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The 100th Anniversary of the revolutionary Farmall tractor is celebrated in Farmall Century: 1923–2023, the authoritative model-by-model history that traces the evolution and design of the most significant farm tractors of the 20th century. Award-winning author Lee Klancher chronicles how and why the Farmall tractor came to exist and how it evolved with his signature blend of compelling…
The 100th Anniversary of the revolutionary Farmall tractor is celebrated in Farmall Century: 1923–2023, the authoritative model-by-model history that traces the evolution and design of the most significant farm tractors of the 20th century. Award-winning author Lee Klancher chronicles how and why the Farmall tractor came to exist and how it evolved with his signature blend of compelling stories,…
The following is an excerpt from Farmall Century by Lee Klancher.
According to most documentation, production of the original Farmall ended in 1932. But an assortment of company documents indicate that a limited number of Farmalls were sold in 1933 and 1934. The most convincing of these is the record of payments to the Ronning family. The Ronnings owned a patent to several features…
The following is an excerpt from The Last Lap by William Walker. In this excerpt, read about Pete Kreis spinning out—and recovering—in Turn One of the Indy 500 track, all the way back in 1932!
On the last day of practice for the 1932 Indianapolis 500, it appeared that there would be a third fatality in the first turn, which had already claimed the lives of two participants. As Pete Kreis…
The following is an excerpt from The Last Lap by William Walker. In this excerpt, read about Pete Kreis's record-breaking experience at the 1925 Grand Prix!
In the 1925 Grand Prix of Europe in Monza, Italy, the American cars arrived at the starting grid sporting new livery: white bodies with blue numbers: veteran Tommy Milton in number 7, novice Pete Kreis in number 11—a not-so-subtle tip…
The following is an excerpt from The Last Lap by William Walker. In this excerpt, read about Pete Kreis's first experience at the Indy 500—all the way back in 1925!
Memorial Day dawned bright and clear for the 1925 Indianapolis 500, as all the elements of the traveling circus of speed assembled on the prairie west of the Indiana capital. Included in the festivities were hot air balloons,…
The following is an excerpt from The Last Lap by William Walker. In this excerpt, read about Pete's first test drive for the Duesenberg brothers—the commanders of the American racing scene in the early 1920s!
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway that the Kreises encountered when they arrived for Pete’s big test was one that was returning to good shape after some difficult years during World…
The following is an excerpt from Farmall Century by Lee Klancher R. W. Henderson was a road manager for IH, and his job was to go out in the field and help customers with their tractors. This is one of his tales, which took place in Chile in 1912. Note that some Titan tractors were branded “Champion” in South America. The original document reads “Mellapilla,” which is likely “Melipilla” on modern…
In Botts Goes to War, the fifth volume in the Alexander Botts and the Earthworm Tractor series, the saga continues for our hero who has resigned from his post as traveling tractor salesman to take up arms as a US Army Captain. In this excerpt, Botts commandeers a laboratory to test his tractors, and his men, in extreme weather conditions. Start your Botts adventure with Botts…