Our Speedex (Pond) Model B Tractor Lineup

[oldiron613 583]

Firstly, I have to admit that I need to remember this "Other Brands" part of the forum! I thought I'd share a picture of our Speedex model B lineup. These were Harold Pond's very first riding tractors that were made beginning in 1939 through 1943'ish. Like most small manufactures of this era, they were continuoulsly changing the tractor design to improve both the tractor itself, as well as ease of manufacturing. Our set consists of an example of each year they were manufactured - 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942 and presumably 1943. 

 

I think Pond Speedex history is important as it was at this time that Elmer and Cecil were working for Harold, assembling and selling Speedex tractors, before going out on their own in 1946 which their Pond lever steer tractor dirived from. 

[johnnymag3 2,515]

those are wonderful.............

 

nice assortment

 

John

[bottjernat1 2,190]

Wow nice display!! Looks like the little one is havin fun too! Always good to see the kidos havin fun.

[WHX?? 48,777]

1 hour ago, oldiron613 said:

Pond lever steer tractor dirived from. 

Agreed ... if it weren't for these there would have been no Seniors. 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,490]

WOW!

 

 

Thanks for sharing the pic!

[oldiron613 583]

33 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

WOW!

 

 

Thanks for sharing the pic!

 

My pleasure! 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,296]

Can we have pictures of each , a great display.

[ebinmaine 67,274]

Oh WOW.

Those are AWESOME.

 

 

Lever steer and steel wheels...... Yyyeeeaaahhhhh

[oldiron613 583]

18 hours ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

Can we have pictures of each , a great display.

 

Thanks! Sure thing, I have individual pictures that I'll upload but they're pretty large files so I'll just upload one at a time.

 

Do you subscribe to Lawn & Garden Tractor Magazine by chance? The upcoming July issue will have a feature article on the Speedex B tractors which includes all of these pictures and more as well. @tractorchick (Kate) can help you with a subscription if you don't subscribe and are interested. 

 

This is the 1939 model, charactorisitic of having the 8" wheel barrow style tires and wishbone front spindles. The 1939 is the smallest model too, being only 33" wide by 64" long, about the size of most Wheel Horse tractors. 

[oldiron613 583]

This is the 1940, first year for the cast iron front axle. It's my understanding that before Speedex began making their own steel wheels going into WW2, they repurposed other wheels. The rear wheels on this 1940 were originally from an IHC horsedrawn sickle mower and pretty sure we figured out the fronts are from an IHC potatoe digger. 

[oldiron613 583]

This is the 1941 model which also used the cast iron front axle, but the rear hubs went from using 4 bolts in 1940 to 5 bolts in 1941. I seem to see more 1941 models than any other year. 

[oldiron613 583]

This is the 1942 model. You can always spot a '42 by the arched front axle for increased ground clearance. This particular '42 is the only one I've seen so far with these 12" model T front wheels/hubs. 

[oldiron613 583]

Then last but not least is the "transition" model B, mine presumably built in 1943. They are referred to as transition models because you're able to start seeing charactorisitcs in the later M23 models such as the round pipe front axle and funny looking front tie rod. You can spot a transition model B by the forward placement of the engine to make the front end less light, and I'll be the first one appreciate having that engine a little further away than between my legs. This picture was taken a couple years ago at a local show with all 3 of my girls. 

Edited July 7, 2020 by oldiron613

[WHX?? 48,777]

1 hour ago, oldiron613 said:

subscribe to Lawn & Garden Tractor Magazine by

I did but for some stupid reason I let it run out! 

 

WOW we just had our own high resolution tractor show fellas!!!! 

 

Thanks Rob ... not enough thumbs 

[ebinmaine 67,274]

Absolutely awesome stuff!

 

Trina and I only get to about three or four tractor and engine events per year because we have so many other things going on. This year it will likely be only one.

North Berwick meet and greet.

 

You have a great collection. Thank you very much for sharing it with us.

 

 

[C-85 681]

I hadn't seen these before, not much to hang onto  while bouncing around driving them!

 

C-85

[oldiron613 583]

My pleasure guys! I love this stuff and love sharing with those who are interested. To me there is no point in having this stuff if nobody sees it or learns from it. 

 

In the spirit of "virtual tractor shows" this summer, I'm happy to post more pictures to this group of the other "lesser known" tractors in our collection if folks are interested. I've always been pretty obsessed with the historical significance to the L&G equipment industry and ameture historian work involved in researching these earlier tractors and respective manufactures. 

 

Well, @WHX24, get that subscription renewed!   Here's the link to the website to subscribe if anyone's interested. For the past couple of years I've been enjoying writing history articles for the publication that are published in each issue on various lesser known, early garden tractors. http://www.lagtmag.com/ You guys are getting a sneak peak of the pictures included in the upcoming July issue! 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2020 by oldiron613

[ebinmaine 67,274]

2 hours ago, oldiron613 said:

 

In the spirit of "virtual tractor shows" this summer, I'm happy to post more pictures to this group of the other "lesser known" tractors in our collection if folks are interested. I've always been pretty obsessed with the historical significance to the L&G equipment industry

I do realize it takes time for you to do this stuff but I really appreciate it. I'd love to see more pictures....

 

Like you, I believe this stuff is a part of our American history like many other machines.

 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,296]

Thank you so much for the pictures and descriptions. These are great old machines.

[WHX?? 48,777]

Look Dan @Achto he got his tractor on the cover! 

Subscription renewed!

 

When I think of Speedex I have a tendency to think of the smaller rounded hood tractors. More common at shows I guess that's why. Still these gems are easy & compact enough to load and get to shows.

I often forget about the older  but even rarer models. It's plain to see where Elmer got his ideas for the Senior from. Note the final drive case on them. Scaled up versions of early RJ's ??? Elmer ideas on the Speedex B's perhaps? 

Keep up the good work Rob, you probably forgot more than what I know about vintage tractors! 

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

Don’t forget Harold Pond first worked at the Shaw Du All tractor plant in Galesburg, Kansas before moving to South Bend, Indiana during the depression.  The Shaw Du All was a smaller orchard type tractor.  The Ponds brother in law also worked at the Shaw Du All tractor plant and later moved to Liberty, Indiana and started making the Garden All tractors.   Wheel Horse Under Cecil Ponds direction later bought out Garden All in 1959.  See picture of Shaw Du All from Garden Tractor Talk.com posting .

Edited July 8, 2020 by Lane Ranger

[oldiron613 583]

Absolutely Lane, I agree that Shaw Manufacturing in Galesburg, KS was the the grand-daddy and initial influencer to all off the Pond family tractors, employing Harold Pond, Elmer Pond and Harold's brother in-law, Gelnn Heilmann early on. Shaw tractors were built like and intended for similar truck farm, small vegetable farms as most garden tractors pre war were, utilizing many recycled automotive parts as well. To me, the early Shaw tractors are some of the most facinating early garden tractors to look at. 

[oldiron613 583]

14 hours ago, WHX24 said:

Look Dan @Achto he got his tractor on the cover! 

Subscription renewed!

 

When I think of Speedex I have a tendency to think of the smaller rounded hood tractors. More common at shows I guess that's why. Still these gems are easy & compact enough to load and get to shows.

I often forget about the older  but even rarer models. It's plain to see where Elmer got his ideas for the Senior from. Note the final drive case on them. Scaled up versions of early RJ's ??? Elmer ideas on the Speedex B's perhaps? 

Keep up the good work Rob, you probably forgot more than what I know about vintage tractors! 

 

I agree Jim, until I got really into the early Pond/Speedex tractors, the only models I had ever seen in person were the 60's/70's era, round hood hood S-Series tractors. I guess that was part of the draw to the early models for me in that here in Wisconsin, there just aren't any early models. One thing that Elmer/Ceceil did well at, better than Harold in my opinion was marketing and establishing their sales channels and dealer networks. From what I've found, most of the early Speedex's didn't go very far from their location in Ohio, with most still being in OH, MI and PA. All of the Speedex tractors in our collection were "imported" into Wisconsin which is what I enjoy about showing them locally; very few folks around here have ever seen one. 

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

 

Rodney Burger’s (lawnman_56) Shaw Du All. B-6 model.

 

 

 

[WHX?? 48,777]

Is that considered more of a farm tractor than a GT?