The story about the origin of the Pampa tractor is fairly astonishing:
In the 1950's, where Juan Peron was leader of Argentina, technical material for agriculture such as tractors were rare due to a trade war against the USA.
Peron decided to design his own tractor and make a large-scale production of it - everything within three month!
People were very doubtful about this plan, no one believed that all this is possible in such short time.
Peron immediately sent out some field engineers to ask farmers, which traktor is most common and favourited among them.
The fist choice was the german Lanz Bulldog. This tough and well engineered tractor was build up very simple:
The single cylinder two-stroke hot-bulb engine only had three moving parts without the need of any valve control!
Apart from that, the hot-bulb engine of the Lanz Bulldog can digest any kind of fuel - Another reason for the choice of the engineers, diesel fuel was very rare in Argentina during this time!
Almost two month of the time limit have already passed by then, so two Lanz Bulldogs were imported from Uruguay, one of the export countries of Lanz Mannheim. One of them was completely dismantled and the parts given to factories to copy them. The other one got a new riser pipe with the label
"I.A.M.E. EL PAMPA Industria Argentina"
and was painted in a striking orange istead of the well known "Lanz blue".
The first Pampa tractor was born, and everything within the three month time limit!
(The first (few) Pampa Tractor(s) did not yet have the well known front with a gear and a pair of wings, it looked very different!)
According to newest information, this front is not from the first Pampa tractors. It is said to be a special edition built for the independance day July 9, 1955, where they were presented. Only very few samples of this type were built. It was never sold!
The rest of the Pampa tractors had this front, which never changed except the "DINFIA" label on the last tractors:
To show the amazing similarity between the Lanz Bulldog and the Pampa, here is a direct comparison of both:
The production began 1954, the first tractors were built by the I.A.M.E. (Industrias Aeronáuticas y Mecánicas del Estado), a state-run airplane and engine factory.
To the fall of Peron (1955) the factory, which was sponsored by Fiat, was renamed to D.I.N.F.I.A. (Dirección Nacional de Fabricaciones e Investigaciones Aeronáuticas). The labels on the tractors where suitably changed.
From 1952 to shortly beyond Perons fall 1955 only about 3700 tractors were built. Newest information from Argentina reveals that production already ended late 1955 or early 1956.
On the paper, there were two models of the Pampa:
The T-01 was a 1:1 copy of the post-war Lanz Bulldog D1506
The T-02 had shell-formed mud guards and small changes in the brake system. The engine power was stated as 60 HP, but the engine is identical to the T-01 (55 HP), so this was probably just propaganda.
As no tractor with a T02-xxxx serial stamped on the waterblock has been found yet (see the Pampa register), it is not sure if this type has ever existed. Even the DINFIA types with round fenders have a T01-xxxx number!
Newest info confirms, that a T02 never existed. In Argentina, people named the late types of the Pampa with shell-fenders as "T02". The 60 HP were also right. The increase of power is only a result of a small raise in engine speed to about 830 rpm (stronger regulator springs or just more tension). Changes were never made on the injection pump, governor excentric or brake system!
From time to time there are persons that find injection pumps with piston diameters of 8.5 or even 9 mm on their Pampa. The explanation is simple: The tractors were repaired in argentina and worn pumps were bored up and fittet with a new piston. Myths about changes on brake systems and governor excentrics also come from such repairs. All factory-provided Pampas were identical!
Here the technical data of the Pampa tractor:
- Built from 1954 - 1955 (1956 ??)
- Total weight: 3500 kg, Power: 55 HP, late types: 60 HP
- 6 forward speeds, 2 reverse speeds
- Length: 3390 mm, width: 2037 mm, height (without exhaust): 1780 mm, chassis clearance: 260 mm
- Tires front: 7.50 x 20; rear: 13.50 x 28
- Engine: single cylinder two-stroke hot bulb engine, bore: 225 mm, stroke: 260 mm, displacement: 10338 cm³, engine speed: 350 ... 750 rpm, late types: 350 ... 830 rpm
Last but not least some impressions from the Pampa tractor manufacturing line:
