In the vehicular sense, the name “Doodlebug” was applied to homemade tractors made in the U.S. during World War II when production tractors were in short supply. The Doodlebug of the 1940s was usually based on a 1920s or 1930s-era Ford automobile which was then modified either by the complete removal or alteration of some of the vehicle body. This interesting example is said to have its roots in 1950s technology and is referred to as a “1956” although it is not titled as such (or at all). Those needing help around the farm need look no further than Hortonville, Wisconsin where this “Rube Goldberg” is available here on craigslist for $2,200. My first tip from Barn Finder “leiniedude”.
We understand that the preservation of these kinds of vehicles has become popular in certain parts of the country and clubs have even been formed around them. They became known under a variety of names over the years, including Friday Tractors, Scrambolas, Jitterbugs, Field Crawlers, and Ruxells. The Doodlebug was a nickname for an aftermarket tractor kit made by David Bradley, where the idea of a homemade tractor came from catalog and farm implement companies in the 1920s to the 1930s. Since new tractors were expensive or non-existent at times, this was one way for a do-it-yourself solution.
DIY seems to be what we have here. We assume the 1956 model year the seller has chosen is from the Ford inline-6 that powers this oddball with a Holley carburetor and manual transmission. The hood used does not look tractor-like and resembles one from a late-1940s or early-1950s Ford pickup. This tractor seems quite versatile, and the photos provided show it toting wood for the fireplace or stove back at the farmhouse.
As long as you don’t need to go out on the highway, this tractor seems to be quite functional, though abnormal in appearance. The seller says it runs and drives great, so where else could you find a full-size tractor for this kind of money? And repairing it might not be hard. Just graft on a new part or component!
Local oldtimers call this a donkey tractor 🚜
Certainly function over style here.
If it works why not
We used its twin and several siblings in the Ozark log woods as the mules died. They worked! Easily modified to a static 3-point hitch. If you have a few acres it beats $15,000 Kobota/JD/etc.
Thank you, but I can take no credit for this whatsoever. Old timers of the site may remember I used “Rube” as my handle for a spell to escape persecution. Now I don’t give a dingle. Hortonville, to import sports car fans, has been the home of Dons Sports Car Exchange, for years. I swear, that guy had everything for imported cars,, for a price, natch. This here, the name “doodlebug”, as mentioned encompassed all kinds of tractor like, bodyless, pull vehicles. Imagination, and parts, both of which are plentiful there, is the limit. I am VERY proud to say, typifies Wisconsin backyard/ garage( weather pending) antics, topped only by Minnesota, or possibly Michigan. These are the states, where, given a torch, a welder and a free weekend( maybe a stimulant or 2), this is what happens. To me, it looks like the entire vehicle is based off a ’51 Ford F series, the steering wheel, and what we can see, radiator, frame, rear axle, all look like early ’50s Ford. It’s the real version of “One piece at a time”,,and probably didn’t cost a dime. I’m proud to say, after living in mishigosh Colorado, I come from one of these states. I miss it and stuff like this. Fun stuff, thanks again, Russ!
There’s what appears to be a vin tag on the “dashboard” and I bet if you could read it, it’d verify your theory about it being a 51 Ford. Agreed, everything else lines up.
I’d say there was alcohol involved.
Does the firewood come with it?
If you have to ask you can’t afford it.
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Wait….I think i did that wrong 🤔
The overhead valve engine and the steering wheel make me think this is more “mid”-fifties rather than ’51. I’d hazard a guess at ’53 to ’55, perhaps. These rigs were used extensively here in the rural Northeast, too, oftentimes in the early days to add a second power source to a farm which had only had a horse previously. Even after tractors became somewhat more plentiful, a doodlebug was quite often seen raking hay or some other similar field work with a drawn implement. I can tell you from personal experience that they were often more comfortable to operate than most farm tractors of that era (1950’s and 1960’s.) Tractors of that time often had unpadded seats, poor ergonomic design, and the necessity to straddle a hot transmission housing. Doodlebugs had a fairly low center of gravity, as well. Many tractors of that era were unsettling to operate on hilly land, especially ones with the tricycle (“narrow-front”) design. On a slope that a doodlebug would simply crab across, commercial tractors would have a propensity to roll over (remembering that this was prior to roll-over protective structures and seat belts on farm and industrial equipment.) A noble example of rural agriculture’s history of innovation and resourcefulness!
I need it NOW! My Atv spun a timing chain, 87 Dodge Raider too big for my logging trails, my 66MF 200 gets stuck everywhere winching it out as we speak. Im down to using my 78 Honda 13hp powered wheelhorse GT. Skiding up logs building a small cabin.
we just used the p/u as it was (ford w/the granny 1st – NP435). Thinkin the term reserved properly for the 1st gen ’20s/30s used in that era to the 40s).
FG – we used the 8N and even the 10 or 13 inch tired ‘lawn tractor’ for that when needed, but we have a 2 wheeled sling for the frnt of the logs (so no diggin in). So not much different than the 13 HP GT. It was a money maker many laughed at / did not believe. But forget urself and one can get hurt pretty badly pretty quickly.
Do you recall the name for the two wheeled sling? Google is no help, and the folks I knew that could tell me would require a seance. There is a reason they did use them in the rocky, mountainous Ozarks, but I have seen photographs of them in use from the late 1800’s.
The biggest and most dangerous obstacle is sometimes you must go through an area of stumps, and hitting one at full throttle breaks stuff.