Slightly modified HG

[Mike Anderson]

Wow, check out this HG!

It's got a Ford industrial 6 cylinder engine, and the tracks have been stretched a bit in two ways.

http://www.californiatractors.com/store ... =2a&page=2


Mike

[John D]

Wow, check out this HG!

Mike

That's a pretty creative track!  Look to the left and there's what looks like a late 4-'s Cletrac (Model A?) behind the photographer.

[Blake Malkamaki]

That is something else!!!


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[Blake Malkamaki]

They could put suction cups on it, so it could climb buildings.

[RAB]

What is the reason for it?
High clearance?  Bouyancy aids?
Will do about 10 mph or so in top gear.  That should be fun or absolutely terifying!!
Regards, RAB

[Mike Anderson]

They say it was used in produce fields so I'd assume it was done for the clearance.   I like Blake's idea, though, suction cups would be fun.  I can just imagine the dirt it would throw up and the clod busting squeezing action at the front of the "tracks" as the end plates get closer together after rounding the front idler wheel.  Stunning.  I keep looking at it wondering how it would be to drive.  It's very well done, too.  The track frame extending looks pretty smooth..........must have had a another one or some pretty good equipment.

Blake, thanks for posting the photo.  I tried to include it, but didn't get a "browse" field.  What is the trick?  I read the instructions under FAQ but am too computer illiterate to figure it all out.

Thanks,

Mike

[Jim Leap]

That tractor actually has some historical significance. I live near the Salinas Valley on the Central Coast of California and I work in agriculture. When I first moved over here 15 years ago from the Central Valley I noticed numerous HG's similar to the one shown above for sale. They were set up like this to gain clearance and also to be able to pull harvest trailers in muddy conditions. Now days they use what are called "mudder" tractors. These are 80 to 100 HP high clearance 4WD wheel tractors. The aspect that gives them the "mudder" classification is that the front wheels are equal in height to the rear wheels. These have become common place on all large vegetable farms on the central coast and they are called mudders because they can pull packing lines and harvest trailers through muddy fields. It is my opinion that the HG's set up like this were the predecessor to the modern "mudder" tractors hence the historical significance. I actually purchased one of these HG's about two years ago. The tracks were spread out to 80" on center and it originally had the pipe extensions. I bought it because it had a really well done Model A auxillary transmission set up. I have since brought it back to 68" on center. I was told by the previous owner that it was used on the artichoke fields. The "slightly modified" HG above is unique in that the track frames have been extended. Can you imaging trying to turn that thing in wet field conditions?

Jim Leap

[C Tucker NW IL]

There was an HG with these tube extensions at our tractor show (Atkinson Illinois)last year. The tractor had come from California and was said to be an asparagus tractor.

[Bill Seal]

We were cruising through the Oxnard strawberry fields yesterday (it was Roadster Weather on Pacific Coast Highway ), and spotted a fairly late-model Case crawler modified like that, and fitted with spray booms. It was sitting in an equipment yard, along with some "mudders", and was obviously still being used.