R. L. Crouse - John Deere 8020

1959-1964 John Deere 8020
The John Deere Company envisioned the need
for increased axle power early in 1953.
Development of the 200 hp plus tractor was in the works.
In the autumn of 1959,
the 8010 4 WD tractor was introduced
in Marshalltown, Iowa. What a machine! 24,860 pounds of Green Iron,
standing eight feet, two and one-half inches tall.
Four steps had to be climbed to reach the controls.
The 8010 claimed 215 engine hp and 150 hp at the drawbar.
However, the 8010 engaged in only one crop year.
Each machine was loaded up and returned to
Deere’s Waterloo Tractor Works for modifications to the
transmission and clutch, and other advances.
The ID plates were removed and replaced with
8020 serial numbers, and each unit was given new paint
and 8020 decals, then shipped back to
the owner at “no charge”. The 8010 and 8020 models
were manufactured from 1959-1964. A full decade passed
before the next John Deere 4WD series,
the 7020 was introduced in 1970.