The Deutz-Fahr D 8006 tractor model was manufactured between 1967 and 1978. It produced 80hp and was the smallest of the six-cylinder models. The line included the range-topping D 13006, which produced 130hp from a similar six-cylinder block.

The Deutz D 8006 featured in this article was collected from Gordon Hegarty and Sons Ltd on 1 May 1977, so it is quickly approaching its 40th birthday. It is now owned by Jimmy Reilly in Kildare. The tractor was sold to William Murphy, the owner’s neighbour in 1977. Three years ago, after a period of eight or nine years parked up in a shed surrounded by hay and straw, the old lady was resurrected. When it was being extracted from the shed, the differential was completely seized and most of the wiring had been damaged by vermin. The tractor was returned to Gordon Hegarty and Sons to have any mechanical problems fixed. It was in surprisingly good mechanical condition, considering its age and the idle period. It required a full back-end stripdown and rebuild due to the seized differential.

Amazingly, when the wiring required to start the tractor was repaired and a new battery was fitted, the six-cylinder fired first time and ran perfectly. No work was done on the engine other than giving it a full set of new fluids and the associated filters and belts.

The tin work and paint on the Deutz-Fahr D 8006 were gone a little tired, so the tractor was sent to a local restoration expert to be shot-blasted. The doors were rotten and required a complete rebuild, but the rest of the iron work only required remedial work to return it to pristine condition before finishing. A primer and two coats of period Deutz green paint were applied. The inside of the cab was in good condition except for a small bit of vermin damage. It was left in its original state and is fully functional. The cab on the D 8006 was spacious and comfortable for its time.

Cost

The cost of the restoration was €9,200, but Jimmy said it was well worth it as he still uses the tractor and, at one point, he had four Deutz six-cylinder machines working on the farm.

For the past three winters, the D 8006 has been hooked to a pto-driven beet chopper on an outfarm, where it was kept busy chopping approximately 4,000t of beet each year. It has just finished up work for this season and will now be put away and used for small bits of work around the yard. The clock shows 8,544 hours which is very modest for a machine in its 40th year.

Jimmy currently runs a 152-registered Deutz-Fahr 7250 in his modern fleet. Seeing the two tractors side by side shows the massive change in the scale and horsepower over the past 40 years. The front tyres on the modern tractor are a similar size to the rear ones on the D 8006.

The D 8006 is a fairly rare tractor in the Irish classic scene. Hegartys sold three of them during 1977 and there is still one more of them working in the area. They are obviously very robust machines. The Reillys’ machines are now operated by Jimmy’s grandson, Jack. He hopes to have the D 8006 running and earning its keep for any years to come.