Family Tractor Found After Nearly 35 Years

2023 - Volume #47, Issue #4, Page #03

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Chris Wathen had been searching for his dad Don’s homemade 4-WD tractor with its 6-71 Detroit diesel and 5-speed Spicer transmission for years. When he finally found it, it was headed for the salvage yard. Another week or two and it would have been too late.
“I remember working on it with my dad,” says Chris. “I was in grade school, and when I came home at night, he would hand me a wire brush and a slag-chipping hammer, and I would work on welds.”
Completed in 1970, the Brute pulled a 7-bottom plow or a 21-ft. disk for several years before being traded off on a new IH 1466. The tractor was impressive. In “Don Wathen’s Homemade Tractor,” a recent article in Heritage Iron, Jesse Henderson describes the building process in detail. The search and finding process is nearly as fascinating.
Over the years, Chris had amassed a huge collection of large, articulated 4-WD tractors, more than 70 in all. Three of them were homemade. The Brute was not among them. Every lead to where it might be was a dead end.
“We had an open house for a local MM convention, and a fellow mentioned a tractor that he thought I would appreciate,” says Chris. “I showed him a picture of the Brute, and he said, ‘That’s it.’ Unfortunately, it had been 20-some years, and he couldn’t recall where he had seen it.”
Chris put the search into high gear. He put up posters of the tractor at co-op elevators and tractor dealerships in the man’s home area. He describes them as the classic lost dog style. “Looking for this tractor. If you know of it, call me.”
“I had one call,” says Chris. “The man said, ‘I know where it is, and I’ve been asked to haul it to salvage.’”
Chris got the phone number and name of the owner, called him, and arranged a visit. He took Don with him. The owner took them out to a grove of trees. A tractor was there with saplings grown up all around it. It was the Brute!
“As we approached, I realized my dad had stopped walking,” says Chris. “The emotion of seeing it again after 35 years had hit.”
Chris and the owner settled on a price, a good deal more than the salvage value. It was the most unusual negotiation Chris had ever taken part in.
“He stood on one side and wrote out a price he wanted, and I stood on the other side and wrote out a price I was willing to pay,” recalls Chris. “When we switched sides, we were $500 apart. We split the difference.”
When Chris came back to haul the tractor home, he had a real surprise. He added some diesel fuel, hooked up a battery, and turned the switch. After 10 to 15 years of sitting in the trees, smoke began to roll out of the exhaust pipe.
“I was able to drive it on the trailer,” says Chris. “I was thrilled to get it back.”
Once he had it home, Chris and his daughter AJ restored what was needed. It was minimal. Even the air cleaner had survived, as had four of the six tires installed by Don in 1970.
“We replaced two tires and replaced fluids and repainted it,” says Chris. “We wanted it as close to original as we could get it.”
Chris notes that he has high hopes for a repeat of the story of the Brute. Before building it, Don built a 220-hp. 2-WD with a 743-cu. in. Cummins. Like the Brute, the earlier tractor had disappeared.
“I would love to find it and bring it home,” says Chris. “If anyone knows where it is, I would love to hear from them. Even if it’s been salvaged, I would like to know that.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Chris Wathen, 3101 S. Green River Rd., Evansville, Ind. 47715 (ph 812-475-9391).

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Family Tractor Found After Nearly 35 Years TRACTORS Collectors Chris Wathen had been searching for his dad Don’s homemade 4-WD tractor with its 6-71 Detroit diesel and 5-speed Spicer transmission for years When he finally found it it was headed for the salvage yard Another week or two and it would have been too late “I remember working on it with my dad ” says Chris “I was in grade school and when I came home at night he would hand me a wire brush and a slag-chipping hammer and I would work on welds ” Completed in 1970 the Brute pulled a 7-bottom plow or a 21-ft disk for several years before being traded off on a new IH 1466 The tractor was impressive In “Don Wathen’s Homemade Tractor ” a recent article in Heritage Iron Jesse Henderson describes the building process in detail The search and finding process is nearly as fascinating Over the years Chris had amassed a huge collection of large articulated 4-WD tractors more than 70 in all Three of them were homemade The Brute was not among them Every lead to where it might be was a dead end “We had an open house for a local MM convention and a fellow mentioned a tractor that he thought I would appreciate ” says Chris “I showed him a picture of the Brute and he said ‘That’s it ’ Unfortunately it had been 20-some years and he couldn’t recall where he had seen it ” Chris put the search into high gear He put up posters of the tractor at co-op elevators and tractor dealerships in the man’s home area He describes them as the classic lost dog style “Looking for this tractor If you know of it call me ” “I had one call ” says Chris “The man said ‘I know where it is and I’ve been asked to haul it to salvage ’” Chris got the phone number and name of the owner called him and arranged a visit He took Don with him The owner took them out to a grove of trees A tractor was there with saplings grown up all around it It was the Brute! “As we approached I realized my dad had stopped walking ” says Chris “The emotion of seeing it again after 35 years had hit ” Chris and the owner settled on a price a good deal more than the salvage value It was the most unusual negotiation Chris had ever taken part in “He stood on one side and wrote out a price he wanted and I stood on the other side and wrote out a price I was willing to pay ” recalls Chris “When we switched sides we were $500 apart We split the difference ” When Chris came back to haul the tractor home he had a real surprise He added some diesel fuel hooked up a battery and turned the switch After 10 to 15 years of sitting in the trees smoke began to roll out of the exhaust pipe “I was able to drive it on the trailer ” says Chris “I was thrilled to get it back ” Once he had it home Chris and his daughter AJ restored what was needed It was minimal Even the air cleaner had survived as had four of the six tires installed by Don in 1970 “We replaced two tires and replaced fluids and repainted it ” says Chris “We wanted it as close to original as we could get it ” Chris notes that he has high hopes for a repeat of the story of the Brute Before building it Don built a 220-hp 2-WD with a 743-cu in Cummins Like the Brute the earlier tractor had disappeared “I would love to find it and bring it home ” says Chris “If anyone knows where it is I would love to hear from them Even if it’s been salvaged I would like to know that ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Chris Wathen 3101 S Green River Rd Evansville Ind 47715 ph 812-475-9391

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