This presentation of John Deere Tractor Company Letters to the Branch Houses was inspired by a Two-Cylinder reader who made the point that Waterloo’s first styled tractors — built from mid-1938 through early 1947 — have been largely neglected by collectors. Clearly, this publication has not done a consistently satisfactory job of keeping these tractors in view. Sure, there have been a few lengthy feature articles about them, but that’s pretty much it.

In reality, there’s probably more collecting to be done with the 1939 through 1946 model years than in most any other period of similar length. A caution here… Someone starting out with the big ambition to gather up each type of general-purpose (row-crop) Model “A” or Model “B” Tractors of the Styled Era will likely fail to get the job done. They’ll find that a 1939 is different than a 1940, and that the 1941 is again different. A short time later came the materials-modified wartime tractors. Then it was back to regular production and the opportunity to add options.

Our sincere thought is that a single superbly restored example can be the centerpiece of most any collection. A true classic doesn’t have to be scarce or rare, it just has to be classic. Perhaps the first Dreyfuss-styled tractors hit that mark as well as or better than any other. Real advantages here are that most configurations are still available at a bargain price, and they aren’t a complicated undertaking to restore. Some of the difficult aspects might include finding a good wartime example that has a readable serial number plate, or procuring steel wheels when necessary to get it back to original.

Another potential problem can be aftermarket modifications. After the late-styled (battery- box seat) gasoline-burning tractors were introduced in 1947, the early styled tractors of 1939 through 1946 production were targets for upgrades. Such modifications do not need to be a restoration problem, unless the owner is intent on absolute originality.We regard aftermarket enhancements of that era to be part of agricultural history, and they do not have to be “undone” to satisfy our requirements for exhibition at the annual Two-Cylinder Expos.

The letter that started all of this appears in Commentary on page 32. Beginning on page 3 are Company Letters from 1938 and 1939 that were selected for general interest. Among them are letters that precede the introduction of the 1939 styled tractors in July 1938, including the very first one published (February 1938). Note that these Letters to the Branch Houses are not the same as the Bulletins, which were an entirely separate communication effort. A list of the Branch Houses that existed in 1939 is published on page 17.

Click arrow for more