Traditional Hot Rod... Tractor??!

In 1938 Minneapolis-Moline introduced a revolutionary new tractor created primarily to give the operator true comfort and convenience.  It was called the “Comfortactor” Model UDLX, and it’s all steel design introduced some unheard of features for any tractor at the time: A fully enclosed cab with removable top, a cabin heater… Heck it even had a speedometer, a clock, a cigarette lighter and a radio, just like a car! Even the exterior design was patterned after a streamline automobile, with it’s rounded fenders and chrome blade bumpers. Unfortunately, all these amazing features came at a very high cost of $2000, which was roughly twice the price of about twice the price of a standard Allis-Chalmers or John Deere tractor in those waning days of the Depression. Not too many dirt farmers signed up for this baby. The result was only 125 units being built, and taking many years for Minneapolis-Moline to sell them all.

So why am I writing about this fancy farm implement on a hot rodder’s homepage? Well, look at this honey again: Chopped, removable hardtop, big & little red wheels with a serious nose-down stance, capped by a 1935 Ford truck-style grille… What’s not to love? How about the last nicely-restored example fetching $200,000 at auction?

SOURCE: The Jalopy Journal

AUTHOR: Jive-Bomber