The Ford Motor Company built its reputation on mass producing vehicles; be it cars, trucks, vans, or tractors. This meant that even vehicles that did not sell in as vast quantities as the more popular models were still constructed in large numbers. Therefore, finding a Ford tractor, for example, that is not as common as the rest is perhaps not as easy as with some other manufacturers’ products.
In 1975 Ford was forced to launch a new range of models, to replace its main 37-98hp series of tractors, without their biggest new feature yet ready to go into production. The result was what Ford called the 7A1 range – and every single model in that range is rarer than the later versions produced from the middle of 1976. One of the least common models from this whole range was the 68hp 5600.
SUPERB EXAMPLE
To find an original example of the first version of the 5600 is not an easy task, but thankfully collector Jonathan Putterill, from near Holbeach in Lincolnshire, owns a particularly nice example that also gets to flex its muscles regularly, doing work around the family smallholding and at working events.
Jonathan has owned his 5600 for nearly 15 years and bought it from Westlake Plough Parts, after going to collect some parts and seeing it for sale in the yard. Jonathan knew this was a rather unusual machine and so did a deal there and then and bought
