9 Facts about the Porsche-Diesel Tractor
Doctor Porsche was a brilliant engineer, and besides the expensive sports cars with his name on them, he also designed durable, easily maintained, machines for the people. We all know about the VW Beetle, but there is also the Porsche-Diesel agricultural tractor.
1. The People's Tractor
Back in the 1930s, when Ferdinand Porsche was working on putting Germany on wheels with the original Volkswagen, he was also designing a Volk-Schlepper - The People's Tractor. Before the war, he had developed several working prototypes, with air-cooled modular diesel motors, in 1, 2, 3, and 4 cylinder variations. Another before its time innovation from Ferdinand, these tractors used a hydraulic drive system. He even had 4 wheel drive versions he was testing.
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2. Allgaier-System Porsche and Hofherr Schrantz-System Porsche
After the war, when all the treaties had been signed, Porsche was not allowed to go into production with the tractors, because of they weren't a farm equipment manufacturer before the war. Allgaier and Hofherr Schrantz licensed the diesel engine, and the rest of Porsche's design and began producing the tractors which were immediate hits. These two companies would continue to make their Porsche tractors for years, until 1956 when Mannesmann AG bought them out and took over production.
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3. Junior, Standard Super and Master
Porsche truly was an engineer ahead of his time, and his modular tractor engine allowed a wide range of applications to be met with very few part numbers. The Junior tractors were barely bigger than the riding mowers used today and had a single cylinder with 11-15 hp. The next size up was the twin cylinder Standard, with 20-26 hp. The Super was the most popular size for agricultural usage, and its three-cylinder motor made 30-35 hp. The top of the line was the Master, with a four-cylinder motor good for 44-55 hp. All of them used the iron engine block as the frame, and extensive aluminum in their construction and body work. A 5-speed transmission was standard, though some had 6-speeds and a granny gear for serious pulling.
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4. German Engineering, in America's Heartland
Farmers are a conservative and patriotic bunch, but the air cooler diesel offered some selling points that made them attractive to a small segment of the American market. American Porsche-Diesel Corporation was established at 808 Packer Street, Easton, PA, and is estimated to have sold 1,000 tractors between 1956 and 1964. In recent years, Porsche car enthusiasts have begun importing more because a Porsche-Diesel Junior makes a fun addition to your car collection.
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5. Rare Gas Version
The Porsche-Diesel even spawned a rarely seen gas powered version for use with crops that react badly to Diesel fumes. The one pictured above has Full stamped aluminum body work, and was made for coffee plantation work in South America.
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6. Air Cooled Simplicity
Much like a classic VW, 356, or 911, the air cooled simplicity was a big selling point on the Porsche-Diesel. Heavily finned cylinders and heads are surrounded by ductwork, again like Dr. Porsche's other designs, and a large radial fan circulates are around them. Much like the air cooled Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine, these tractors have no problem staying cool while stationary for hours powering accessories.
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7. Porsche Designed Logo
Was Ferdinand Porsche a control freak, or were his designs just that good? It must be one or the other because the Porsche name spelled out of the tractor is very similar to the style you find on every Porsche product. Perhaps they should offer "Porsche Diesel" stripes and logos on the diesel-powered SUVs they sell today?
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8. Distinctive Look
Part of what makes the Porsche tractors so great is their distinctive look. The air cooled motor did not need an opened grill to get air to a radiator, so a streamlined, rounded nose with no opening could be used. Two stamped pieces were joined at a ridge in the middle and hinged to open at the rear. The shape of the bodywork contributed to making it rigid, just like the body panels on a VW Beetle.
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9. It Belongs in a Museum
Porsche is known for their sports cars, but they are still proud of their agricultural roots. A Porsche tractor is enshrined in the Porsche museum in Germany. There is a good reason for this because over the years more than 125,000 tractors bearing the Porsche name were produced, nearly twice as many as 356 sports cars during the same period. Prices today run from less than $10,000 for a rough example to more than $30,000 for a restored one, but that is still affordable compared to any other air cooled classic.
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