1975 Turner Ranger BL parts bin 'tractor' - now with bonus NEC 2023 Classic Motor Show content

[Blake's Den]

 

I've posted this previously on the 'cars that you never knew existed' thread and also on the 'ambitious towbars' thread but I think that it is time it got its own thread.

Introducing my 1975 Turner Ranger tractor! Four wheel drive, four wheel steer, mid mounted 1098 A series in longitudinal configuration (gearbox in sump) but mounted transversely driving the front and rear axles through a Triumph differential. Steering box from an A30/35, hydraulics from a Leyland 154 tractor, drum brakes and rubber cone suspension from a mini. Very small, very unusual and very fun 😀

I saw this on ebay a few years back and being a mini nut I had to get it. I've used it for light duties since, namely moving trailers and a caravan. Road registered thanks to the Friends of Ferguson Heritage club and absolutely scary to drive on the highway. 

The history of this design is quite odd. It started off as a Harry Ferguson design through his Ferguson Research company. They were originally designed to run on Calor gas and were sold as Calor Ranger's. Turner Engineering (who made the Calor Ranger's) also started selling the petrol versions badged as Turner Ranger's.

The rumours are that about 250 were made. Since acquiring one I have become obsessed and have done plenty of searches to find as many survivors as possible. I've found 26 examples (including mine) including one of the original prototypes which has a shorter wheelbase than the production models. I've also found various brochures and literature related to these odd machines.

Having seen his success on the Invacar thread and the '93 Mondeo thread then I might have to employ the services of @LightBulbFun to work his DVLA magic to find some more examples 🙂

Also, a few videos of this on my YouTube channel. Just one link below as I don't want to spam you!

 

[sierraman]

Love hearing about random obscure things like this, when did they cease making them and who were the intended markets?

[Blake's Den]

3 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Love hearing about random obscure things like this, when did they cease making them and who were the intended markets?

Thanks!

The last production date remains a mystery to me. I've seen a B registered (1984) one but that could just be a mistake when it was registered.

The intended market was quite vast! It was marketed as a low ground pressure vehicle which could be used on farms for spraying or crop work. It was also marketed at municipal councils and golf courses who could use it for grass moving. The brochures also should it as an aircraft tug and I've seen one with a Royal Navy numberplate. There was also a lot of industrial use towing things around factories and works etc. I think mine was an industrial machine, it has previously been blue and yellow. I've got the cab for it and I can just make out a company name on the door that I can't remember, it was in Derby I think.

[GeordieInExile]

This is so cool.

How fast will it go, mister?

[LightBulbFun]

3 hours ago, Blake's Den said:

 

I've posted this previously on the 'cars that you never knew existed' thread and also on the 'ambitious towbars' thread but I think that it is time it got its own thread.

Introducing my 1975 Turner Ranger tractor! Four wheel drive, four wheel steer, mid mounted 1098 A series in longitudinal configuration (gearbox in sump) but mounted transversely driving the front and rear axles through a Triumph differential. Steering box from an A30/35, hydraulics from a Leyland 154 tractor, drum brakes and rubber cone suspension from a mini. Very small, very unusual and very fun 😀

I saw this on ebay a few years back and being a mini nut I had to get it. I've used it for light duties since, namely moving trailers and a caravan. Road registered thanks to the Friends of Ferguson Heritage club and absolutely scary to drive on the highway. 

The history of this design is quite odd. It started off as a Harry Ferguson design through his Ferguson Research company. They were originally designed to run on Calor gas and were sold as Calor Ranger's. Turner Engineering (who made the Calor Ranger's) also started selling the petrol versions badged as Turner Ranger's.

The rumours are that about 250 were made. Since acquiring one I have become obsessed and have done plenty of searches to find as many survivors as possible. I've found 26 examples (including mine) including one of the original prototypes which has a shorter wheelbase than the production models. I've also found various brochures and literature related to these odd machines.

Having seen his success on the Invacar thread and the '93 Mondeo thread then I might have to employ the services of @LightBulbFun to work his DVLA magic to find some more examples 🙂

Also, a few videos of this on my YouTube channel. Just one link below as I don't want to spam you!

 

im glad you mentioned you had posted about this before because I was getting some serious deja vu LOL

its a fun little thing  I also like the home made raised digit number plate you made for it a while back, that was quite nifty! 

it seems like it would be a handy thing to have at the FoD for shunting various chod around! and it would be gr8 for London too! 20Mph top speed, ULEZ and Congestion charge exempt FTW  

[scruff]

That is fantastic

 

 

 

[Dobloseven]

Is there any connection with the Turner company that made tractors in the 50s?Also diesel engines and did a 2 stroke diesel coversion for Landrovers before they did their own diesels. 

[Macscrooge]

Wonderful!  I’ve never heard of this before. 

[ETCHY]

Never heard of that.

It's superb !

I love weird obscure random shit like this.

Thanks for posting it.

[Blake's Den]

3 hours ago, GeordieInExile said:

This is so cool.

How fast will it go, mister?

20 mph flat out. I've done it and it's scary, especially with 4 wheel steering

[Blake's Den]

3 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Is there any connection with the Turner company that made tractors in the 50s?Also diesel engines and did a 2 stroke diesel coversion for Landrovers before they did their own diesels. 

Don't think so. Turner Engineering is now called Greenmech and make cast cutting and farm equipment.

Oddly, I believe that they built the Elswick Envoy which was a mini based disabled driver car

[scruff]

It's the Turner from Bomford Turner isn't it. Like many of these agricultural/municipal engineers have changed hands and names a few times over the years.

[motorpunk]

“Elswick Envoy” 

Sounds opulent!

”mini based disabled driver car”

Oh.

(great thread btw) 👍

[chaseracer]

9 hours ago, sierraman said:

... who were the intended markets?

@Six-cylinder... 😁

[warch]

I absolutely love this. I like tractors anyway but I especially like small and compact tractors and also unconventional and systems tractors. This hits a real sweet spot between those. 

[Surface Rust]

7 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Is there any connection with the Turner company that made tractors in the 50s?Also diesel engines and did a 2 stroke diesel coversion for Landrovers before they did their own diesels. 

I think you're thinking of what became Turner Transmissions of Wolverhampton, then sadly assimilated into Caterpillar.

[Blake's Den]

1 hour ago, motorpunk said:

“Elswick Envoy” 

Sounds opulent!

”mini based disabled driver car”

Oh.

(great thread btw) 👍

Wait until you see what they look like 😂

[motorpunk]

3 minutes ago, Blake's Den said:

Wait until you see what they look like 😂

*googles*
 

Ooyah bastard!!🤣

[Blake's Den]

13 hours ago, scruff said:

It's the Turner from Bomford Turner isn't it. Like many of these agricultural/municipal engineers have changed hands and names a few times over the years.

I'm not sure of the connection to be honest.

The VIN plate has the company address of Coughton, Warwickshire and the current company Greenmech operates from the same place with a Mr Turner as the MD

https://greenmech.co.uk/about/

 

[N Dentressangle]

That's a fab machine

Want one

[Blake's Den]

1 hour ago, N Dentressangle said:

That's a fab machine

Want one

Yep, that what I said too! 

[Blake's Den]

I'm amazed at the interest in this machine - we are an odd bunch on here!

Just thought I'd share some more of the technical details shown in the brochures:

Also, another owner who I have been in contact with has set up a website to try and find other owners, check it out here:https://calor-ranger.co.uk/gallery

The gallery section includes some of the photographs that I found during my various internet trawls. My favourite (apart from mine of course!) is one located at an air museum in Eastern Germany. Apparantly the collection of aircraft was once of the Isle of Wight and they believe that the Ranger was acquired then.

 

Rumour has it that London Zoo had one at some point but I've been unable to verify that.

[Blake's Den]

Another quick post from me. I've been sent these photos of the prototype Ranger Four which is currently undergoing restoration. It was on display at the Tractor World show at Malvern the other day. 

For all of you A-series nerds out there - it is a code 99H engine which means it is a 998cc rather than the 1098cc which is fitted to mine 🤓

[AnthonyG]

I think there is one of these in the 1980s James Bond film ‘The Living Daylights’.

There’s a scene in an military airfield (supposedly in Afghanistan, this is the era when we liked the Mudjahadeen) nr the end and Timothy Dalton is hiding behind something yellow (probably an aircraft tug) with that very distinctive logo.

[Blake's Den]

13 hours ago, AnthonyG said:

I think there is one of these in the 1980s James Bond film ‘The Living Daylights’.

There’s a scene in an military airfield (supposedly in Afghanistan, this is the era when we liked the Mudjahadeen) nr the end and Timothy Dalton is hiding behind something yellow (probably an aircraft tug) with that very distinctive logo.

Close!

Two of them appear in the Spy Who Loved Me. They are seen on the 'dock' where the submarines are stored in the villains big ship (spolier alert!) Its on the Internet Movie Car Database here https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_194843-Ferguson-Turner-Ranger.html

 

[Neil clark]

On 5/20/2022 at 10:38 AM, Blake's Den said:

Thanks!

The last production date remains a mystery to me. I've seen a B registered (1984) one but that could just be a mistake when it was registered.

The intended market was quite vast! It was marketed as a low ground pressure vehicle which could be used on farms for spraying or crop work. It was also marketed at municipal councils and golf courses who could use it for grass moving. The brochures also should it as an aircraft tug and I've seen one with a Royal Navy numberplate. There was also a lot of industrial use towing things around factories and works etc. I think mine was an industrial machine, it has previously been blue and yellow. I've got the cab for it and I can just make out a company name on the door that I can't remember, it was in Derby I think.

Got a pic? I'm from derby and old so remember alot of companies 

[Blake's Den]

On 5/26/2022 at 2:18 PM, Neil clark said:

Got a pic? I'm from derby and old so remember alot of companies 

Sorry for the slow response. This is a pic I got off the previous owner in its works livery. I would get a better picture of the door but it's right at the back of a shed!

I'll need to dig it out again and check the company name on the door. The logo is quite distinctive.

 

[Neil clark]

20 minutes ago, Blake's Den said:

Sorry for the slow response. This is a pic I got off the previous owner in its works livery. I would get a better picture of the door but it's right at the back of a shed!

I'll need to dig it out again and check the company name on the door. The logo is quite distinctive.

 

Hard to tell from that mate

[timolloyd]

Stromberg Shipping Line I think.

[Blake's Den]

6 hours ago, timolloyd said:

Stromberg Shipping Line I think.

I wish! I do often joke that I have a Bond 'car'.