The David Brown 990 was the model that stayed in the Meltham range longest. It appeared as a 990 Implematic in 1961, became a Selectamatic in 1965 and a Synchromesh in 1971, and was still listed in 1979 together with the 995 and 996.
David Brown 990 at a glance
| Maker | David Brown Tractors, Meltham, Yorkshire |
|---|---|
| Production | 1961–1979 in three series |
| 990 Implematic | 1961–1965 |
| 990 Selectamatic | 1965–1971 |
| 990 Synchromesh | 1971–1979 |
| Synchromesh stablemates | 995 and 996 |
| Selectamatic stablemates | 770, 780, 880 and 1200 |
| 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 990 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 990
A gear firm that built tractors
David Brown began in Huddersfield in 1860 as a pattern-making company, specialised in machine-cut gears by 1898 and moved to Park Works in 1902. In 1934 it took over an old silk mill at Meltham, and in 1936 it began building tractors there with Harry Ferguson. The Ferguson-Brown used a Coventry Climax engine for the first 350 tractors before Brown’s own engine took over, and 1,350 were built, plus one assembled from parts in 1940. Brown then developed his own tractor, the VAK1, in secret; it was launched at the 1939 Royal Show and over 7,700 were sold.
Three series, one name
The 990 Implematic was listed for 1961–1965 with the 850 and 880. In 1965 David Brown introduced the Selectamatic generation, and the 990 Selectamatic ran from 1965 to 1971 next to the 770, 780 and 880, with the 1200 added in 1967. The Synchromesh generation followed in 1971: the 990, 995 and 996 were all listed from 1971 to 1979, in the same years as the 885 and the 1210, 1212, 1410 and 1412. The 990 thus outlasted both the Implematic and Selectamatic names.
Exports and the Case years
David Brown’s tractor division had ten subsidiaries around the world and at one stage exported 80% of its production through 2,508 agents in 100 countries. Sales fell in a worldwide recession, and in 1972 the tractor operations were sold to Tenneco of America, which owned J.I. Case. The 990 remained in production after the sale, and Case kept the David Brown name on some of its own British tractors until the early 1980s.
Design and features
- Three generations: the 990 was sold as an Implematic, a Selectamatic and a Synchromesh.
- Long production: listed from 1961 to 1979, longer than the 850, 880 or 950.
- Stablemate of the 995 and 996: the Synchromesh years brought two close relatives.
- Meltham-built: made at David Brown’s Yorkshire works throughout.
David Brown 990 versions
- 990 Implematic (1961–1965): the first version, in the Implematic series.
- 990 Selectamatic (1965–1971): the Selectamatic generation.
- 990, 995 and 996 Synchromesh (1971–1979): the final generation, listed together.
- 1200 Selectamatic (1967–1971): the larger stablemate of the Selectamatic years.
The 990 was sold with the 850 and 880 and later with the 885. More machines are in the David Brown collection.
Sources
- David Brown Ltd., English Wikipedia: tractor range and production years, company history, sale to Case
