Ken Christensen | fitchfourdrive

Ken Christensen's Model 20-35

Ken Christensen of Westport, WA purchased a Four Drive Tractor Model 20-35 in 1996 from Vincent Barney of Tenino, WA, which is located about 15 miles south of Olympia.

The tractor was originally located in Georgia, moved to Wisconsin and then spent a number of years at the Arthur Bright Nursery & Museum in LeGrand, CA south of Merced.

Vincent purchased the Fitch 20-35 tractor at the well-known Arthur Bright auction in California in September 1986 and moved it to Washington State. In 1987 shortly after purchasing it, he suffered a stroke and was unable to restore the tractor. The tractor spent over 10 years in a berry patch on his farm. Mr. Barney received numerous offers to sell the tractor but each time, he stated that he would not sell it.

One of Ken's friends called Ken after he visited Vincent and said that Ken stood a very good chance at purchasing the tractor by the comments that Vincent made regarding why he did not want to part with the tractor. So, Ken returned and showed Vincent some photos of a couple of other tractors that he had restored. Vincent liked what had seen and said he would sell the tractor to him; however, the price was a lot higher than what Ken had expected. Vincent also had a few old Rumley tractors on the farm, so Ken offered to take two of the Rumleys and the Fitch for the same price. Vincent excepted this offer and Ken moved the tractor to his business (KC Trucking and Reliable Blacksmith Shop) in Aberdeen, WA. Ken had the tractor running at a tractor show just 9 days after purchasing it. Ken had called Vincent prior to the show to tell him he would have the tractor there in running condition. Vincent was able to attend the show and was very pleased when he saw what Ken had done.

Ken has since fully restored the tractor. He completely sandblasted it and gave it a fresh paint job. One bearing on the worm drive to the rear axle and the steering chain had to be replaced. A new clutch friction and part of the intake to the carburetor had to be made as well as a hood. Ken also added pads to the front wheels so that the tractor would have traction when he drove it on asphalt.

The manufacturer's plate is missing, so the full identity of the tractor is unknown. The tractor features a Climax KU model engine serial number #2529. Based upon the style of the tractor (the oval shaped gas tank) when compared to photographs of other Four Drive Tractors, it appears to be a Model 20-35 from about 1922-1923. It is very similar in style to F.E. Bishop's Model D 20-35 on display at the Gunnedah Rural Museum in Australia.

Painting of Ken's Fitch tractor on a roll-up door on the front of the building painted by a young man who came by the shop and offered to paint it.

Ken stated that the tractor design was ahead of its time. Most tractors of that era were belt or chain driven. The Fitch Four Drive was gear driven - this allowed for more transfer of power to the front wheels. He also noted that the whole front axle turned on a center pivot instead of only the wheels turning as in a modern vehicle. Because the whole front axle turned, this allowed the Four Drive Tractor to have a smaller turning radius than most of the tractors of the time.

Ken also owns many other tractors including a 1920 Advance Rumley 20-40 Model G Oil Pull and a 1928/29 Caterpillar Thirty Crawler tractor as well as a 1928 Ford AR truck. He takes his tractors, trucks and equipment to various old engine and tractor shows in the Pacific Northwest, including shows in Shelton, Roy and Toledo, WA.

Ken's shop is in the two large white buildings in the center of the photo. You can faintly see the Fitch tractor painting on the left roll-up door.