Models 4020, 3020, 4000

Dedicated to the John Deere 4020, its owners and fans.
I grew up in Northern Ohio and spent most of my summers and any other free time on a 167 acre farm that my Great-Grandfather ( known as "Pop") owned.  As a youngster, I cut my tractor-driving teeth on his 1957 John Deere 620.  I think "The Tractor Bug" bit me even before I was born.  My Dad, was introduced to a John Deere B as an infant.  So you could say I was destined to be a John Deere Nut.  I had a lot of fun learning to drive the 620 under Pop's ever watchful eye and guidance.  But eventually, I got to drive by myself and was pretty good at it.  As I got older and more skilled, I started to set my sites on the other tractor - our John Deere 4020.  It was a 1965 diesel model with the Syncro-Range Transmission.  Pop bought it used for only $5,000 back then.

All though the 620 is a classic John Deere in its own right, and the popping two-cylinder was certainly unique, it was the size and power of the 4020 that really impressed me.

While we used the 620 for towing the gravity wagons, cultivating soy beans or corn and brush hogging; the 4020 was the true workhorse of the farm.  I can remember it pulling a number of things in tandem like our disc with a single culti-packer attachment along with the grain drill or corn planter behind that.   I even remember that combo with a rotary hoe somewhere in the mix.  Eventually, Pop bought a John Deere integral combination chisel plow that did a pretty good job fitting the ground, as I recall.  That was a long time ago and since then Pop has passed away.  Another unfortunate thing was that the 4020 got traded in for some other piece of equipment and have no idea where it is at this time.

When I looked around the Web, I found a large and close-knit, Internet  Tractor  Community. There are several  sites related to John Deere tractors and their loyal fans, but I didn't find any specifically focused on the 4020 and its enthusiasts.  That was two-plus years ago and Forty-Twenty.com is enjoying visits from all kinds of tractor fans from all over the world.  I have enjoyed the email and camaraderie of fellow tractor fans - especially the 4020 fans.

As I said before, I've no idea where Pop's 4020 is today, but hopefully someday, I'll be able to track it down and restore it in his honor.  Until then until then, I'll do a little vicarious living through this site and the folks who own one of the best tractors ever built.

Thanks for your support,

Mike