Can tools be art? Opinions certainly vary on that question, but this is what I believe. hot rod designer Chip Foose Apparently agree, given that they took this 1970 John Deere 4020 tractor and revamped it to look more like a vintage sprint car than an antique soil tiller.
Foose modifying the Workhorse around 2010, right after its TV show overhaulin’ Its final season aired. While he made designs like the Hemisphere, which would go on to become the Plymouth Prowler, Foose partnered with Deere for something called the Big Buck Sales Event. This magnificent tractor toured across the country and stopped at one dealer after another before being given away. Now, more than 15 years later, it is located in the John Deere Archives facility in East Moline, Illinois.
John Deere Big Buck 4020 Chip Fuze Giveaway Webshot #3
FOOSE John Deere 4020
Legend has it that Foose saw the similarities between the 4020, one of John Deere’s biggest hit cars, and the classic circle track cars. That’s why they emphasized the long hood, which curves just past the cockpit, and gave it thick side pipes. The rear also sports a boat tail similar to the sprint racers of yesteryear, complete with “4020” hand-lettered on the back.
When Foose modified the tractor it was surprisingly divisive. Apparently the only fans more thoughtful than Porsche purists are John Deere diehards, and they disagreed with practically everything Foose did for the beloved 4020. You can still see the hatred in archived forum threads from years ago:
I doubt his attitude has changed much since that time, but as Heritage PR manager Chris Boynes explains in this video tractor zoom youtube channelNot that the 4020s were rare. John Deere made a lot of them between 1968 and 1972. Boyens also points out that everything is completely reversible, if he ever decided to undo it. But why would they do this?
The most controversial 4020 on earth?
Perhaps those people became frustrated when it became almost impossible for owners to work on new tractors, and when they went looking for older models, they thought the single chip fuse model would be right for their farm. In either case, the tractor rests in climate-controlled comfort while others are still out there, earning their money. Perhaps this is the real reason for their upset. If it’s not helping anyone make a living, it shouldn’t exist.
But if you ask me, tools can also be art.
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