Steam Powered Tractor

Steam Powered Tractor TRACTORS Antiques 7-4-7 Equipped with an engine off a deep sea tug and a home-built pipe boiler, Morley Frair's steam-powered tractor makes quite a sight when he takes it out for a spin in his hometown of Picton, Ontario. The chassis, drive train and wheels on the built-from-scratch tractor come from a Massey-Harris 44 tractor. Frair says the Massey-Harris U-shaped chassis was ideal for mounting the steam engine and he said it was also easy to match up to the tractor's transmission. Frair assembled the parts over a 5-year period and then put them all together last winter. He made the pipe boiler himself and plans to have it tested by government authorities so he can run it in parades. He also plans to use the steam tractor to pull a mower on his edge-of-town acreage. Frair figures the tractor has about 20 horsepower, or about half the power of the original gas tractor. The boiler holds 10 to 15 gal. of water and has a 25 gal. reserve tank. The fire box, which is designed to burn wood, is 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 ft. in size. There is a wood carrier alongside the firebox. At the time Frair talked with FARM SHOW, he said he was not yet certain how often he would have to stoke the fire or refill with water but he says the boiler steams fast because of the pipe boiler design that uses a minimum amount of water. Frair spent about $1,000 total to build his tractor.

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