TRACTOR TRIVIA and other interesting stuff 7/1/2024

[953 nut 55,155]

Zetor Tractors

Following the end of World War Two the European agricultural and construction industries were in need of tractors.

As was the case for other European countries, Czechoslovak industry faced the challenge to construct a practical, light weight tractor suitable for mass production. Unlike other countries, the Communist Czechoslovak government formed a National Committee and commissioned František Musil in June 1945 to fulfil the task of determining who would be the sole future manufacturer of tractors for the country. That was the beginning of the history of the world-famous Czech producer of agricultural technology - Musil´s prototype "Z" became the winner. By March of 1946 the first tractors were delivered to eager customers.

A lack of machining tools slowed the production of tractors because the Nazis had confiscated them for their wartime production facilities. As these underground facilities were discovered and the machines returned to factories production rates increased.

By 1947, about 3400 had been produced. In 1948, the Zetor 15 was approved for production, and it was manufactured until 1949. The Zetor 25A and 25K were manufactured until 1961 and 158,570 were produced, of which 97,000 were exported.  In the late 1950s, ZETOR was the first to introduce the concept of using unified parts to produce tractors worldwide. Zetor introduced many innovative features for the time imcluding the world's first safety cabin with rollover protection system, mounted on vibration isolators. The new cabin also helped to reduce noise in the cabin to below 85 dB. Thanks to these innovative procedures, the Zetor brand was globally acclaimed and topped the charts of global tractor manufacturers.

The end of Soviet domination from 1948 to 1989 offered challenges coupled with opportunities for Zetor. The state-owned enterprise faced bankruptcy due to the instability of the Koruna. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia separated peacefully into two new countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech owned company had lost its government ownership foundation and had to learn how to function in a free enterprise environment. In June 2002, HTC Holdings of Slovakia became the owner of Zetor, they invested a great deal of money to stabilize and restructure the company.

In 2015, at the Agritechnica exhibition in Hanover, Germany, Zetor introduced the design concept "Zetor by Pininfarina". The concept was applied to all products and model ranges of the Zetor brand. The BBC said of the Italian Pininfarina studio design that it is the most sexy tractor in the world.

Zetor has become a worldwide enterprise in North America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and India. In 2015, 86% of total production of the company was exported to foreign countries.

The name Zetor, which was later to become the name of the brand and which was used by the state Company to mark the tractors, was created by Rostislav Sapák, a member of the Czech Economic Department, in the spring of 1946. The name is formed of the syllable Zet (the spelling of the letter Z in the alphabet, the first letter of the name of the Arms Factory “Zbrojovka”) and the suffix –or from the word tractor. It also relates to the phrase "farming tractor" in Czech: "ZEmědělský trakTOR"

[SylvanLakeWH 25,524]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

The BBC said of the Italian Pininfarina studio design that it is the most sexy tractor in the world.

 

Excellent article except... this bit of fake news... 

 

Everyone knows Wheel Horses are the sexiest tractors in the world... 

[ri702bill 8,307]

High heels are about as bad as flip-flops for workin' the fields......

[Handy Don 12,201]

1 minute ago, ri702bill said:

High heels are about as bad as flip-flops for workin' the fields......

But for working the show? They work. 🤣

 

Quite a few years ago as part of my job I hit many technology shows where models “decorated” exhibits. I often wondered what went through their minds standing there all day looking at us attendees. Never dared to ask but probably thinking their shoes hurt and wondering what to have for dinner.

[953 nut 55,155]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

I often wondered what went through their minds standing there all day looking at us attendees

[Beap52 809]

I can kind of understand high heels.  They're good for stompin' moles.  But that "dress" (or whatever it's called) isn't worth a flip when it comes to greasing the tractor or changing oil.  

[953 nut 55,155]

7 minutes ago, Beap52 said:

"dress"

Kinda like a barbed wire fence, protects the property without obstructing the view.