Collector Restored Rare French Farmall Diesel

2014 - Volume #38, Issue #2, Page #43

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In 2004 John Boyens imported a rare French-built 1953 Farmall Super C diesel from Belgium. It came with a spare engine and extra parts.
    “Opening that shipping container was like opening the best Christmas present I could ever imagine,” says Boyens.
    His quest for a Farmall Super C with the rare French diesel began in 1997 when he met John Hammink, an IH collector from Holland at a Missouri Red Power Show. Hammink told Boyens about an IHC Show he’d been to in Germany where he saw a Super C with a French-built diesel. Boyens said he’d heard about them, but figured he’d never see one. “I casually mentioned it sure would be nice to bring one of them to Iowa,” Boyens said.
    A year later Boyen’s friend Hammink passed away in Holland and he acknowledged the death by sending a memorial along with a note to Hammink’s wife Ria. About 6 months later he received a note from a friend of Hamminks, who wrote “anyone who cares enough to send a memorial overseas should know about a 1953 Super C Diesel for sale in Belgium.” Boyens acted fast, and within weeks the tractor was on its way to Iowa.
    “I got a crash course in international trade in a few weeks,” said Boyens. “I needed a certificate of cleanliness, bills of lading, inspection certificates and other documentation. It took 9 weeks for the container to arrive in Canada from the Netherlands, then a few weeks more for a rail trip to Chicago and a truck ride to Iowa.” The brokerage fees, shipping and certificates cost him about $800.
    Boyens unpacked his rare Farmall and soon realized that restoration would be quite a challenge. “Everyone I called for parts said there’s no such thing as a Super C Diesel,” Boyens says. “Most of the numbers came up ‘not for domestic use’. Over the next 4 years Boyens used parts from the spare engine to rebuild the one on the tractor. His son meanwhile found a website in France that sold antique tractor parts. They bought a head gasket, decals, a horn button and headlights. “It was a long, drawn out process, but we finally got everything we needed,” Boyens says, who completed the restoration with help from friends.
    The French Super C was known as a “vegetable tractor” because of its high clearance and narrow front. Wide front versions were known as “vineyard tractors”. Boyen’s tractor has a 3-pt. hitch that doesn’t exist on tractors of that vintage built in the U.S. He says that in Europe they used the 3 pt. to pull a 2-way 2 bottom plow, which is why his restored tractor has weights up front. The 123 cu. in. diesel weighs 3,695 lbs.
    With his restoration complete, Boyens is happy to drive the smooth-running 23 hp. tractor any chance he gets. He’s put more than 1,000 parade miles on it since completing the restoration. “It always grabs a lot of attention,” Boyens says, “so I spend a lot of time answering questions.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John W. Boyens, 3919 Greenbrier Dr., Bettendorf, Iowa 52722 (ph 563 370-0966).

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Collector Restored Rare French Farmall Diesel TRACTORS Collectors In 2004 John Boyens imported a rare French-built 1953 Farmall Super C diesel from Belgium It came with a spare engine and extra parts “Opening that shipping container was like opening the best Christmas present I could ever imagine ” says Boyens His quest for a Farmall Super C with the rare French diesel began in 1997 when he met John Hammink an IH collector from Holland at a Missouri Red Power Show Hammink told Boyens about an IHC Show he’d been to in Germany where he saw a Super C with a French-built diesel Boyens said he’d heard about them but figured he’d never see one “I casually mentioned it sure would be nice to bring one of them to Iowa ” Boyens said A year later Boyen’s friend Hammink passed away in Holland and he acknowledged the death by sending a memorial along with a note to Hammink’s wife Ria About 6 months later he received a note from a friend of Hamminks who wrote “anyone who cares enough to send a memorial overseas should know about a 1953 Super C Diesel for sale in Belgium ” Boyens acted fast and within weeks the tractor was on its way to Iowa “I got a crash course in international trade in a few weeks ” said Boyens “I needed a certificate of cleanliness bills of lading inspection certificates and other documentation It took 9 weeks for the container to arrive in Canada from the Netherlands then a few weeks more for a rail trip to Chicago and a truck ride to Iowa ” The brokerage fees shipping and certificates cost him about $800 Boyens unpacked his rare Farmall and soon realized that restoration would be quite a challenge “Everyone I called for parts said there’s no such thing as a Super C Diesel ” Boyens says “Most of the numbers came up ‘not for domestic use’ Over the next 4 years Boyens used parts from the spare engine to rebuild the one on the tractor His son meanwhile found a website in France that sold antique tractor parts They bought a head gasket decals a horn button and headlights “It was a long drawn out process but we finally got everything we needed ” Boyens says who completed the restoration with help from friends The French Super C was known as a “vegetable tractor” because of its high clearance and narrow front Wide front versions were known as “vineyard tractors” Boyen’s tractor has a 3-pt hitch that doesn’t exist on tractors of that vintage built in the U S He says that in Europe they used the 3 pt to pull a 2-way 2 bottom plow which is why his restored tractor has weights up front The 123 cu in diesel weighs 3 695 lbs With his restoration complete Boyens is happy to drive the smooth-running 23 hp tractor any chance he gets He’s put more than 1 000 parade miles on it since completing the restoration “It always grabs a lot of attention ” Boyens says “so I spend a lot of time answering questions ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup John W Boyens 3919 Greenbrier Dr Bettendorf Iowa 52722 ph 563 370-0966