Look what turned up this afternoon on a trailer...

[Patbretagne]

I know it is not red and doesn't start with C, but over a year ago I made an offer for this piece of old iron, several times I have renewed my offer but never was it accepted, that is until about a week ago, My original price was accepted, no haggling!
So today at 12 noon, I arrived a few miles away with an envelope full of notes and a cheque, in the Landrover and a borrowed trailer, 3.30 it was unloaded chez nous (at our house) with three flat tyres, not having run for about 30 years.

After the last war, germany was made to give away a lot of patents and the like to France as damages to France.
One of those things was a Lanz Tractor of 25HP. IN Lanz Language it would be a 7506 of 1949, but it is made in France to Lanz designs and it is called "Le Parcheron".
In french Le Percheron is a sort of draught-horse, somewhat like a Clydsdale, the tractor was called that as it was a replacement for the horse.
Enough of the history lesson, but a very interesting addition to the stable, 6000 made, not many remaining, I know of two others in this area.

Front view with Citroen 2cv lights!
Best wishes
Pat

[Bigdog]

Great job Pat!

[spiveyman]

That thing is sweet!

[evielboweviel]

looks pretty stout for 25 hp
Ron

[Donny M]

Can't wait to see it after you're finished with it, Pat

[Kodiak]

Very Nice Pat ! Keep us posted as you progress on it.

[beaconlight]

You have quite an eye for interesting things.

[junkman1946]

Pat Is it the single cylinder shotgun shell start, like the Bulldog. Frank

[Patbretagne]

Hi everyone, thanks for the kind comments,

Junkman, no in fact it isn't cartridge start, the only euopean tractor that I have tripped across with that system is the later Field Marshall and Fowler Crawler tractors from UK. All the Lanz Bulldog range are hot bulb that you heat with a blowlamp till very hot, then start it by turning the crankshaft first one way then the other till it fires, the diesel spray is injected directly into the hot bulb exploding thus turning the engine.
Some of the later Lanz had electric start with a 12v motor and complicated system of coils and contacts that would first turn one way then the other foairly rapidly so that on one compression the engine fires and takes over.

However on others one has to turn the engine manually with either a disk that is purpously mounted on one of the flywheels, or as is the case with le Percheron, one takes off the steering wheel and part of the steering shaft, insert it in the hollow end of the crankshaft and turn that from side to side, once engine is running casually put the steering wheel back in place and drive off.

There is a video of this, not very good but you will see the pricipal.

http://www.dynapay.com.au/tony/lanz/Vid ... ulldog.wmv

I have suggested that if you are interested there are a number of videos of Lanz and Vierzon tractors on the following site
http://www.dynapay.com.au/tony/lanz/index1.htm have a look you may be interested

Perhaps one day we will see a video of Pat nonchalently putting his steering wheel back on his Percheron?

Pat

[Festus]

Pat,

Great find. We have three Percherons on the farm but they all have four legs rather than four tires. Sometimes, though, they are probably harder to get started than your Percheron

Festus

[beaconlight]

Pat;
It wasn't till I started thinking (something I try to do often) tht I remembered Percheron hoprses. A friend of mine Al Cobb in Waterloo NY had a pair on his farm. Al was quite the guy. When I first met him he had 468 beef and over 100 horses, ponys and mules. He taught me to Disc with the percherons. Al had been a farmer on Long Island using animals before WWII and after a buldozing contractor. With all the houses built on LI there was very little land left for farming. He had a 900 acre spread over 3 farms including some rented land. The horses were his tie to his early life running the farm for his grandmother after his frandfather died. Any way back to the percherons. They were gentle giants. Smarter at discing than I ever will be and such willing workers. Al has a way with animals. All were ride and drive execpt the mules but you could ride them. Al is 92 now and no longers farms or brokers hay. That all came to an end when he was knocked off the top of a load of hay while trying to adjust for tieng down. He broke his hip. He recovered but decided enough is enough. I stopped to visit with him on my way home from Georges January Cuf Fest.
The Percheron mane brings back many happy thoughts.

[cowboy]

Wow Pat another awesome tractor Keep us up dated on you progress

Billy

[Ida Red]

My brother has a 25HP on full steel; and a 1933 25Hp in good running condition painted and it is forsale. Red

[mark1757]

Pat,
Felicitations! Le Percheron est forte!
Mark

[George Willer]

Pat,

I'm hoping you are reading this thread... You've been missed. I did a double take when I read your post because I thought you already had a Lantz.

In any case... Hurry back!