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For the Canadian farm machinery builder, see MacDonald Thresher Co..

The Australian firm of A. H. McDonald & Company of Melbourne was founded by Alfred Henry McDonald in 1908. McDonald built a 20 hp 2-cylinder tractor which he called the Imperial EA Type All-Steel Oil Tractor These were built from 1909 till the early 1920s when cheaper imports mad it uneconomical to build them.

From 1920 to 1929 McDonald imported American Emmerson-Brantingham and Swedish Avance tractors.

By 1930 they started building tractors based on a Rumley OilPull gearbox and their own engine of 35 hp. They build over 600 before WWII stopped production. After the War they built a more powerfull version with a 40 hp engine, 6-speed gearbox and live Power Take Off. However, only 20 of these were made before production ceased in 1955.

Preserved machines[]

Australia

How many survive in their home country ? Something like 250 tractors are on the register, including 14 of the 20 post-war models.

New Zealand

Twenty Nine were sold in New Zealand in the 1930s. 13 are known to survive with 3 on one farm on the South Island, one of which Lionel Donaldson's father bought after the war. The Price new in 1935 was £395.[1]

United Kingdom

Are there any in the UK ? A number of the pre-war models are known to be in the UK, Ireland and several in Europe.

See also[]

Other Australian tractor makes;

References[]

  1. Tractor Magazine No. 59, September 2008, p50-54

Links[]

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