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Subject: Moto Tug Videos

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wwildhorse2k    Posted 11-18-2009 at 18:52:30 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Moto Tug Videos
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5ibonVC5BY&feature=channel


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ3Zsaifu1g&feature=channel

    Tim Daley(MI)    Posted 12-08-2009 at 12:15:56 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • Here's a de-classified document dated October 28, 1943 which designates the Fordson Tractor BN-25 will be supplied to the Navy and manufactured by Harry Ferguson, Inc. Does this indicate that production of the BNO's did not begin until 1943? Ferguson was the distributor of Ford Tractor and implements at the time so is that what this infers? Is there any data to indicate that 2Ns were retro-fitted to Moto-Tugs at a site other than the Rouge Plant?


    Tim Daley(MI)

    *9N653I* & *8NI55I3*

    Gaspump    Posted 12-08-2009 at 13:19:28 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • To me it reads that the allotment of Tractors(Moto-Tugs) and Jeeps per Carrier Vessel is being increased to the new numbers according to its class. It also says there are pools of these vehicles awaiting on the west Coast. It also reads the Motos are built by Harry Ferguson. So it is beginning to sound like Moto-Tugs were indeed on the West coast prior to the date of the letter and states "Built by Harry Ferguson" so this brings Harrys Plant on Telegraph Rd into the picture as being a possible and likely construction site of the moto-Tug.

    Tim Daley(MI)    Posted 12-08-2009 at 16:10:13 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • Hi John-
    I would agree to everything except the plant om Telegraph Rd. I don't recall Ferguson having a plant on Telegraph, but maybe you know something I don't, it's just I never read anything about that. Did you mean Southfield Rd.? It is a fact that Ferguson and/or Kyes went scurrying for a plant to make a tractor when he was booted out of Ford, in November 1946, and one was purchased in Cleveland, Ohio. Realizing they would need another $8 million to tool up, they scrapped that idea and sold the plant at a slight profit. Ferguson was already making his TE20 in Coventry, England, and in January 1947, was importing them into the US. In January 1948, Ferguson bought a 72 acre parcel (on Southfield Rd.) to construct his assembly plant, Ferguson Park. The plant was completed in July and the first US built Fergie (TO20)rolled off the line in October. Meanwhile his lawsuit with Ford had already begun and would continue for several more years. You already know all of this I'm sure, but I would tend to think the Moto's were retro-fitted at the Rouge. Ferguson would have still been the distributor during the war years at Ford so if the Tugs carried a Ferguson tag then it was no more significant than a plow or cultivator, in my opinion. I just don't see Ford/Ferguson investing in a special plant to retro-fit 9Ns/2Ns especially for only 3000 or so units. I do see the sheet metal being stamped at the Rouge for the Tugs. I do see them doing a line chageover for maybe a week or two to produce the Tugs. It certainly would be more cost effective than shipping tractors and parts to another plant. It would be great to have concrete data on the exact production of the Tugs, but until evidence comes along this is what I'll believe. It's hard enough trying to decode N-Production as it is!

    Respectfully
    Tim Daley(MI)

    Gaspump    Posted 12-08-2009 at 17:33:44 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • Can't remember for sure but its likely you are right and it may well have been on Southfield. I had been over there a few times too as prior to visiting a Ford Tractor Dealer in a Ferguson controlled Distributorship area we had to get our permission directly from Harrys HQ. The Fergy Plant later M/F was right next door to the Ferguson-Sherman operation if you recall that location. Rember too the Rouge plant was at capacity+ during the war. Ferguson-Sherman was a pretty large operation and easily could have built them. If they were a Rouge product then I would say from Ford Truck as they built many specialized vehicles and conversions but if so Harrys tag would likely not be on them. The Ford Tractor operation there was small during wartime.

    Tim Daley(MI)    Posted 12-05-2009 at 18:49:37 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • I was snooping around WWII web sites and found this (see link at bottom)lots of pictures and data on Navy vessels. The bottom photo came from another web site.


    Tim Daley(MI)

    *9N653I* & *8NI55I3*

    Tim Daley(MI)    Posted 12-08-2009 at 23:00:12 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Tugs & Jeeps
  • More snooping turned up these from the www.historylink101.com web site---







    Tim Daley(MI)

    Jon Rhee (RI)    Posted 12-10-2009 at 12:52:58 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Re: Tugs & Jeeps
  • Great find! It's really cool to see those tractors in action.

    Zack(NC)    Posted 12-09-2009 at 07:30:48 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Re: Tugs & Jeeps
  • Thanks for the pics Tim, I enjoyed seeing those, I'd like to find me a Ford built Jeep! Zack

    Jonas Hastings    Posted 12-05-2009 at 20:44:18 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • Tim, the tractors in the first photo are case VA's.

    Jonas

    Tim Daley(MI)    Posted 12-06-2009 at 08:34:30 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Re: Moto Tug Videos
  • Hi Jonas-
    Thanks for spotting that. I thought they looked a little funny- another reason I posted them. That is the USS Yorktown being loaded- picture taken in 1943. The middle photo is from around 1957 (Korean Conflict?) but those don't look like Ford Moto-Tugs either around those FJ-3 Furys.


    Tim Daley(MI)

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