porsche.

From the driver's seat.

A young Swedish Porsche driver.

A vintage Oliver 60 tractor in Sweden

This 1947 Oliver 60 tractor belongs to a local collector in Scania, Sweden. The tractor is in its original condition, and still fully operational. The Oliver 60, built by the Oliver Corporation in Chicago, has an 18 hp engine and weighs about 1200 kg.

These two photos were shot with a wide angle lens:

Tractor nostalgia - the Zetor 25

The other day a farmer in my neighborhood, who has an imposing collection of vintage tractors, demonstrated one of his treasures, the Zetor 25 - a tractor which once was quite popular also in the Nordic countries.

That such a quality tractor could be manufactured in the former communist Czechoslovakia clearly shows that the old industrial roots from Austro-Hungarian times have played - and still play - an important role in the region.

Here is brief history of the Zetor 25:

Zetor have been producing tractors since 1947, their first model being a two cylinder four stroke diesel powered "Model 25". Standard features included 6 forward and 2 reverse speeds, independent braking, and a differential lock, which was rarely seen on tractors at the time.

Between 1945 and 1961, Zetor made modifications to the Model 25, and also announced a more affordable tractor - the Model 15. The Model 15 had a 15hp 1 cylinder diesel engine. Zetor also sold a Model 25 A, a more modern, comfortable version of the 25, and a Model 25 K, which was targeted at crop farmers who worked on flat land and wanted more ground clearance.

Production of the 25 A and 25 K tractors ceased in 1961. 158,570 units were built of the model 25 

I was quite impressed by the present Zetor company´s modern productions facilities in Brno, when I visited the factory in connection with their 60th anniversary festivities in 2006.

PS

Here is another favourite tractor from times gone by, the classic Massey Ferguson - maybe tho most popular model during my childhood years: