Keeping Current with 1/64
by Jason Hasert
 The 2005 National Farm Toy Show was full of new 1/64 models for late 2005 and into 2006. There was such a wide range of new items they barely fit into just one article. There are plenty of pictures to review.
Case-New Holland had several new items from CaseIH, International and New Holland. The New Holland and CaseIH swathers from Ertl are the most talked about new 1/64 items. The detailed collectors versions are just arriving at CNH dealers in late November. The collectors edition models feature hand rails, cab mirrors, ag tires, a 36ft draper and discbine headers. Collectors are also eager to purchase the shelf edition swathers. These models have lose the handrails and mirrors and the tires change to turf style and the draper is replaced by a haybine. The discbine header is also included on the shelf edition. The CaseIH models are the WDX2302 and WDX1902. The New Holland models are the HW365 and HW345.
There are two new International Harvester historical sets on the way from Ertl. The first set is just arriving at CaseIH dealer. The IH 56 series set includes a 756 with duals, an 856 on singles, 1256 with IH cab on singles and 1456 with IH cab and duals. The second historical set will be released in March 2006. The Farmall 30 and 50 series will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2006 and Ertl is helping to mark the event with a new 1/64 130, 230, 350 and 450.
CaseIH Steiger Quadtrac has become a proven 4wd tractor in the construction market. Ertl has a new 1/64 STX 450 Quadtrac with two scapper pans just released to participating CaseIH dealers for Christmas. A new CaseIH MXU125 with loader is also just arriving at CaseIH dealers.
John Deere also has a wide variety of new 1/64 items on the way from Ertl. There are new tractors, harvesters and seeders.
The John Deere 7500 self-propelled forage harvester was first released in July 2003 by Ertl with two forage wagons. Some collectors were concerned about the wagons because the 10 row kemper head on the 7500 would fill the wagons in a minute. Big choppers work best with dump trucks. Ertl has revised the 7500 set for 2006 by replacing the wagons with a Ford F-650 truck under the "Deere" themed name of Buck's Custom Chopping.
The big new item in 1/64 from John Deere and Ertl is the 1990 CCS drill. This drill is a 40ft bulk fill seeder is a great for sowing soybeans and small grains. This model uses the frame from the 1890 air drill and places commodity seed tanks right on the frame. This allows for easy transport and fast filling. The new 1990 CCS will be sold in a set with a John Deere 8220 with all around duals.
There is a new series of 1/64 collectible models on the way from John Deere in 2006. The Premier Series includes models from John Deere's past and present. The series will start with seven models to collect in 2006. The models will include a John Deere 8410, 7810, Gator, 4450, 9520, 8870 and 95 combine. Each model will be packaged in a collectors edition box picturing the real machine that will list the specifications and history of the model. In this article you can see a sample of the John Deere 4450 in the Premier Series box. This series will also include ultra rare muddy tractors. Collectors have indicated that they do not like 1/64 chrome and gold tractors because they do not see them in the field. What farm fans do see in the field is muddy tractors working hard. Ertl has painted up each of the seven models in mud. The mud replicas will be randomly inserted in the Premier Series along with the regular clean models. No doubt the muddy models will be a hot collectors item to find.
The John Deere 8000 series celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2005 as John Deere introduced the latest 8030 series tractors. Like the Soundgard tractors before them the 8000 series are the leading tractors in North America. Since 1995 John Deere has upgraded the models from the 8000 series to the 8010 series in 1999 to the 8020 series in 2001 and to the 8030 series in 2005. Ertl is commemorating the legendary John Deere 8000 series tractors with a 4 piece set that included the 225 hp 8400, 235 hp 8410, 255 hp 8520 and 275 hp 8350. The new 8350 toy has cab windows. All 4 models have front mud flaps and new tire variations. You can find this set a John Deere dealers.
Toy Farmer's 2005 National Farm Toy Show tractor in 1/64 is the 145 hp Oliver 2655 4wd. This is the 6th 1/64 show tractor since 1999 and the 3rd 4wd in the series. Ertl did an excellent job in detailing this model. The 3pt hitch is the stand out feature on this model.
Toy Farmer has a new 1/64 4wd in the works for release in June 2006. Die-Cast Promotions is producing a 1/64 8wd Versatile 1080 for Toy Farmer. DCP produced a 1/32 version in 2005. The 600 hp 1080 is best known as Big Roy. There will be two versions of this 1/64 tractor. The first will be the 1970's Series II factory version and the second will be the black hood museum version. You can watch for ordering information at www.toyfarmer.com. Do not mis out on these models the detail is outstanding.
The last but not least new 1/64 item at the 2005 National was Long Creek Farm Toys ROME 4wd. The ROME Plow Company offered 4wd tractors in the late 1970's and into the 1980's after it purchased Woods & Copeland. Long Creek has produced the Woods & Copeland 310C, 320C and 350C. These three models were featured in the Toy Tractor Times August 2005 issue: http://www.toytractortimes.com/august05 Following the progression of the big yellow 4wds Long Creek will introduce the first 1/64 Rome 4wd in February 2006. The Rome is all new tooling. You will notice in the pictures the Rome is taller than the Woods & Copeland 320C and the Rome hood is rounded. The Rome is an impressive 4wd and as soon as it is released The Toy Tractor Times will have a full feature article on the toy and real tractors. You can contact Long Creek Toys by phone at 701-965-6489.
That is all the 1/64 news from the 2005 National Farm Toy Show. I had a few sneak peeks of several new 1/64 items in the works from the well known toy makers during the big show. While I can not give out all the big news for 2006 I can wet your appetite and say there are some very cool tractors in the works already for next year.
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