In Reply to: Ford 8 BR tractor posted by Terry in Mo (T-Mo) on January 22, 2026 at 10:20:10:
Terry, I cranked up ChatGPT and got this response:
What it was
Model: Ford 8-BR (often written “8BR” or “8-BR Diesel”)
Built: ~1960–1967
Where: Ford plant in the Ipiranga district of São Paulo, Brazil
Claim to fame: Widely regarded as the first wheeled tractor manufactured in Brazil, not imported, and a major milestone in Brazil’s agricultural mechanization.
Government policy (Plano Nacional da Indústria de Tratores Agrícolas, 1959) pushed for locally built tractors; Ford responded with the 8-BR, launched officially in Brasília on 9 December 1960.
Production & numbers
Start of production: 1960
Initial run: Sources differ slightly—one Brazilian industry guide cites 37 units in the first run, while another article notes 32 units in 1960, with total production exceeding 10,000 units by mid-1960s.
Most references show the model years 1960–1967.
So if you see a 1964–66 Ford 8-BR, you’re right in the sweet spot of its production era.
Engine & drivetrain
Different sources give slightly different numbers, but they agree on the basics:
Engine: Perkins 4.203, 4-cyl diesel, about 3.3 L displacement
Rated power:
TractorData: ~44 hp (engine)
Brazilian sources: around 56 CV (metric hp) for the same engine, likely using a different rating standard.
Drive: 4×2, rear-wheel drive
Transmission: commonly described as 8 forward / 2 reverse gears, with a 3-point hitch hydraulic system suitable for plowing, planting and general farm work.
Size & capability
Typical figures from spec sites:
Weight: around 2.2 tonnes (about 4,800 lb)
Adjustable track width: roughly 1.32–1.63 m, so it could be set up for row crops like corn, cotton, coffee, etc.
Brazilian sources quote field capacity on the order of 3,500 m²/hour and fuel use around 4.7 L diesel/hour under typical work.
Appearance & “Verde-Amarelo”
You’ll see 8-BRs in both blue and green/yellow liveries today:
Early literature and several Brazilian articles emphasize the green and yellow (“Verde-Amarelo”) paint scheme, matching Brazil’s national colors and reinforcing the “first national tractor” theme.
Many surviving examples have been repainted Ford blue, which is why a lot of restored ones online look like a mid-’60s European Ford rather than the original patriotic scheme.
Why it matters
For Brazilian agriculture, the 8-BR was a big shift:
First time many mid-sized farms could buy a locally built diesel tractor with local parts and service, instead of relying on imports.
Helped accelerate the move away from animal traction on medium farms, especially in row-crop regions.
In collector circles today, it’s considered a historic and somewhat rare “primeiro trator nacional”, so decent survivors in Brazil show up in auctions and vintage-tractor blogs and often get marketed as “raridade” in ads.
Good sources if you want to dig deeper:
TractorData – Ford 8BR: concise English spec sheet (years, engine, basic configuration).
Frota News & Click Petróleo e Gás articles on the Ford 8-BR: rich Brazilian-Portuguese history write-ups with production context and period photos.
“Tratores Antigos” blog: restoration stories and old photos of 8-BRs working on Brazilian farms.