Custom-Built Pedal Tractors
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Don Turner’s mind works like one of those clever phone apps that can identify a flower, weed or bird from a cell phone picture. He has the magical ability to look at a tractor photograph and then build a pedal version without ever taking a measurement or drawing plans on paper.
“I was born with that ability and have used it over the past decade to design about 14 different prototype pedal tractors,” Turner says. “Once I get the component details and dimensions ironed out, I build about a dozen production units of each model and sell them to collectors or pedal tractor dealers.”
One of his recent creations is a harvest gold Minneapolis Moline that he modeled after the classic UDLX Comfortractor. “I’d seen the cab model and didn’t think it was practical to build that in a pedal version,” Turner says. “Then, one evening, I was watching a televised tractor auction and saw a UDLX model without the cab. That caught my eye as something unique that pedal tractor collectors might like.”
Turner made custom dies and formed the hood, fenders and side panels out of cold-rolled steel. He modified the parts for easier assembly, then built a dozen production units to sell. His pedal version is 34 in. long, 18 in. wide and 14 in. tall. It has authentic-looking aluminum gauges on the instrument panel, a scale version steering wheel and a comfortable padded seat for the operator. Headlights on both sides of the hood and the front bumper resemble those on the authentic full-size UDLX, which tractor aficionados say looks more like a 1920’s automobile than a tractor. The 7-in. front wheels and 2 1/2-in. by 12-in. rear wheels are standard pedal tractor sizes. He achieved a near-perfect match to the MM harvest gold and deep red colors by sending pictures of MM tractors to his powder-coat manufacturer.
“Only two equipment manufacturers have powder-coat specifications that match the true OEM acrylic paint colors,” Turner says. “I think these custom colors are about 99 1/2 percent accurate, which should please the collectors.”
With the MM project complete Turner has moved on to a rare Allis Chalmers tractor built in his hometown and a Spirit of 76 Case 1570. “I like to build real unique models, ones that never were and never will be mass produced. Collectors enjoy them and they seem to go up in value over time,” Turner says.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Don Turner, 7200 Valley View St., Hokes Bluff, Ala. 35903 (dmturner36@gmail.com).
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Custom-Built Pedal Tractors FARM HOME Novelty Items Don Turner’s mind works like one of those clever phone apps that can identify a flower weed or bird from a cell phone picture He has the magical ability to look at a tractor photograph and then build a pedal version without ever taking a measurement or drawing plans on paper “I was born with that ability and have used it over the past decade to design about 14 different prototype pedal tractors ” Turner says “Once I get the component details and dimensions ironed out I build about a dozen production units of each model and sell them to collectors or pedal tractor dealers ” One of his recent creations is a harvest gold Minneapolis Moline that he modeled after the classic UDLX Comfortractor “I’d seen the cab model and didn’t think it was practical to build that in a pedal version ” Turner says “Then one evening I was watching a televised tractor auction and saw a UDLX model without the cab That caught my eye as something unique that pedal tractor collectors might like ” Turner made custom dies and formed the hood fenders and side panels out of cold-rolled steel He modified the parts for easier assembly then built a dozen production units to sell His pedal version is 34 in long 18 in wide and 14 in tall It has authentic-looking aluminum gauges on the instrument panel a scale version steering wheel and a comfortable padded seat for the operator Headlights on both sides of the hood and the front bumper resemble those on the authentic full-size UDLX which tractor aficionados say looks more like a 1920’s automobile than a tractor The 7-in front wheels and 2 1/2-in by 12-in rear wheels are standard pedal tractor sizes He achieved a near-perfect match to the MM harvest gold and deep red colors by sending pictures of MM tractors to his powder-coat manufacturer “Only two equipment manufacturers have powder-coat specifications that match the true OEM acrylic paint colors ” Turner says “I think these custom colors are about 99 1/2 percent accurate which should please the collectors ” With the MM project complete Turner has moved on to a rare Allis Chalmers tractor built in his hometown and a Spirit of 76 Case 1570 “I like to build real unique models ones that never were and never will be mass produced Collectors enjoy them and they seem to go up in value over time ” Turner says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Don Turner 7200 Valley View St Hokes Bluff Ala 35903 dmturner36@gmail com
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