Farmall FC tractor find: Putāruru collector’s unusual loader‑grader combo

“I guess that’s where the interest began.”

Van Heuven’s first collector’s tractor was a Farmall FC.

His most recent purchase –another Farmall FC – joined the shed in June 2025, an acquisition he freely admits was an impulse buy.

The tractor, built in France in 1953, runs a two‑litre, four‑cylinder petrol engine.

It has four forward gears, one reverse and puts out a modest 25 horsepower.

What caught Van Heuven’s eye, however, was its unusual configuration: a front-end loader paired with a grader blade mounted underneath.

The 1953 Farmall FC viewed from the back – the seat is not original. Photo / Catherine Fry

Andrew Higgins, the previous owner, explained how the machine came to be.

“It was bought as two tractors in the 1990s – one with the loader, one with the grader – and then combined into one using the best parts from each,” he said.

Chris van Heuven’s Farmall FC has a Hamilton-built front loader. Photo / Catherine Fry

The rebuilt tractor was used on a small farm primarily for topdressing, shovelling manure into spreader tractors, and occasional grading work.

Higgins said the loader was originally designed for loading aircraft, before he modified it for farming.

The Farmall FC is unusual in being fitted with a grader. Photo / Catherine Fry

“In the 1950s, this would have been a pretty advanced tractor – able to handle a variety of jobs on-farm,” Van Heuven added.

The grader can lift, lower and swivel to change its angle, allowing it to function much like a small road grader.

A third hydraulic linkage offers capacity for an additional attachment if needed.

The gears and hydraulics of another era. Photo / Catherine Fry

Van Heuven isn’t rushing into a restoration.

“It’s usable in its work clothes for now,” he said.

“It’s pretty original except for the seat and some front lights.

Another view of the hydraulics and gear controls. Photo / Catherine Fry

“The starter motor has been upgraded to 12 volts because the old 6‑volt batteries were just too expensive.”

The FC made its first public appearance in the 2025 Putāruru Christmas Parade, proudly towing the St Mary’s Catholic School nativity float.

This outing delighted Van Heuven and cemented the tractor’s place in the community, as well as his collection.