The Old Machinery Magazine TOMM #211 October - November 2020 Back Issue

This 1960 Fordson Dexta 32hp diesel 957E Series tractor was purchased by Rex Neville from Loxton, South Australia, in approximately 2008. After a lifetime of vineyard and orchard work around Loxton it had been completely stripped down and was ready for a restoration. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen and the decision was made to sell it, as a runner and complete, but in bits.
Rex became aware of it and took up the challenge of restoring it, which took about two years in total. He fully assembled it, making sure that everything was in place and working, before disassembling it, painting it in its current blue hue and re-assembling it.
With its original 32hp Perkins engine, Rex says it is a great tractor to drive and fast on the road, getting up to around 30km per hour which he says, makes it fun on tractor treks. Rex takes his Dexta and other tractors to many rallies with the last big one he attended being the Murray Bridge NHMA national rally in 2019.