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Steve Southwood
07-01-2009, 8:55 AM
Got any Tractor collectors on here? Would like to know a little about the John Deere 720 series, if you got any. Did the google and other search, but would like real time info.

Steve Rozmiarek
07-01-2009, 9:21 AM
Hi Steve, I'm not a collector, but I've been around old 2 cylinder John Deeres on various farm, pretty much my whole life. What are you trying to find out?

The 720 is a good old tractor. Can be found in gas or diesel, pony motor or direct start. Decent hydralics and three point, power steering, ect. Also has that distinctive engine sound;)

Steve Southwood
07-01-2009, 9:30 AM
Hey Steve just looking for general info. Maybe a good forum to try in the tractor world. This has been setting in a shed for about 15 or so years. Mostly locked up, pedals frozen, levers stuck. Thinking real hard about a resto.

Steve Rozmiarek
07-01-2009, 9:47 AM
Sounds like a good resto project to me! Can you post some pics maybe? I don't know of a forum for this subject, but I bet they exist. Around here, there are several guys that do resto's for a hobby. I bet there are in your neck of the woods too. Is yours a diesel or gas? Service manuals can be found for these too.

David G Baker
07-01-2009, 9:51 AM
Don't know about the 720 but I do know that if it is painted green the green in your wallet will disappear fast. :D
There is a forum that deals with antique tractors, Bing or Google Antique Tractors and that should get you to the forum.
There is quite a lot of John Deere parts available for the older tractors because there were so many of them made.
Michigan has a lot of collectors of old tractors. There is a guy about 5 miles from me that parks around 50 restored to new condition Farmalls in his yard a couple times a year. Went to the funeral of a friends older brother and found out that he owned over 30 John Deeres of different models.

Keith Outten
07-01-2009, 12:21 PM
Try tractorbynet.com then select their discussion groups.

Steve Southwood
07-01-2009, 4:41 PM
Thanks for the tips guys. I will try to get a couple pics in a day or so.

Steve Campbell
07-01-2009, 8:52 PM
Steve the 720 was made in the early to mid 1950s. A lot of them had power steering which is nice. They are new enough yet and popular enough that you should still be able to get parts from your John Deere dealer. Nice handy tractor to have around.

Steve

Nate Carey
07-02-2009, 7:01 AM
...my daughter leading some of our fellow club members during "plow day" in North Haverhill, NH...she's on her 1949 Model M...

...more photos and stuff at club website...

http://twocylinderclub.org

jeremy levine
07-02-2009, 9:28 AM
If your a baseball fan you could try to contact Bob Feller

Steve Southwood
07-07-2009, 6:57 AM
Update, not looking like deal will go thru. Guess I will just keep looking around.

David G Baker
07-07-2009, 11:08 AM
Steve,
There is a Cockshut for sale on Craigslist in Mid or Northern Michigan for $1500.

Steve Rozmiarek
07-07-2009, 3:24 PM
Steve,
There is a Cockshut for sale on Craigslist in Mid or Northern Michigan for $1500.

Ever wonder what the heck they where thinking when they went with Cockshut for the brand name??? Thats a pretty scarce tractor too, I think.

Steve Southwood
07-07-2009, 9:14 PM
Thanks David, but there can be plenty around here to be had. Jsut have to get out and beat the bushes a little. Father in law has a Ferguson T30 that I would love to restore. Oh course, what will we rake hay with?

David G Baker
07-07-2009, 11:47 PM
Steve,
Don't recall the origin of the name but the tractor has an interesting history, it originated in Canada and was a very well made tractor. I think it ended up with the name Oliver when it came state side. There are quite a few Cockshuts in my area of Michigan and they generally show up at antique tractor shows.

Nate Carey
07-08-2009, 7:01 AM
...just a little history of the Cockshutt tractor...


James Cockshutt opened up his little shop, called The Brantford Plow Works, in 1877, producing stoves, scufflers, and walking plows




1945

http://www.cockshutt.com/images/Cockshutt302.jpg
The Wartime Production Board allowed Cockshutt to increase their engineering staff allowing the design and testing of self-propelled Harvester Combines and tractors. The state-of-the-art Cockshutt 30 tractor, the first modern production tractor built in Canada, was also the first tractor in the world to be equipped with Live-Power-Take-Off. LPTO made the farmer's life easier because it reduced plugging of balers, swathers, mowers, pull-type combines and other pulled implements. Driven directly from the flywheel of the engine, the power shaft continues to deliver full power to the pulled machine even when the forward motion is stopped. It's that simple - and Cockshutt did it first! Eventually everyone copied the system and today no one even remembers the problems of the old clutch-activated power shaft. Next to the smooth-styled 30, Cockshutt added the little 20, and the larger 40's and 50's. As I'm sure you know, many of those 40's and 50's are still showing off their super-strength bull gears and transmissions, at pulling competitions, equipped with engines three times the power of the original.



1962

New management promptly sold the farm equipment division to The Oliver Corporation, which soon changed the Cockshutt name to White Farm Equipment. Brantford Coach & Body was sold to Trailmobile. After 85 years as a respected, and profitable industrial empire, designing innovative farm and truck products, the Cockshutt name was retired. Never the less, Cockshutt products have made a huge contribution not only to the expansion and profitability of western farming, but also to the industrial development of the Dominion of Canada. For many it was a family place to work, with nice people and honest principles. Still today the examples of its products and contributions to the less fortunate stand as memorials; both to the enterprise and generosity of the Cockshutt family, and those who worked with them. The International Cockshutt Club is doing a great service by promoting the preservation of Cockshutt equipment, and by honoring the name and the accomplishments of its people.

David G Baker
07-08-2009, 11:35 AM
Nate,
Thank you very much for the history lesson. I had read some of their history but forgot how great the Cockshutt company was to their employees and just how much they contributed to the world.