“My dad, Neil, switched the day-to-day tractors to John Deere when International and David Brown combined as Case International, Dad couldn’t bring himself to drive a David Brown,” he said. When he passed away, he had one of the largest John Deere collections in New Zealand, and a big machinery sale was held. “My favourite was a 1955 John Deere 70,” Houghton said. “The JD 70 is quite rare in New Zealand.”Houghton described the two-cylinder, 50hp JD 70, with six forward and two reverse gears, power steering and a hand-operated clutch, as an “interesting tractor”. Reece’s father Neil Houghton working with the John Deere 70 in the 1990s prior to restoration.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 26, 2025 20:33 UTC