WAAAM Tractors- Western Antique Automobile & Aeroplane Museum

Museum Collection

Visitors at WAAAM quickly realize that our vehicles are not just a collection of old, unusable stuff. Once restored by our amazingly gifted volunteers, all of our antique cars and planes can and do run. More than that, they purrrrrr!

Tractor Collection

1910_Aultman__Taylor_Steam_Traction_Engine Tractor in motion

At the dawn of the automotive era tractors were more like mini-locomotives. Before long people were turning average automobiles into mechanical farm implements and soon the tractor as we know it was born. In short, tractors are cool. WAAAM has a few tractors and more toy tractor models than anyone we know too.

1910 Aultman & Taylor Steam Traction Tractor 1939 Ford 9N Tractor 1939 John Deere Tractor Model B 1946 McCormick-Deering W6 Tractor

1910 Aultman & Taylor Steam Traction Tractor

Year: 1910

Donor: Doris DeHart and Mark Grey

Engine: Steam/Boiler

Transmission: Traction

Number of Doors: open

Curb Weight in Lbs: approx 19500

We like to call this tractor a Hood River icon. For many decades it was a main feature in the Hood River 4^th of July Parades. In the mid-80s it fell in to disrepair and people no longer got to see it. When the museum opened it fit right in with our antiques. It took us a while to find a team to restore it but once they started the tractor was back up and running in under 6 months! Originally we had thought this was a 1911 but as we restored the tractor all the serial and part numbers we found were from 1910 – our guess is that it was built in 1910 and by the time it reached the Hood River Valley, it was 1911 but still a “brand new” tractor. That’s more than 100 years of confusion cleared up!

1939 Ford 9N Tractor

Year: 1939

Donor: Cliff Mansfield

Engine: 4 Cyl.

Transmission: Manual (3 speed)

Number of Doors: open

Curb Weight in Lbs: approx 2410

The Ford 9N tractor brought about a revolution for Ford tractors. Previous models were well liked but many had a tendency to accidentally flip backward if the implements being pulled on the back encountered an immovable obstruction. Ford partnered with Henry Ferguson outfitting his tractors with a special 3-point hydraulic hitch system which made the tractors not only much safer but changing implements a total breeze. It was light but rugged and cost significantly less than other tractors on the market making it a perfect vehicle for the many small farms that still dotted America.

1939 John Deere Tractor Model B

Year: 1939

Donor: the Burback family and the Bean family

Engine: 2 Cyl.

Transmission: Manual (4 speed)

Number of Doors: open

Curb Weight in Lbs: approx 4500

For many years in the hard working tractor world, looking good while getting the job done was sidelined for functionality. John Deere bucked the trend with a complete restyling of both their "A" and "B" lines in 1939. Not only was this tractor a powerful workhorse but the streamlined styling and other body tweaks gave the vehicle a more modern feel.

1946 McCormick-Deering W6 Tractor

Year: 1946

Donor: Don and Joni Walker

Engine: 4 Cyl.

Transmission: Manual (5 speed)

Number of Doors: open

Curb Weight in Lbs: 4610

This standard tread tractor was part of the International Harvester family of vehicles. After the 1946 year, the full MicCormick-Deering name was shortened to just McCormick which remains in use today.