Eye-Grabber at the County Fair: 1961 Cockshutt 540

This tractor was featured for the month of August in the 2009 Classic Farm Tractor Calendar.

This bright-red-and-cream, Canadian-made tractor turns heads wherever it appears, including the Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa, where it is pictured. This event bills itself as the “World’s Biggest County Fair,” and 220 outstanding antique tractors are on of the feature attractions. The Cockshutt 540 competed with Fords, Massey-Fergusons and other utility models 50 years ago. It had a 4-cyl., valve-in-head engine with 162 cu. in. This Continental motor was rated 31 hp on the PTO and 26 hp on the belt. Built in Brantford, Ontario, Cockshutt developed a continuous running PTO for its tractors early on.

Owner: Jim Barglof

Spencer, Iowa

He has a small perfectly restored collection of vintage tractors on his farm south of Spencer. He does all the mechanical work himself, but sometimes he has a pro do the painting. He’s involved in the tractor display at the Clay County Fair

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