This is my Fowler VF Crawler Tractor which is for sale. I have owned it for more than 10 years. I bought it as a major project in November 1997, basically it was all there but with lots of wear, a shot big end bearing, and had been subject to some heavy use. I stripped the tractor virtually down to its component parts and rebuilt it in the winter of 1997-8. The story of the refurbishment is told in Britannia news Nos 41-44.
The first thing that you will notice about this example is that it is orange, and VFs were usually green. This is No. 4705098, very near the end of VF production before the start of the VFA model. I didn't just paint it orange on a whim. The original paintwork was orange right down to the castings, even right in underneath where the sun don't shine. So it was orange originally! I have discussed this anomaly with a few afficionados and the conclusion was that maybe Marshalls wanted to make it look more like the VFA, perhaps for exhibition before they had VFAs to exhibit. Many of the track components are VFA as well, which supports this theory. The tractor had been fitted with a winch, which was removed at some stage. The drawbar and PTO cover fitted when the winch was removed were the only green components. Obviously a later fitment. For the real sceptics I have the photos of the unrestored orange castings which I can turn out for serious enquirers.
The price is £7000, and you'll have to transport it yourself. I sold my HGV some time ago. Why am I selling? I shall be deperately sad to see it go, but I have accumulated too much stuff, and I need the space to better organise my other playthings.
The track frames, suspension, engine, gearbox, clutch and tinwork have all been dismantled and rebuilt using new and refurbished components as necessary to achieve a functionally sound tractor which just needs a little cosmetic fettling to bring it up to what I would call a full Rally standard. I have never got round to lining out on the tinwork, and the transfers still have to be done. The oil pump instruction plate needs fitting. I have the transfers, badges and oil pump instructions ready to fit. I have not tarted the tractor up with polished castings, chrome plating or similar. It has done enough work (and plenty of play) to gain a patina. The engine starts first time and takes two people to get it over compression when cold. The brave and the strong can start it single man style when it is warm.
Now it's confession time. When I rebuilt it I left the bolts holding the final drives to the gearbox as they were found, when I should have tightened them, resulting in a slight oil leak btween the right hand unit and the transmission. There are no cracks in the castings that I can find.
One other thing. I never got round to finding the little ratchets that hold the brakes on.
During all the time it has been owned by me the tractor has been kept in my garage.
Cick on an image below to enlarge. The left front view is in High Resolution
Thanks for reading this page.....I look forward to hearing from you. Please phone on 01822 832216
Location - Tavistock, Devonshire, in the South West of England.
Telephone - 01822 832216 or from outside the UK +44 1822 832216.
Electronic mail address - Colin
windsorchair.co.uk (to
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