Ford was the select brand at this year’s Florida Flywheelers Antique Engine Club 20th annual Antique Engine & Tractor Show. Held Feb. 22-25, there were close to 200 Ford and Fordson tractors on display at Avon Park.

 

Wade Lovelace of Lutz, Fla., had one of the rarest: A Ford 400 grove tractor. Wade’s beautiful tractor, a 1963 model, was on display under the Ford tent. “Gary Merritt told me that this is one of two he got from Dwight Tyre. They found it in an orange grove where he lives,” he explained.

Wade bought the tractor from Gary, who sells used equipment in Bartow, Fla. The two became friends. “I bought it about five years ago or so. Originally I saw it here at a Ford show, six or seven years ago.

“They say there were only about six models built,” Wade explained. “I heard they scrapped out four of them in the 1970s. Gary thought that Swift Groves originally bought the tractors.”

The grove tractor “is built on a light industrial frame and it has Select-o-speed transmission. It is a diesel with power steering, but it does not have hydraulics,” he said.

“It had a canopy over it because they didn’t have hedge groves like they do today. The tractor became obsolete for the grove business.”

He had a copy of a brochure describing the 400 tractor, which touted: “Grove work is fast easy and efficient with this rugged performer.” The only problem with the tractor Wade indicated was it was a little too late – “Other companies had been building grove tractors for 15 to 20 years. Ford came out with this at the end of the time they needed these shielded tractors.”

He is a true Ford man, using them for the length of his career, but, “I just started collecting 15 to 20 years ago.” Tractors are a natural hobby for him because he is in the business of agriculture, growing oranges for juice made by Tropicana and Coca-Cola.

“I’ve been in business for 50 years,” Wade said. “I was just a kid when I started working in the orange groves.”

Originally from Kentucky, he moved to Florida when he was 10. “We used Ford, International Harvester and John Deere tractors on the farm,” he said. “I have an original IH 0-4 grove tractor, then I got a JD grove tractor, too. I have a JD AO and a JD 620. I started out collecting Ferguson, then I found some Ford offset tractors and little by little phased over to Ford.”

When asked if the Ford was his favorite, Wade answered, “I don’t know if I have a favorite. All of the odd tractors are favorites.”

For collectors like him, the Florida Flywheelers is a great place to see a wide array of unusual tractors. The Florida Flywheelers Antique Engine Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1972 to promote interest in restoring, preserving and exhibiting antique internal combustion engines, steam engines, antique tractors and autos and other labor-saving devices.

To find out more about the club and upcoming events if you’re traveling south, log onto the website at www.floridaflywheelers.org

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.