I find old-fashioned McCormick Farmall tractors charming, but...

[JonBailey64]

they are no longer practical for ag these days.

1. they were unsafe: they had no ROPS so they were death traps for farmers in their heyday

2. I don't think an effective aftermarket custom ROPS can be made for a 1939-1954 Farmall M anyway

3. the cherry-condition all-original tractors would be too valuble as collectors' items to do serious farm work anymore: they are now museum pieces

4. they lacked modern comforts as air-conditioning and a closed cabin to reduce dust exposure 

If I were to have a small, hobby, specialty (eg. goat dairy)  or family farm these days, I would be charmed by a modern blue New Holland with a closed cab, heater and a/c. I would want the model with the least high-tech features otherwise. No computerized programmable stuff as much as possible. As much human manual operation as possible. Just the safety and comfort of ROPS and closed-cabin climate control. 

[rawhide]

Don't be a sissy---they were/are only as dangerous as the person driving them. Get one on steel so you can enjoy the experience.

[r3020]

I like it when the front end hits a hole or a furrow and yanks the steering wheel out of your hands. Talk about power steering.

[rawhide]

Don't give up the secrets '20. Let the boy learn.

[JonBailey64]

Get one on steel?

[JonBailey64]

I was in the army and drove a deuce-n-a-half diesel truck with no power steering. A real thumb-buster in the field in ruts.

This truck did have a seat belt. Not sure about cab-roll-over strength, however. I never drove a farm tractor but did drive

forklifts and a Hough wheel loader one time. Operated a wrecker crane mounted on a truck. Had some stick time with levers and hydraulics. 

Was a fleet truck mechanic. I am not at a stranger to nor intimidated by most vehicular machinery but a red Farmall on unstable tricycle wheels with no roll-bar bugs me. Farm tractors can tip in a ditch or on soft terrain. 

Unless you were an American soldier and froze your toes in a damp, muddy foxhole, don't you dare call me a sissy.

[r3020]

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@JonBailey64 wrote:

I was in the army and drove a deuce-n-a-half diesel truck with no power steering. A real thumb-buster in the field in ruts.

This truck did have a seat belt. Not sure about cab-roll-over strength, however. I never drove a farm tractor but did drive

forklifts and a Hough wheel loader one time. Operated a wrecker crane mounted on a truck. Had some stick time with levers and hydraulics. 

Was a fleet truck mechanic. I am not at a stranger to nor intimidated by most vehicular machinery but a red Farmall on unstable tricycle wheels with no roll-bar bugs me. Farm tractors can tip in a ditch or on soft terrain. 

Unless you were an American soldier and froze your toes in a damp, muddy foxhole, don't you dare call me a sissy.

---

Tricycle doesn't make them unstable. Unless you have walked 5 miles in -50 windchill in crotch deep snow to take care of livestock don't tell who can or can not call some one a sissy.

[JonBailey64]

I suspect that tractors with front wheels set wide apart would be less prone to tip over. It is all about physics and geometry.

Some older tractors had the front wheels so close together it almost seemed like "one" wheel in front. 

There are so many different configurations, options, implements, models and designs for farm tractors it is not even funny. 

Many farm tractors seem designed for special purposes. 

[rawhide]

sounds like you ARE intimidated to me. Thank you for your service.

[Longcreekfarms]

I still use an M tractor to pull a 100 bushel grain cart to the feed grinder. When the new blue tractors are frozen, that old M fires right up and goes down the lane. Every piece of equipment is a death trap if don't pay attention.