Gibson Model D - Keremeos, BC - Old Tractors on Waymarking.com

This Gibson Model D is the one that has been restored. Of yard tractor size, its power comes from a single cylinder 6 HP Wisconsin AEH air cooled engine. These machines were bashed together in Longmont Colorado, if one can believe the castings. They had a three speed transmission and provision for mounting a wide variety of attachments and blades. The D was manufactured from 1947 to 1949, at which time it was superceded by the SD.

Gibson Tractor

The Gibson Manufacturing Corporation, Longmont, Colorado, was founded in March, 1946 by Wilber Gibson. This company was a offshoot of the original company which had been formed by Wilbur's father, Harry Gibson, at Seattle, Washington. The Seattle plant made specially built rail cars and had begun experimentation with tractors. The decision to produce tractors at Longmont was, at least, partially motivated by the desire to escape a setting where pressure to unionize was great. Longmont, located 40 miles northwest of Denver, was a small agricultural community with little or no industry at the time. The millions of dollars invested in the land, plants, and equipment coupled with the job opportunities for hundreds of local residents meant that the company was welcomed with open arms.

The first production tractor was a model 'A' which, along with the latter models 'D', 'SD' , and Super D, was powered with a six horsepower Wisconsin air cooled model AEH engine (some early 'Ds' had a nine HP AHH engine). The model 'A' had 7.50 x 16 rear tires and 4.00 x 12 front tires. It came with a three speed transmission and two independent rear wheel brakes. Its wheelbase was 42" and it weighed 875 lbs. It came with a full range of implements and was touted as being able to operate a 13 1/2 " plow and handle two to three acres per 10 hour day. Under maximum load, fuel consumption was one and one half quarts per hour.

Next came the model 'D' which began with 22" rear and ended up with 24" tires on rims that were adjustable, enabling a 33" minimum tread and a maximum 53 1/4" width. Fenders were optional. The 'D' had 4.00 x 12 front tires and its wheel base was 46". It weighed 955 pounds.
Read more at the San Benito County Historical Society