Vehicle Description
1956 Case-Orchard 405 Diesel Tractor ?Model 405 diesel orchard
?Professionally restored with no expense ?Rebuilt 251 CID
four-cylinder diesel engine ?Eight-speed Powr-range manual
transmission ?Desert Sunset and Flambeau Red exterior ?Manual
steering and mechanical dry disc brakes ?21-gallon fuel tank
?Rebuilt injection pump, clutch and rear end ?82-inch wheelbase,
12-volt charging system and weighted 6,580 pounds ?New gauges,
wiring harness, decals and medallions plus rear wheel skirts Do you
appreciate restored Americana farm implements? Then we have one
very spacial piece of equipment from 1956 for you ? a no expense
spared professionally restored 1956 Case-Orchard 405 Diesel
Tractor! Today, orchard tractors, with flowing bodywork that may
remind an onlooker of prewar Delahayes, are one of the most
desirable and collectible types of vintage tractors. Aside from the
aesthetics, limited production ? and being compact enough to fit in
a standard garage ? add to their appeal. Another reason orchard
models tend to be more expensive than other tractor types is the
greater amount of work needed to restore one. While mechanical
parts availability is as good as the tractor it?s based upon, the
most challenging aspect of restoring one is the bodywork.
Replacement body panels may exist only as rare New Old Stock or
from a derelict parts donor, so skilled bodywork is needed not only
to fabricate missing or damaged panels, but to align them to fit
correctly. With its Art Deco styling and Desert Sunset over
Flambeau Red color combination, the tractor looks at first like it
emerged from wind tunnel testing. A closer look reveals the screens
and skirts serve to keep orchard produce and tree limbs out of the
tractor?s innards and to a degree, away from the operator.
Professionally restored, this rig?s correct paint and trim are in
excellent overall condition. Two headlights are mounted beneath the
grille for night work and the tractor?s bodywork, as expected, is
straight and solid. It rolls on an 82-inch wheelbase, has a 12-volt
charging system and weighed 6,580 pounds. This Case rolls on
Carlisle tires in front, size 7.50-16 and Silvertown Power Grip
Tractor Type rubber in back, under rear wheel skirts. The tires are
all new and they are mounted on period correct silver wheels that
are in excellent condition. Up front is a rebuilt 251 CID
four-cylinder diesel engine breathing via a single exhaust and
mated to a Powr-range, eight-speed manual transmission. The engine
makes 49.4 belt horsepower at 1,500 rpm and 328.5 lbs-ft of torque
at 1,106 rpm. The engine has 15:1 compression, four-inch bore by
five-inch stroke, a nine-quart oil capacity, a 29.6-quart cooling
capacity, rated RPM of 1500 and a top speed of 13.66 mph. The
transmission has a 60-quart capacity, four forward gears plus
reverse in low and high ranges, with a belt-neutral position
in-between. The tractor has manual steering and mechanical dry disc
brakes. It features a rebuilt injection pump, clutch and rear end.
It has new gauges, wiring harness, decals and medallions. The
padded operator?s seat is in the open and faces a black,
three-spoke steering wheel and dual shift ranges. Sometimes big
ideas come in smaller packages. Case in point: the 400 Series Case
tractors that debuted for 1955. This was the first all-new J.I.
Case tractor in 28 years. Not only did the 400 line get a new
four-cylinder engine for diesel, gasoline, distillate and LPG
fuels, it got an entirely new eight-speed final drive that would
become a cornerstone design for many years to come. Changes in the
steering system, the seating arrangement and controls were also
integrated. Most noticeably, the color scheme changed, from all red
(elegantly termed Flambeau Red), to a combination of a Flambeau Red
engine and final drive with tan (Desert Sunset) sheet metal. This
combo would become the Case standard into 1969. The 400?s 251D
four-cylinder diesel engine was a chip off the old Case block? the
Case 377D six-cylinder diesel that had debuted in 1953. Case was a
late bloomer in the diesel tractor world (no pun intended), but
they did it right when they did it, having started the process of
designing a diesel in 1948. The 377-cid Lanova cell (which Case
called the Powrcel) six-cylinder diesel hit the mark right off with
only a few teething issues when it debuted in the 500 models. For
1955, Case debuted a four-cylinder version of the same basic design
with the same 4-inch bore and 5-inch stroke. In fact, the
251-cubic-inch displacement is exactly that of the six less two
cylinders. Many parts interchanged. The 251-cid four was a
five-main bearing engine. Both were unusual features at the time,
with sixes commonly being four-main and fours only three. The Case
diesels and gas engines share the same blocks, so the gassers were
extra stout. The Case engines were wet sleeved and featured paired
cylinder heads; the 251 mounted two pairs. The paired cylinders
made for easier repairs and fewer incidents with warped heads due
to heat. The 251-cid four cranked out a Nebraska-rated 49.40 belt
horsepower at 1,501 rpm but was rated at 328.5 lb-ft of torque at
1,106 rpm, with a whopping 307 lb-ft at 773 rpm. Let?s not ignore
the Case 400 final drive. It was claimed to be the first
eight-speed tractor, with a dual-range, single-stick four-speed
transmission. The single lever had two four-speed shift patterns,
with low range close to the operator and high towards the engine.
The system worked well and was durable, but complex and a bit
tricky to learn. This classic tractor is a standout: its two-tone
color scheme and orchard screens lend an aerodynamic appearance.
VIN: 8082395 This tractor is currently located at our facility in
St. Louis, Missouri. It is sold as is, where is and sold on a bill
of sale only. GET OUT AND PLOW!!!? Note: Please see full terms and
conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said
vehicle, thank you.