1926 Ford Model T With Fon-du-Lac Tractor Conversion

The Fon-Du-Lac is a conversion kit for tractor work that was installed on the rear of a model "T". It is claimed by the manufacturer that this device can be attached in fifteen to twenty minutes (not neccessarily true). The various features include an auxiliary cooling system, consisting of a centrifugal pump and a specially designed fan to aid in keeping the power unit cool when working under severe conditions. A device for attachment to the carburetor to prevent dust from entering the engine is also supplied.

Almost ready for a night on the town, all that's left is to change the rear axle.

In mounting the attachment, the rear wheels of the motor car are removed and the two driving pinions which mesh with the bull gear on the tractor wheels are attached. All implements are pulled by the attachment itself, thus relieving the chassis of the motor car as much as possible from the strain of the work. The gear reduction is eleven to one. Traction is secured by the semi-concave creepers on the wheel. For sandy soil, special ten-inch angle creepers are supplied. The maker states that this attachment, "will do the work of four to eight horses and will plow about one-third more acreage."

This conversion kit (not the car) was used on the Blum ranch in Chicago Park, California from 1923 until 1946 to perform all tractor related duties on the ranch. Approximately twenty Model "T"s were worn out on the ranch using this kit. Model "T"s were very inexpensive ($10-$20) so preventative maintenance was not performed. When the "T" wore out, it was replaced.

The original Fon-du-Lac frame and mounting were cut up for scrap. Somehow the wheels and drive pinions survived. The frame assembly and mounting hardware were made by LLoyd (Curly) Mc Curry of Colfax, Ca.

Fon-du-Lac was not the only company to offer a conversion during this time. There where many others, a few of these being: Smith Form-a-Tractor, Staude Mak-a-Tractor, the Pulford Co., Tracford, and the United Tractor Co. These are but a few.

Many thanks to Ted Blum, Curly Mc Curry, Bart Towery, Chad Wheat, Lorang Brothers Construction, Brian Hargraves, Stanley Downum, Deloy Scott, Bill Shafer, and Todd Spivey. Machine work by TAPS of Colfax and Tri-C Machine, Auburn, Ca. Upholstery by Dale Woods Upholstery, Chicago Park, Ca.

This truck tractor conversion went to the Central Valley of California.