The Little-Known Blue Tractor

The price list may explain why the Blue G-1000 was made in such limited quantities for so short a time. To have bought my machine new, with the optional flotation tires, a mower and PTO unit as well an optional fixed rear drawbar ($21) would have set me back $5,456 (about $19,700 today), plus shipping and sales tax. That was quite a sum in 1976, when a Ford 2000 cost about $3,500 ($12,600 today) and a good used Allis-Chalmers G probably less than $1,000 (about $3,600 today).

Every October, a cotton festival is held at the John Blue homestead near Laurinburg, and I attended one recently. There were seven G-1000s at the show. In talking to several of the owners, the consensus seemed to be that fewer than 200 Blue tractors were built during a period of less than two years and that, although they were good machines, they were too expensive. I also heard a rumor of a lawsuit that may have contributed to the line’s demise. Out of all Blues built, just over 20 have been accounted for. Most are in the hands of collectors; one is owned by CDS-John Blue Co., and one reportedly remains in use on a farm near Ray, Mich.

At the festival I saw a nicely restored John Blue G-1000 tractor with a 1-row cultivator for sale for $10,250. I don’t know if the owner ever got that much, but it makes me feel pretty good about my $1,200 investment. FC