Date: Fri 30-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Ferris-tractor

Full Text:

with photo : John Ferris And His Tractor; Love At First Sight

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

John Ferris said he'll never forget the day he first laid eyes on his uncle's

1954 Farmall tractor nearly 25 years ago. It was indeed love at first sight.

"I fell in love with it. I always wanted that tractor," the 35-year-old

lifelong Newtown resident recalled earlier this week.

Today, the bright red tractor sits in his front yard at 33 Pole Bridge Road -

a dream come true for Mr Ferris, whose love of engines, carburetors and fuel

tanks may be unmatched here in town.

The classic farm machine was originally owned by Donald Ferris of Newtown,

John's uncle, who for years used it for plowing fields. However, for 15 years,

the tractor sat idle in Donald's, slowly rusting away.

All along, Donald Ferris had promised the tractor would someday belong to his

nephew, but declined to part with the big red beauty during his lifetime.

Donald died two years ago at the age of 90.

Since then, the restored 1954 Farmall has been cleaning house and opening eyes

at almost every country fair antique tractor pull competition in the area. The

Ferris tractor, said to have hauled up to 17,200 pounds, took home a handful

of blue ribbons last week at the Bridgewater Fair's class VI pull and is

expected to do the same this weekend at the Goshen Fair.

"Everybody's been amazed. It's a one-of-a-kind tractor, I guess," John Ferris

said. "The weight this thing pulls is incredible."

Mr Ferris still remembers the day two years ago when he and his father-in-law

Robert Staudinger finally bought the old broken down tractor, which appeared

to be on its last legs.

"The tractor was a mess. Everybody laughed at me when I bought it," he

explained. "But I restored everything. I tore it apart and cleaned every nut

and bolt piece by piece."

In fact, Mr Ferris, a member of the Newtown Highway Department, spent 400

hours working on the tractor's body alone, and it shows.

"It's got a better paint job than a car," commented Sandy Ferris, John's wife.

As Mr Ferris points out, his 1954 Farmall has just a 47 horsepower engine, but

makes up for it's limited power with torque. The key, according to Mr Ferris,

is the tractor's torque amplifier, which splits the gears and allows for

increased horsepower.

Listening to the Ferris couple talk about their new treasure, it is clear the

tractor has become their pride and joy. On the kitchen wall is a blown up

photograph of John in action during a recent tractor pull. The front wheel of

the red machine is three feet off the ground and the engine is roaring.

Of course, the tractor can't get all of the credit for its pulling success.

The driver has to know what he's doing, too, and John attributes much of his

skill behind the wheel to the fact that many of his relatives used to pull

oxen.

At the Goshen Fair, in addition to competing in the tractor pull, the stock

machine will be on display for farm hands both young and old to see.

For Mr Ferris, who has begun work on a 1954 Farmall tractor for Sandy so she

too can compete, putting together engine parts has become more than a hobby,

it's a passion. He recently built a hot-looking 1955 Chevy truck from scratch

in his basement, but he's looking to sell that vehicle. You see, it's the

tractors he really loves.

"I'm into tractors. I was brought up on a farm with tractors," he explained.

"I guess it's just in me."