50 years of Don Dufner’s Green Goat
Growing up in northwestern Minnesota during the 1970’s at several of the neighboring county fairs, tractor pulls became popular. We lived on a dairy farm so we were “always” busy but my dad, although not a collector-he loved tractors, and we often found the time to sneak off to watch a pull. It was during this time I learned of a John Deere man named Don Dufner. He brought his two cylinders and often dominated several pulling classes.
Don started his pulling career in 1964 on a 1935 D John Deere he was farming with. He had paid $125 for the D. He rebored it to .125 over and Tractor Supply had gasoline pistons he paid $12.00 for. The D was able to pull a 5-16s” plow. Don was told if you think that D can pull so much you should bring it to a tractor pull, so he did. The tractor pull was in Gilby, ND, at Midway School. So after church they headed to Gilby! He placed second beating International 560 and 706 tractors. That started a long career of pulling.
Most of the pulls in our area in the early days of pulling were pulls for farm tractors but eventually more modified tractors hit the scene. Not long after we began to see a unique pulling machine called the “Green Goat.” It was built by none other than Don Dufner!
Another puller had an F-30 with a 427. Don was told you can’t put a V-8 in an old John Deere…that was all it took and Don went to work! The “Green Goat” started with a model D John Deere rear end and a 427 Ford motor mounted crosswise. It features a 300 lb. sliding weight transfer. The “Green Goat” puts out 500 hp and has probably topped 500 hooks in its career. I don’t know if there are any other tractors that have consistently pulled for 50 years. I asked Don why he has been able to keep pulling the same tractor. He responded that it is made of quality iron! Don has pulled all over North Dakota and Minnesota as well as in Teulon, Manitoba, where he is known as Mr. John Deere!
This summer in honor of 50 years of the “Green Goat”, Ryan Tichy, president of the RRVPA, said it was decided to honor Don and commemorate 50 years of the “Green Goat. ” They started with Frisbees to throw into the crowd and then printed T-shirts. At the pull in Mountain, North Dakota, a booth was set up for Don to sign autographs.
What a legacy! Thank you Don for all you have done for John Deere collectors and tractor pulling! Don is simply a great guy!.
How about a little tractor trivia.
1. The model D was produced from 1923-___________.
A) 1951 B) 1952 C) 1953
2. John Deere claimed the early D produced ________ hp on the draw bar.
A) 15hp B) 22hp C) 30hp
3. During the end of production John Deere claimed the D produced________hp, although when tested they produced even more.
A) 15hp B) 22hp C) 30hp
4. The cost of a model D in 1924 was ________________.
A) $1000 B) $1295 C) $1750
5. The 1924 D was rated a _________ plow tractor.
A) 2 bottom B) 3 bottom C) 4 bottom
Answers: 1. C. 1953 2. A) 15hp (They were called the 15-27.) 3. C. 30 hp(They were actually tested with 38 on the drawbar and 42 on the belt!) 4. A. $1000 5. B. (It was rated for 3 14” bottoms.