Before the internet happened, only hardcore tractor people and real Porsche fans knew that the company was involved in the tractor market. While more than 100,000 machines were produced with a Porsche badge on them, the story of Porsche tractors is far more complicated than that because of WWII. Before the war Ferdinand Porsche had built a bunch of different prototype tractors and the designs all had a lot of promise and it makes sense. The guy was one of the foremost engineers of his type in the world so whether we’re talking cars or tractors, his stuff was cutting edge. Unfortunately for Ferd, he was on the wrong side of WWII and after the dust settled and Germany had been literally pounded into submission, his company could not go into tractor production. Why? The way the rules were written only companies that were in the tractor business before WWII could produce the machines. Therefore they had to find someone else to build them under license. That someone was Mannesmann AG and in 1954 they started building the Porsche tractors in an old zepplin factory in Germany. This 1962 model was at the end of the run as production stopped in 1963. Making this one even neater, it is one of the three cylinder, air-cooled diesel Super models which are ultra rare in North America because they were priced way above the typical Farmall, John Deere, and Case competitors.
Looking mostly complete (we say mostly because the air intake is missing along with the trim that would have been on the bulbous cowl of the machine. The engine was rated at 38hp and this was pretty much the brute of the Porsche lineup that tended to skew smaller. The seller does not say that this one runs but he does say that the engine turns freely and the brakes work. Being that they sold so many of the diesel tractors and we have to guess that there is some parts interchange, it likely wouldn’t be too hard to get what’s needed for the engine (if anything).
We think it is a pretty awesome and well kept piece. The cowl and fenders are not beaten up too badly and since we’re fans of “well worn” stuff around here we’d concentrate on getting it running, getting the cool trim back on it, and leaving it in semi-barn find status. We have no idea the number of this particular model that actually made it into the USA but we bet there are a few hundred TOPS in the entire country. People are so rabid for these things we wouldn’t be surprised if a rich European enthusiast would buy it and have it shipped back that way.
Porsche has built lots of interesting stuff over the years but none of it is as BangShifty as this Super 3!
See More Photos and the eBayAd For This 1962 Porsche Super 3 Tractor –
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I saw some really cool old tractors when I lived in Germany. My favorite were the 1950s Mann 4 wheel drive tractors. They have a squat purposeful look. The Porsche is cool of course. As an air-cooled VW fan I have a thing for Ferdinand’s designs.