Fritz Buchholz FBL
1 model in this series
Fritz Buchholz FBL 1 and 2: air-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke compact tractor, 277 cc, 4.8 kW and 670 kg weight, built 1949 to 1950
The FBL 1 and 2 belongs to the class of simple compact tractors built in small German agricultural-machinery workshops immediately after the Second World War, giving farmers with little capital a motorised alternative to a horse team. Machines of this kind relied on simple, robust drive technology, similar to that known from small engines and motorcycles of the period.
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The FBL 1 and 2 is powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke engine of 277 cc, running on a fuel-oil mixture at a ratio of 1:20, producing 6.5 hp, or 4.8 kW, at 3,000 rpm. At a weight of 670 kg, a length of 2,700 mm, a height of 1,300 mm and a width of 1,450 mm, it is a very light compact tractor whose top speed of 6 km/h is entirely suited to field and yard work.
At this top speed, the FBL sits far below the limits of today's L and T driving-licence categories and was intended for use on the owner's own land or adjoining fields, not for travel over longer distances. The two-stroke engine with mixture lubrication was a simple, low-maintenance solution with no separate oil circuit, but it required the mixing ratio to be kept precisely, so as not to damage the engine through lack of lubrication.
When buying such an old and rare machine secondhand, the condition of the cylinder and piston matters most, since years of an incorrect mixing ratio lead to increased wear. Also worth checking are the clutch and drivetrain for play and the frame and sheet-metal parts for corrosion; spare parts for such a small and rare maker are today practically only available through collector and vintage-vehicle circles.
Sources: SpecCodex-Register: Kennwerte des Modells Fritz Buchholz FBL 1 und 2
Models
Tractor in 3D section
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