Bill Hedrick’s collection of 84 tractors includes a Ford 960 with a tricycle front end. Hedrick, Battleground, Ind., began collecting tractors more than 40 years ago. He and his family display the collection every year in June and invite neighbors to visit. In fact, they invite neighbors to bring their own older tractors and join the fun.

The Ford 960 is restored in sharp condition, and it’s easy to see why it’s a favorite among collectors. A break from the popular N Series, which featured the Ferguson three-point hydraulic-lift system that transformed tractor technology, this is a row crop tractor that pulled a three-bottom plow equipped with 14-inch plow bottoms. According to tractordata.com, it debuted in 1954 and was made in Highland Park, Mich., through 1957.

Hedrick’s Ford 960 is a 1955 model. It featured live power takeoff, which was not standard on tractors in the mid-1950s. It tested at just over 38 hp at the drawbar and over 46 hp on the belt in tractor tests. The 960 was a five-speed tractor. Variations of the 900 Series included the 940, a four-speed tractor, and the 950, also a five-speed tractor. 

This tractor still had a generator and used a 6-volt electrical system with one battery. It came standard with manual steering, but power-assist steering was optional. While the most common wheel configuration was a tricycle row crop model, it was available with a wide front end.

In 1957, the standard Ford 960 listed at $2,561. It was followed by the Ford 961 model.