6/13/2012 1:36:19 PM

a cool MT shot!

6/13/2012 1:48:02 PM

Great find and capture!!!

6/13/2012 1:57:18 PM

Never heard of that brand either, John, but it sure has a cool looking front end! 4 wheel drive in '21 was pretty innovative.

6/13/2012 1:59:07 PM

There are probably working models out there in the countryside somewhere! Cool looking!

6/13/2012 2:09:38 PM

I'd love the museum too, John! Really neat capture!

6/13/2012 2:22:17 PM

So many great finds in this museum!

6/13/2012 2:38:26 PM

Had a BP glitch posting this info...2nd try!
Fitch 4 wheel drive
History
The Fitch tractor was invented by John H. Fitch of Mason County, Michigan in 1914. Mr. Fitch had been a millwright in the lumber industry in West Michigan and then turned his attention to the manufacture of mechanical inventions and to fruit farming. He saw the new horseless vehicles getting stuck along the roads bordering his farm and began to think about a machine that would use all four wheels as drivers instead of just two while the others were helpless. Although there had been a few four-wheel drive tractors invented prior to his, "The Fitch" as he named the tractor, was the first to use gears instead of chains to transfer the power from the engine to the axles and wheels.
The Four Drive Tractor Company was formed in November 1915 in Ludington, Michigan. John H. Fitch was the President of the company. In December 1915, the Big Rapids, Michigan board of trade made an offer to move the company to that city. The board financed construction of a 45'x200' brick building on Maple Street east of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad tracks. Mr. Fitch moved to Big Rapids to tend to the company and perfect the tractor. World War I caused a delay of materials needed and progress was being made on marketing, demonstrating and selling the tractors. Mr. Fitch died suddenly in November 1916. Elbert Jenkins of Big Rapids - who was the Vice President of the Company during the first year - was elected as the new President after Mr. Fitch's passing.
The company struggled during its entire existence to make a profit as the tractors were selling for just a few hundred dollars above the cost of manufacture. This led to the demise of the company after the Stock Market Crash of 1929.
The company produced various models of Four Drive tractors during its first few years with a draw bar and belt ratings of 15-26 to 15-30 featuring Beaver and Waukesha 4-cylinder motors and weighing 4,400 to 6,000 pounds. The best-selling Fitch tractor was the Model D 20-35 which featured a Climax 4-cylinder motor and can be identified by an oval-shaped fuel tank behind the hood.
In 1929, the company produced a shorter, sturdier tractor for heavy work that they referred to "The Cat" Model E 15-30 Model. Later, the name "The Cat" was removed and became the Model F.
Estimates of the production numbers of the Fitch Models were around 2,000 tractors while the Model E/F was less than 70.
There are 4 known fully restored and operational Model D 20-35 Fitch tractors: one at Aberdeen, Washington; one at Fielding, New Zealand; one at The vintage Farm Machinery Museum in Blenheim New Zealand, and one at the Gunnedah Museum in Australia.
There are 3 known unrestored Model 20-35 tractors in various states of the USA.

6/13/2012 3:28:40 PM

Thank you for the history of the awesome machine! Superb!!

6/13/2012 3:29:51 PM

A name unfamiliar to me, for sure! Seems they were quite inovative for their time! Must call by the Gunnedah Museum one day when time permits! Great find and capture, John! Can just imagine Dad's interest at this place too!!

Phil

6/13/2012 4:19:45 PM

It looks a little more modern than your previous tractor, great history write up!

6/13/2012 5:00:32 PM

Wonderful information and capture of this old tractor, John!

6/13/2012 5:22:58 PM

WOW John fabulous capture and ty for the great info.

6/13/2012 5:45:54 PM

One reason BP is so great is we get to share so much information from around the world! Great capure here, John! Love the info and the photo of such a rare machine!

6/13/2012 6:36:49 PM

Excellent capture!! Great info!! Well done John!!

6/13/2012 6:40:30 PM

Wonderful information John..thank you, very interesting indeed...
I thinks this must be men's paradise...I know my hubby can spend hours looking...
Terrific capture...

6/13/2012 8:11:43 PM

I'm glad to see that they have this under cover, not like the rest of the old relics sitting out in the weather! What an interesting piece of history, John! The Fitch was the beginning of the tractor!

6/13/2012 8:38:09 PM

Great shot John. Pleased to read that we have two out of the four working models in NZ.

6/13/2012 9:55:31 PM

great series and capture!

6/13/2012 10:09:26 PM

That is one rare tractor

6/14/2012 3:19:43 AM

well done

6/14/2012 4:08:58 AM

WOW! Definitely a 'work-horse'...beautifully captured, John!!!

Thank You for the info, My Friend!

I wanted to know more about the man (John H. Fitch) who designed this 'four-wheel drive tractor'...and below is the Tractor Website.

fitchfourdrive.com/index.html

6/14/2012 5:02:57 AM

Terrific perspective and tones in this image, John! This tractor looks like it's enjoying well earned admiration and rest!

6/14/2012 7:22:51 AM

Superb info John on this marvel of yesteryears. It's great to preserve them in the museums to remind us of the technology of long ago. So interesting viewing.

6/14/2012 11:49:51 AM

Thanks for that fascinating info & capture of this amazing machine, John! Have not seen one of these before,my friend!

6/14/2012 12:08:55 PM

What an interesting piece of machinery John, VERY well done!! <><

6/14/2012 1:12:04 PM

Many thanks for all your kind comments, they are appreciated!

6/14/2012 1:21:51 PM

Excellent capture and information!!

6/14/2012 4:41:49 PM

Thank you so much Tammy!

6/14/2012 5:00:05 PM

Perfect detail and pov, and very interesting info, John!!!

6/14/2012 6:33:54 PM

Excellent detail and info about the 4 wheel drive that most of us take for granted today. My main vehicle is a Jeep Unlimited Rubicon and it is just a push of a button. Great for the MT John.

6/15/2012 12:34:11 PM

Thank you Ellen and Emile for your kind remarks!

6/15/2012 3:34:52 PM