Ford 7000

In 1971 an icon was born!

Ford Motor Company launched the Ford 7000 tractor and soon this machine became a legend in its own life time with unheard of power from its four cylinder engine - made possible by the fitting of a turbocharger. With its tall air intake stem and bowl, this tractor soon gained itself a strong following amongst farmers, contractors and drivers as the ultimate in tractor power!

This DVD programme, over two years in the making, pays tribute to the Ford 7000 using both specially filmed material and original archive films from Ford themselves. We talk to several ex-users and current owners of this machine to find out what made it so special and just what made it stand out above all the rest. 

We begin our story right back with the 7000's origins when the 5000 tractor first appeared in 1964 and then the arrival of the Ford Force 5000 in 1968. With 75hp, the new 5000 was still not big enough for some people and so conversion builders began to use six cylinder engines in the 5000 to get that extra power.

Then at the Royal Smithfield Show in 1971, the answer to many farmers needs arrived in the shape of the 94hp 7000. We then look in detail at what made the 7000 tick before seeing many examples at work doing various jobs, including ploughing, rotavating, mowing and baling.

But the story does not stop there - we go on to look at the successor to the 7000 in 1975 when the 7600 appeared and then follow the line through the 7610, 7710, 6810 and finally the Ford 7740 - all 94 to 103hp tractors featuring a turbocharger and the amchines that carried forward the 7000 legacy.

The 7000 was also the subject of conversion into four wheel drive tractors such as the Roadless 94T and County 944, and these are also part of this programme along with the 7000 models built in the USA and in Belgium. We alos look at some of the County and Roadless conversions on the following 7600 models to show how these developed as well.

This programme is a fitting tribute to a tractor that has become a real icon of the 1970s and this DVD will form a lasting and very comprehensive tribute to a tractor that has a special place in the hearts of many people who were involved in agriculture during the 1970s.