FIVE GRAND FORD 1969 FORD 5002 ROW CROP

Prior to 1961, Ford’s worldwide agricultural engineering, marketing and production operations were scattered all over the globe. That year, the company began consolidating the operation for greater efficiency. The end result was the “Worldwide Tractor” that debuted for 1965, a single line of tractors to be sold all over. Existing features from existing products were homogenized with new ones. Design input came from all Ford sources and the new lineup debuted with a lot of new technology and a new look. The British arm of Ford Tractor Operations was the farthest ahead in many ways and took the overall lead. Ford tractor production coalesced in four places. Birmingham, England, produced many of the bigger tractors, with a U.S. factory in Highland Park, Michigan, building the higher-horsepower units destined for the American market. A new plant in Basildon, England, built the smaller tractors and a plant in Antwerp, Belgium, built many tractors for the Euro market. These tractors have become known as the “Thousand Series,” comprising the 2000 (3-cyl, 32 hp), 3000 (3-cyl, 39 hp), 4000 (3-cyl, 47 hp), 5000 (4-cyl, 56 hp) and 6000 (6-cyl, 67 hp). The 1965-75 Thousand Series would evolve greatly in that decade, as would Ford Tractor Operations until it was finally sold to Fiat in 1991. The Ford line would eventually become the New Holland brand.

For 1968, Ford updated and restyled the tractor line, replacing the 6000 with the much more powerful 105hp 8000 and upping the power on the rest. As time passed, one of the most popular of the new Worldwide designs turned out to be the 5000 model. It was that “Three Bears, just right” size farmers liked as a utility or even as a main tractor for smaller acreages.

The 1968 5000 series, built in Basildon, debuted as either a general purpose (GP, model 5001) or row crop (RC, model 5002). The main difference in the RC versus GP was a higher stance. On the wide front tractors, this was accomplished with a higherriding, adjustable-tread, front-axle design mounting 7.50-16 versus 6.00-16 tires. A narrow front version was available, also with 7.50-16 tires. In back, the RC used 38 inch rear tires (13.6 or 15.5-inch width) on power-adjusted rims. The GP tractors are most often seen with 6.00-16 front tires and 16.9-30 rear tires. The higher stance on the RC was accompanied by a platform seating arrangement, as opposed to the lower seating arrangement on the GP tractors that straddled the gearbox.

The ’68 and later 5000 used a direct-injected 256ci four cylinder diesel that replaced a similar 233ci unit (with a smaller 4.2-inch bore) on the ’65-67 units. A gas engine of the same general design was also offered, though an LPG engine option offered on the earlier tractors was dropped. The 256ci engine produced 75 net flywheel horsepower at 2,100 rpm and 212 lb-ft of torque at 1,300. That equaled the 242ci six of the ’65-67 6000 model and

 By the time this 1969 Ford 5002 row crop was built, the narrow front was a seldom-seen feature. The general purpose tractors are also more commonly seen these days as well. The squared-off fenders, driver’s platform and tall stance are the giveaways....

 The row crop models were almost always equipped with a Cat II 3-point hitch (upper link missing here), drawbar and 540rpm PTO. Most GPS had these also but were more likely to be ordered without than a row crop model. Two hydraulic remotes were...