The Walker’s gave us a call to say one of their MB Trac’s was at work drilling a 30-acre field next to their farm house in Wiltshire a couple of months back. The family farm, Home Farm, has been organic for over 20 years but they also have a passion for machinery and cars. Retro cars, machinery and tractors are scattered throughout the farm and its quite a sight.
This one is a 1987 MB Trac 1000 (100bhp) with the NA Mercedes OM352 engine, they have two and a lovely old G Wagon so we are hoping to photograph all three at some point this summer once harvest is over.
The MB Trac was built between 1973 and 1991 with the same platform and engine as the Mercedes Unimog. With a centre mounted cab and equal sized wheels all round it makes for an interesting looking retro machine and unusually they are not only a great tool but becoming quite collectible as well.
With 41,000 produced there are thought to be 30,000 still used today. Known for being pretty reliable it is well worth knowing that sharing parts with Unimogs can mean replacement items are expensive. Certainly if we had a small holding or farm we would have one of these in the stable.