David Brown – exact model unknown, 1964, Oulu

For sale: David Brown tractor, 1964 model – a classic that’s been standing so long it may already have its own postal address.

Here’s a genuine agricultural legend from 1964. The tractor has been with the seller only a short time, so I know about as much of its condition as it knows about electric power steering. The previous owner kept this old warhorse parked under a roof for several years – so it hasn’t been rained on, but it also hasn’t moved a metre. Not rusted out in the open, but it’s no museum piece either.

Does it start? I don’t know. Does it move? I don’t know. Is it more tractor or garden ornament? That’s for the buyer to find out. I haven’t tried it, I haven’t tested it.

Technical details (typical for 1960s David Brown models):

Engine: 4‑cylinder diesel

Power: about 45–55 hp depending on model

 Weight: about 1,700–2,000 kg

 Transmission: 6–12 gears (model dependent)

 Lifting device: David Brown’s own Selectamatic/Implematic system (if it works, that’s worth a celebration)

 Top speed: about 25–30 km/h, if the tractor decides to move

 Towing capacity: sufficient for what 1960s tractors were typically used for – i.e. most tasks, provided the driver is determined

(Specs are typical for the era’s DB tractors, but this unit’s real performance is as mysterious as whether it will start.)

On inspection:

I have not taken this to any inspection or even driven past an inspector. If the buyer intends to register it for road use, be prepared for the inspector to either be delighted by the nostalgic sight or ask for a coffee break before daring to look at it. Inspection is therefore entirely the buyer’s adventure – a bit like extreme sport, but with more oil smell and fewer sponsorships.

Pros:

1964 classic – a genuine agricultural legend

Kept under a roof, so not weather‑rotted

Looks like a tractor, smells like a tractor, might even work like a tractor

Cons:

Not tried, driven or tested

Roadworthiness/inspection status completely unknown

May be a restoration project, ornament or conversation piece for a neighbour

Sold as seen, with no promises, hopes or technical miracles. Make an offer and collect it – the tractor won’t drive itself, of that I’m sure.