How to attract attention to your exhibit at the Farm Progress Show? Bring in a century-old tractor in working clothes, and then park one of the biggest tractors made, new and shiny, behind it. Then sit back and watch people pour in, smiling, sometimes shedding a tear, and taking pictures of both machines.

John Deere worked this formula to perfection when it celebrated the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the John Deere Model D and featured the John Deere 9R 640 on tracks at the same time in its exhibit at the 2023 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill.

The Model D was first released to the public in 1923. Rated at 34 hp and capable of pulling over 3,000 pounds, it was John Deere’s first mass-produced tractor. Deere made the Model D for 30 years, with the last one rolling off the line in 1953. Some 160,000 Model D tractors were produced over that record-long run.

According to tractordata.com, it was a three-plow, standard-tread tractor that produced 38 hp in official tests, belting out a nifty 42 belt-pulley hp in testing. It had three gears and featured an 8.2-liter, two-cylinder, all-fuel engine. In 1953, you could purchase one of those last Model D tractors for $2,124.

HOP ON AND GO: Driving the Model D after driving horses was a culture shock. For many, climbing into the cab of the 9R 640 with tracks would also be a culture shock.

Meet Goliath

Now look at the John Deere 9R 640. According to Deere statistics, it is rated at 640 hp, but capable of producing 691 maximum hp. This four-wheel-drive giant weighs 56,981 pounds, compared to 5,000 pounds for the Model D.

While the D pulled 3,000 pounds, the 9R 640, according to deere.com, can be configured with the proper hitch to pull 10 tons. Compared to three speeds on the Model D, the 9R 640 features a John Deere e18, 18-speed Power Shift transmission with Efficiency Manager, with a top speed of 25 miles per hour.

Remember that $2,124 price for a new Model D in 1953? According to deere.com, typical list price for a new 9R 640 on tracks is around $750,000.