1962 Ford 2000

The early 1960s brought a lot of changes to the worldwide Ford ag equipment manufacturing empire.

- By Jim Allen

This tractor belongs to John Emerine of Ohio and was seen at the 2019 Northwest Ohio Antigue Machinery show. If you’re seeing the lines of a later model Ford tractor here, you are seeing clearly. This Fordson tractor inched the consolidation forward another few steps, more so the North American version, which appeared in this Blue Gray color. For a couple of years, the English versions, which still wore Fordson Badging, were offered in the traditional Fordson Empire Blue/ Orange combo, the Empire Blue being a darker color that the Ford Blue. The Brit-built versions transitioned to the lighter Ford Blue/Gray in late 1963. The brush guard, with a front hitch, was a dealer installed or aftermarket option.

Ford announced a new organization, Ford Tractor Operations, in March of 1961. The goal was to consolidate all of global Ford’s ag manufacturing into one organization, under one name. As a result the British Fordson name would disappear and new tractors would follow a standardized pattern and identity worldwide under the Ford banner. The operation would culminate in 1964 with a new line of worldwide tractors, finally replacing the unique American Ford and British Fordson designs. England would build the small tractors for all markets and the U.S. operation would build the bigger stuff, again for all markets.