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Chatham Ontario. | My grandfather bought a Graham Bradley tractor new in the late thirties. Was a long ways ahead of anything else on the market in some ways. Very quiet engines. Used a 60 chain wrapped around the front pedestal to turn the narrow front end. Was known to break on occasion and put you in the ditch or the front wheel could catch a stone and the spinner on the steering wheel could break your thumb. I think top speed in 4th gear was around 40 mph, but didn't pull very good in low gear. I think the rear end was put of a semi truck? We had a local handy man mechanic put a three speed trany behind the bell housing using 3rd as direct and 2nd gear as low range. Then that thing could pull, especially when the drawbar was moved up a foot or two. Lots of times pulling wagons put of the beet field late in the fall with the front wheels 4 or 5 ft off the ground. Extremely dangerous. Then it was tough to keep the differential together. Dad said he could pass some of the old cars on the road on the way home from town with and empty wagon behind. Picture below of my dad maybe in the 40's and the same tractor again about 1980.
Edited by wcfields 2/1/2025 19:02
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Sears farm stores in the 30s (pictures)
