Elvis John Deere Exhibit Announced

Image by WhatGetsMeHot Mrjyn via Flickr

John Deere Exhibit Announced

5/8/2009

Check out a video about Elvis' John Deere tractor or the photo gallery of photos from the restoration project. If you are an Elvis Insider, visit the members only message board for exclusive photos and documents relating to the tractor and Elvis' ranch. For more about John Deere, click here.

Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. announced that a John Deere tractor often used by Elvis on his ranch and at Graceland has been fully restored and will be placed on public display, beginning May 8th, 2009, at the Elvis Presley Auto Museum – located at the national historic landmark Elvis Presley’s Graceland.

The restoration has been a cooperative effort between Elvis Presley Enterprises and John Deere – an initiative that also includes future sales of die-cast replicas of Elvis’ tractor. Students at Northwest Mississippi Community College restored the tractor with guidance from John Deere.

Elvis acquired his John Deere 4010 tractor with the purchase of a Mississippi ranch in 1966. Having grown up around farming in Tupelo, Elvis knew he needed the best equipment possible to care for the land he had just purchased. Family members and close friends of Elvis tell stories about the enjoyment the famous entertainer had while working with his tractor.

After Elvis sold the ranch, the tractor moved to Graceland and was used to maintain the beautiful landscaping on the property for decades. Graceland visitors from around the world had come to know and look for Elvis’ old tractor when visiting the historical landmark. Graceland replaced the John Deere with a new model recently and decided to prepare the old tractor, which had served for nearly 50 years, for display in the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum.

In celebration of this new exhibit, a special-edition, die-cast version of the tractor will go on sale in November at authorized John Deere dealers nationwide, on ShopElvis.com and at Graceland. Increasing the collectible nature of this edition will be the inclusion of the 46A loader which is rarely found on die-casts.

Elvis’ John Deere 4010 tractor Series 213, is a general purpose diesel tractor that was built at the John Deere Waterloo Works, in Waterloo, IA. It was sold at a John Deere dealership in Tunica, MS and also included a 46A John Deere loader, a rare combination making the tractor unique.

The 4010 tractor owned by Elvis was one of four models in John Deere’s “New Generation of Power” – a four- and six-cylinder tractor line that the company introduced in 1961 and helped propel the company to become the world’s leading manufacturer of agriculture equipment, a position it retains still today.

Northwest Mississippi Community College and John Deere work together to offer training to develop entry-level technicians to the required high standards of technical expertise, culminating in a career as a John Deere dealership service technician.

Facts about John Deere

During the 1960s, John Deere became the leading farm equipment maker in the world.

The biggest news in the 1960s farm tractor industry was the introduction of the “New Generation of Power.” For the first time in three decades, John Deere tractors were entirely new from the ground up. In fact, 95 percent of all parts and components were created from new designs engineered to make the power leap.

There were four models in the new line – the 1010, rated at just under 36 PTO horsepower; the 2010, at 46.6 horsepower; the 3010 at 59 horsepower; and the 4010 at 84 horsepower.

The most popular of the 10 series tractors was the 6-cylinder 4010, which revolutionized large-scale farming, which sold more than 40,000 in just three years from 1960-1963.

All the 10 series tractors used the concept of high horsepower-to-weight ratio.

Another change in concept for the New Generation tractors was the use of variable-speed engines.

What year did Elvis purchase his John Deere tractor?

1960

1967

1976

ELVIS PRESLEY'S ORIGINAL JOHN DEERE TRACTOR TO GO ON DISPLAY AT GRACELAND

Collectible Die-Cast Model Available for Sale in November

MOLINE, Illinois (May 8, 2009)— A John Deere tractor regularly used by Elvis Presley on his Mississippi ranch and at his home at Graceland will be displayed beginning today at the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum.

The John Deere 4010 tractor was restored by students at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Mississippi, with guidance from John Deere. The 4010 tractor owned by Elvis was one of four models in John Deere's "New Generation of Power" – a four- and six-cylinder tractor line that the company introduced in 1961 and that helped John Deere become the world's leading manufacturer of agriculture equipment.

The Elvis Presley Automobile Museum is located at the national historic landmark Elvis Presley's Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee.

A special-edition, die-cast version of the tractor will go on sale in November at authorized John Deere dealers nationwide, on ShopElvis.com and at Graceland. This special model will include a 46A loader, an accessory rarely found on die-cast collectibles.