Details of Cars

Fordson E27N Major: the post-war workhorse

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1945 Fordson Major Model E27N antique tractor
A 1945 Fordson Major Model E27N at the Chilliwack Heritage Park. Photo by Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Fordson E27N Major was the first post-war Fordson tractor. It looked like an update of the Model N and used the same engine and transmission, but its new casting allowed a power take-off and a hydraulic lift, bringing the Fordson up to the equipment level of its rivals.

Fordson E27N at a glance

Fordson E27N key facts
Maker Ford Motor Company Ltd, Dagenham
Production from March 1945
Based on Fordson Model N
Engine same as the Model N; petrol or TVO
Optional engine Perkins P6(TA) 45 hp from 1948
Transmission same as the Model N
New features PTO, hydraulic lift by Smiths or Varley, full electrics
Front axle adjustable width for row crops
Differential completely new design
Conversions County crawler, Roadless half-track
Nickname “High Major”, after the lower-seated E1A arrived
Main market Britain and Australia

The E27N has no separate Wikipedia article; this page is based on the E27N section of the English Wikipedia article on the Fordson brand. It is a single source.

History of the Fordson E27N

The E27N Major was introduced in England in March 1945 as an upgrade to the Model N. Ford kept the Model N engine and transmission but put them in a new casting that made room for a power take-off and a hydraulic lift unit made by Smiths or Varley. The differential was completely new. For the first time a Fordson owner could buy a tractor from a dealer fully equipped with a three-point linkage, PTO, full electrics and an adjustable-width front axle, which let the tractor work row crops.

Fordson E27N fitted with rotopad tracks
A Fordson E27N fitted with rotopad tracks. Photo by Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The E27N was sold in many versions. County produced a crawler conversion, and Roadless built a half-tracked version. From 1948 the Perkins P6(TA) diesel could be ordered from the factory, giving 45 hp and improving on the under-powered petrol and TVO engine. The E27N was popular with Australian farmers in particular, and its sales prepared the ground for the New Major, the E1A, which arrived in 1952.

When the lower-seated E1A appeared in 1952, the E27N acquired the nickname “High Major” because its driver sat significantly higher. The E27N was the last Fordson to use the pre-war engine design; the New Major that followed had a new Ford engine range designed and manufactured in the UK at Dagenham.

Design and features

  • New casting: the Model N engine and gearbox were carried over, but the housing allowed modern equipment to be fitted.
  • Factory hydraulics: a Smiths or Varley lift and a power take-off could be ordered with the tractor.
  • Row-crop front axle: the track width could be adjusted for different crops.
  • Perkins option: from 1948 a 45 hp Perkins P6(TA) diesel replaced the under-powered petrol/TVO unit.
  • Conversions: County crawler and Roadless half-track versions were available.

Fordson E27N versions

  • Standard E27N (1945–1952): petrol or TVO engine, hydraulic lift and PTO.
  • Perkins-engined E27N: factory-fitted 45 hp P6(TA) diesel from 1948.
  • County crawler: track conversion for heavy work.
  • Roadless half-track: half-tracked version for soft ground.
  • Rotopad-equipped tractors: examples fitted with track attachments survive in museums.

The E27N was replaced by the Fordson Major in 1952, and it had grown out of the Fordson Model N. More Fordsons are in the Fordson collection.

Video: DRIVING Fordson Major E27N 1951

Video on YouTube.

Sources

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