How World War II Brought About the John Deere GM

The John Deere GM is a bit of an interesting footnote in the G’s story, and a neat one at that. Since I’ve never written about the G — or the GM — this feels like a good time to change that. I was flipping through Mecum’s listings recently, and one in particular caught my eye: a 1942 John Deere GM.

There were three main generations of the G: unstyled (1937–1941), the GM (1942–1947), and styled (1948–1953). Let’s dig in.

Ray and Diane Miedema’s Tractor Collection

The G Stands for “Gorilla”

OK, so the G didn’t actually stand for anything. Deere had already used every letter up to E by 1937 — except for F. Frank Silloway, their VP of sales, insisted they skip it to avoid confusion with Farmall’s F-series. Probably a smart call though — ironically — both Deere and IHC ended up with a Model H by 1939, anyway.

Back then, Deere was behind in the horsepower race. IHC had launched the F-30 in 1931. While they hadn’t sold a ton of them, the F-30 packed more punch than John Deere’s A. In 1936, Deere started developing what became the G. The prototypes, code named KX, tested well in the Midwest. It was Deere’s biggest row-crop — hence, the joke about the G standing for “gorilla” — rated at 27.6 hp on the drawbar and nearly 36 hp on the belt. If the pricing model I’ve heard was correct, farmers could bring one home for about $1,100, which was a solid bang for the buck.

Heating Things Up, Literally

While Deere’s early testing went well, the new engine — big, but not quite as big as the one in the D — was a 413-cube two-cylinder with a 6⅛-inch bore and a 7-inch stroke. It ran strongly, and the feedback was good, so Waterloo greenlit the project, and the model went into production in May 1937.

However, it wasn’t perfect. Deere misjudged how much cooling it needed. When the summer weather hit, farmers had problems with overheating — especially in the Southern states. The first 3250 machines had to be recalled. And it wasn’t just a radiator swap: The fix included a taller radiator and shutter, new fan and shroud, redesigned hood and fuel tank, and deeper-set exhaust valves to keep things running cooler.

Despite the misstep, Deere stuck with the G. They knew it had potential. By the time the unstyled version wrapped production, Dec. 22, 1941, they’d built just under 10,700. The last unstyled G serial number was 12193.

Speaking of styled vs. unstyled, let’s talk about the advent of style in tractors, because it became important in the late 1930s.

Styling and Streamlining

For years, tractors weren’t much to look at. They were tools. Everything was exposed — engines, radiators, linkages — and nobody really cared. By the late 1930s, however, that started to change. Some was because of aesthetics. Some of it was because of practical protection for important parts. Maybe it was because of both.

Regardless, it seems that, for the most part, the move towards styled tractors happened in the 1937-38 time frame. With the exception of Oliver, which, I believe, handled styling in-house, all the big hitters aligned themselves with well-known industrial designers. Allis-Chalmers brought in Brooks Stevens, IH tapped Raymond Loewy, and Deere partnered with Henry Dreyfuss.

Dreyfuss started with the A and B in 1939, adding sheet metal and sculpted fenders that gave tractors a sleeker, more modern look. Customers liked it, so Deere kept going — with the G next on the list late in 1941.

The G Gets a Glow-Up

The updated G wasn’t just prettier — it was stronger. Dreyfuss restyled the hood and fenders. Meanwhile, Deere engineers squeezed more power from the engine and swapped in a new six-speed transmission.

But there was a catch.

When the U.S. entered World War II, the government formed the Office of Price Administration (OPA) to keep inflation in check. One rule: You couldn’t raise prices on things like tractors — unless you could prove it was a brand-new or substantially improved model.

This was a problem. Deere had just poured money into the G’s improvements. So, they doubled down, added a few new features, such as like optional electric start and electric lights, and pitched it as the “GM” — G Modernized. And wouldn’t you know it? The OPA approved it, and production began on Feb. 20, 1942, with serial number 13000.

Was it a stretch? Maybe. I think you could argue it either way.

Fits and Starts

Even so, GM production didn’t last long before hitting a major speed bump. Just as things were ramping up, Deere had to hit pause on Sept. 21, 1942, with serial number 13747. It wasn’t a performance issue; it was wartime rationing. The OPA controlled how much steel that companies could use, and Deere had to prioritize their best sellers. Since the A and B were outselling the GM, it was benched for the time being.

Production stayed on hold for more than two years, finally resuming Oct. 16, 1944, as the end of World War II came into sight. Once the line fired back up, Deere didn’t hold back, and neither did its customers. With machines finally available again, sales of the GM picked up steam fast. By 1947, they were back in line with prewar numbers for the unstyled G.

The G Is Back!

Once the OPA lifted wartime restrictions, Deere immediately made plans to incorporate the styling and performance enhancements of the GM back into the original G. The GM name had always been a bit of an outlier, and I think the lack of consistency bothered them. The final GM, serial number 22112, rolled off the line in early March 1947. By March 7, Deere had kicked off production of the newly styled G, with serial number 23000.

Over the next few years, Deere kept improving the G. The company had it retested at the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab and started rolling out new versions. Until 1947, the G was only available in the tricycle front-end style. But that year, Deere introduced two more options: the single-front-wheel version (GN) and the wide-front version (GW). The high-crop model (GH) came along in 1951.

By 1952, Deere felt it had taken the G as far as it could go. It was replaced by the 70 for the 1953 model year.

Was the G (and GM) a Success?

Deere built close to 64,000 Gs from 1937–1953. In my book, that qualifies as a successful venture. In a lot of ways, the G pointed to where farming was headed. As troops came home from World War II and started farms, they needed tractors capable of growing with them, and Deere was ready. The G gave them the muscle they needed, as well as room to grow.

Today, the G is still a favorite. They’re very much at home in collections and parades, and you’ll find one working on a small farm, here and there. They’re mainstays at shows, tractor rides, and antique tractor pulls — and that’s not changing anytime soon.

What isn’t all that common, though, is finding one with a GM tag. That’s part of what makes Ray Miedema’s tractor stand out. Let’s take a minute and talk about that one.

The John Deere GM You Can Buy Aug. 9

Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with Ray to talk about the collection, but that’s part of the deal sometimes. What I can tell you is he had a soft spot for Deere’s letter-series machines. There are nine Gs in the auction — including a pair of sequentially numbered unstyled ’38s — along with 14 A’s and 20 B’s. Some run, some are pullers, some need work, and a few are probably parts donors. But together, they’re a solid tribute to the iron that helped feed America.

The 1942 GM featured in most of these photos is likely the star of the sale. Ray and Diane restored it together about 20 years ago, and it’s made the rounds at plenty of shows since. In 2007, it earned a Two-Cylinder Club “Expo Quality Restoration” award — an honor they stopped handing out after founder Jack Cherry passed. Ray’s was #133, and in my book, that’s no small feat.

Outside the green stuff, Ray also had a handful of Massey-Harris tractors, plus a few strays from Allis, Moline, Harvester, and Ford. Nothing wild or exotic — just well-worn pieces that tell their own stories. It’s a great catalog, and worth a scroll.

This is an online-only sale hosted by Mecum Auctions. The collection is in Holmen, Wisconsin, just northeast of La Crosse. In-person previews run Aug. 8–9, and bidding starts closing at 10 a.m. on Aug. 9.

Wrapping Up

It’s always a little humbling to scroll through a collection like this. Some shine, some don’t, but every one has a story. Now, it’s time for new owners to write the next chapters. Whether you’re looking for a project, a showpiece, or just an excuse to haul another two-banger home, there’s probably something here that’ll catch your eye. If you’re in the neighborhood — or even if you’re not — this is a sale worth watching.

Here’s the link one more time.

Ray & Diane Miedema’s Tractor Collection

Hi! I’m Ryan, and I love tractors. It doesn’t matter if it’s a showpiece, an oddball, or seen its share of life. If it’s unique and it’s listed by one of our auctioneer partners at Tractor Zoom, I’m going to show it off a little bit! This equipment is all up for auction RIGHT NOW, so you can bid on it. I think it’s cool, and I hope you will too! This is Interesting Iron! Read the original article on Tractor Zoom.