Our friends at Ag-Power, a 10-store John Deere dealership in Missouri (www.ag-power.com), yesterday had one of the greatest used Tractor ads I’ve ever seen posted to their Facebook page. I “Shared” this awesome post last night and in a day its reached over 72,000 folks…bringing a smile to all I think:
Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus + President Bill Clinton + JD 4960 = The Year 1992. Beautiful.
Seriously though, kind of mind bending to realize that the well loved John Deere 60 Series Tractors came out 30 Years ago in 1992.
30 Years. 3 Decades. Wow.
Proof of how very well loved JD 4960’s are came recently when the 1993 JD 4960 with 4056 hours pictured below sold for $97,000 on a December 4, 2021 farm auction in Payne, OH by my good friends at Schrader Real Estate and Auction Co. This was the highest auction sale price on a JD 4960 in nearly 9 years, since Feb. 2013, and was the 3rd highest auction sale price ever on a 4960.
While we’re on the subject of John Deere 60 Series Tractors now being 30 Years old…reminds me of pair of Machinery Pete Youtube videos I posted back 5 years ago last month, December 2016. First I was invited to attend/cover the John Deere Parts Expo held that year in Austin, TX. Austin is super fun town, but I had way more fun inside the conventional hall as folks from the John Deere Archives brought to Austin a few of their prize “Last Off the Line” model tractors to display, including the last 4960 made, a 1994 model with only 6 actual hours it. They displayed right next to the very last JD 7810 tractor made, which had just 18 hours on it. Here’s the Youtube video I posted:
Standing next to those 2 green beauties was like having your own Time Machine. Beautiful.
So after I posted that Machinery Pete Youtube video my good friend Romaine Schweer from Denver, IA, just outside of Waterloo, IA sent me this note:
“Hi, Greg, For what it’s worth….Your story about the 4960 brings back memories. I was working on the final assembly line for the “60” series tractors and helped build this tractor. As I recall, it was the second to the last “60” Series tractor built. The last one was a 4760 2WD that was ordered and sold new to our line supervisor at that time. He wanted the last one ( 60 Series ) built and I never could believe Deere & Co. actually didn’t archive the last one built. The 4760 was used by “Dick” and then was sold at his farm sale probably 10 years later. I don’t remember that the last serial number fact was ever presented as such a rare piece. I knew that this would be a real deal, but had too many other things going to get serious about actually buying it. This was in my opinion, the very last tractor that had been modified many times from the original “10” Series with the new front mounted fuel tank. The 8000 was a totally new concept in all respects. Somewhere, I have a picture of all of our assembly line employees positioned on and around the 4960 and 4760. Thanks for all that you do. - Romaine”
My buddy Romaine found the picture…amazing piece of history.
“Hi, Greg! I was able to locate this picture of the 4960 and 4760 tractors that were the last two built. This 49 should be the same tractor that you just did a great story on. Our local J.D. salesman thinks he has a pretty good chance of finding the 4760. It was sold new to my line supervisor who lived near Jesup, IA at the time. He has since retired and moved to Lake of The Ozarks. We have a condo down at the same lake and maybe I could try and locate him for information if needed. This is fun! I can see why you love your job. Although you are way more involved. Your love for your profession is obvious in all that you do. Stay Safe. - Romaine”
When I posted this cool follow up story and picture of the last off the line JD 4760 and 4960 from back in 1994, it took about one day for a note to pop into my Facebook messages…“Pete, I know where it…the last JD 4760 made.”
So off I traveled down very near the Field of Dreams, how fitting, in Dyersville, IA to go see the JD 4760 2WD from the picture Romaine sent…the very last 60 Series Tractor Deere ever made. Here’s that Machinery Pete Youtube video:
John Deere 60 Series Tractors - Now 30 Years Old. Hard to believe. Seemingly generating more and more interest as they age. I guess that perhaps is the definition of a true “Classic.”
…oh yeah, that JD 4960 in the Ag-Power Facebook promo from Missouri…SOLD already. Classics don’t sit on the lot very long, do they.
“Tractor Specs” on JD 4960’s: https://www.machinerypete.com/specs/john-deere/4960/7363
(18) JD 4960’s for sale today: https://www.machinerypete.com/tractors/175-hp/john-deere/4960
Still with me…well, suppose I can’t really end this blog on JD 4960’s without the MOST TALKED ABOUT 4960 EVER…yep, the famous 1992 JD 4960 with only 14 actual hours on it in Ohio that sat outside for 20 years, tree growing up around it that I featured in a November 2013 Machinery Pete Youtube video. Over 1.8M views now. Here it is:
Pete
Machinery Pete