4960

1/16 Scale Ertl 4960

1/64 limited run C&D 4960

The 200 hp 4960 was the quintessential John Deere  Sound-Gard Body Tractor. John Deere first offered the Sound-Gard Body style on the 30 series tractors in 1972.  Over the next 20 years the Sound-Gard Body style would win acclaim from farmers across  North America and cement John Deere in first place for tractor sales. By the late 1980's customers had seen three generations of Sound-Gard tractors from John Deere.  CaseIH the main rival of John Deere in tractor sales released a new tractor series called the Magnum in 1987.  The new Magnums turned the heads of many green customers with there new roomy Silent-Guardian II  cabs, high horse power, sleek looks and side cab mounted mufflers.  John Deere tractor sales on the 55 series began to slip. John Deere's answer to the Magnum was the 60 series. This series of tractors was released in late 1991 under the banner, "Fine Tuned to Perfection."  Lead by the big 4960 at 200hp it would be the largest Sound-Gard tractor offered by Deere.  Improvements included easier access into the tractor, rack-and-pinion axles with 30 inch row spacings, easier servicing stations and the most noticeable change was improved visibility with a cab mounted muffler.  The 4960 was powered by a John Deere 7.6 Liter engine that generated up to 33 percent torque rise in hard and soft soils.  The 4960 was well suited for heavy tillage, field preparation and large row crop equipment as the highest horse power row crop tractor on the market in the early 1990's.  In 1994 John Deere would introduce an entirely new line of tractors departing from the Sound-Gard design after a successful 22 year run.  The John Deere 4960 has proven to be one of the most popular toy tractors with collectors.  Introduced by Ertl in August 1992 as a 1/16 scale model the 4960 replaced the 4955 in the John Deere toy line up.  The 4960 had a short two year run and was replaced by the 8400 CE in late 1994.  Today this model will sell for $75 NIB on average.  1/64 have have highly requested a 4960 in a smaller scale but Ertl only offered the 4960 in 1/16.  C&D Models offered a 1/64 4960 for one year in 1993 and then stopped production.

Fine Tuned Perfection

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