The David Brown 880 was one of the tractors that carried the Meltham range through the 1960s. It appeared in the 1961–1965 Implematic series and continued in the 1965–1971 Selectamatic series, and a petrol-engined version was sold in the United States as the 4600.
David Brown 880 at a glance
| Maker | David Brown Tractors, Meltham, Yorkshire |
|---|---|
| Production | 1961–1971 in two series |
| 880 Implematic | 1961–1965 |
| 880 Selectamatic | 1965–1971 |
| Range-mates, Implematic | 850 and 990 |
| Range-mates, Selectamatic | 770, 780, 990 and 1200 |
| American version | 4600, petrol-engined |
| Works | Meltham, West Riding of Yorkshire |
| Company | David Brown, founded 1860; tractors from 1936 |
| Company sold | to Tenneco (J.I. Case) in 1972 |
No Wikipedia page exists for the 880 itself. This article is based on the maker’s page, David Brown Ltd., which lists the model and its production years; it is based on one source.
History of the David Brown 880
David Brown at Meltham
David Brown started in Huddersfield in 1860 as a pattern-making firm and became a gear maker, moving to Park Works in 1902. In 1934 it took over an old silk mill at Meltham, on the south side of Huddersfield, and began building tractors there with Harry Ferguson in 1936. The Ferguson-Brown used a Coventry Climax engine for the first 350 units before Brown’s own engine took over, and total production was 1,350 plus one assembled from parts in 1940. After a disagreement over design, Brown secretly developed his own tractor, the VAK1, launched at the 1939 Royal Show; over 7,700 were sold, making Brown wealthy.
The two series
The 880 first appeared in the Implematic series of 1961–1965, where it was listed with the 850 and the 990. In 1965 David Brown moved to the Selectamatic generation: the 880 Selectamatic was built from 1965 to 1971 alongside the 770, 780 and 990, with the 1200 Selectamatic added from 1967. The Selectamatic models were followed in 1971 by the Synchromesh tractors, among them the 885, which took over the place of the 880 in the range.
America and the end of the name
David Brown sold tractors around the world: the division had ten subsidiaries, at one stage exported 80% of its production and used 2,508 agents in 100 countries. For America there were market-specific versions, and the 4600 was the petrol-engined 880. A worldwide recession cut tractor sales, and in 1972 the tractor business was sold to Tenneco, owner of J.I. Case; Case kept the David Brown name on some of its British tractors until the early 1980s.
Design and features
- Two generations: the 880 was offered as an Implematic and then as a Selectamatic.
- Long run: it stayed in the range from 1961 to 1971 while the rest of the line changed.
- American 4600: a petrol-engined version was made for the United States.
- Meltham production: all versions were built at the Yorkshire works.
David Brown 880 versions
- 880 Implematic (1961–1965): the first version, in the Implematic series.
- 880 Selectamatic (1965–1971): the second version, in the Selectamatic series.
- 4600: the petrol-engined 880 for the American market.
- 885 Synchromesh (1971–1979): the model that followed the 880 in 1971.
The 880 shared its ranges with the 850 and 990, and was followed by the 885. More machines are in the David Brown collection.
Sources
- David Brown Ltd., English Wikipedia: tractor range and production years, company history, American versions
