Alan Chesnut is a 1/64 collector that is venturing in building 1/16 scale 4wd tractors.  His first two projects include two one of a kind tractors built for his own collection.   Alan wanted tractors never offered by  Ertl or Scale Models.   These models are the John Deere 8850 V-8 powered 4wd and the Massey-Ferguson 5200 that became the McConnell-Marc 1000  4wd and later the AGCO-Star 8425.

The 8850 is a casting that Alan was able to obtain from a guy in Ohio. The reason Alan first purchased this casting was because he had always been interested in John Deere 4-wheel drives in 1/16 scale.  The tractor hood is longer and taller than the original Ertl 8650 models.  Also a V-8 engine has been added which is what is in the real tractor.  This is the second 8850 that Alan has built with the first having 30.5x32 tires and rims on it.  He had come across pictures of an 8850 with triples and that is the reason for the 20.8x38 triples.  I am currently working on one that will have 24.5x32 tires and rims. 

One of a kind John Deere 8850 casting and finished model with triple tires

The Massey 5200 is a conversion kit that was made by the same person.  It is a conversion of the AGCO-Star with the changes being made in the hood grill and cab top.  Alan tell us it was a fairly easy job but the parts are rather expensive.  The tires and rims are the same ones that came on the tractor in order to keep costs down.  The engine is the original Detroit that comes with the tractor but Alan has the option of putting in a highly detailed 855 Cummins in the tractor.  The conversion kits are hard to get.  The cost of the tractor was $300 by the time Alan finished.  Alan is looking at making a Cummins powered 5200 as well as the earlier V-8 Cummins powered MF 4000 series tractors.

Massey-Ferguson 5200 1/16 model finished and primed AGCO-Star conversion body

Alan Chestnut
achesnut@soltec.net
www.soltec.net/~achesnut

TTT February 2004 Page 11

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