The Minneapolis-Moline UDLX Comfortractor was an ambitious 1938 tractor built for both field work and trips to town. Its enclosed cab and comfort features were far ahead of the norm, but its unusually high price limited its appeal to Depression-era farmers. Decades later, scarcity and distinctive design helped make surviving examples sought-after collectibles. The often-cited $200,000 figure is a reported sale in 2016—not a current valuation or typical price.
What was the Minneapolis-Moline UDLX Comfortractor?
Minneapolis-Moline designed the 1938 UDLX, marketed as the Comfortractor, to work in the field and travel to town. The Western Development Museum describes it as the first closed cab on a farm tractor; Farm Collector calls it the first enclosed factory cab. Those descriptions reflect the machine’s unusual place in farm equipment history, rather than a claim that it was the first enclosed vehicle of any kind.
The four-cylinder tractor paired practical equipment with amenities more associated with road vehicles. The Western Development Museum lists an electric starter, upholstered seats, adjustable windows, radio, heater, brake light, cigarette lighter, cab spotlight and lighted driver panel. Its overdrive gear was said to allow highway speeds up to 65 km/h. A restored UDLX listed by Mecum in 2017 also had a wood-framed cab, windshield wipers, headlights, glove box, speedometer, a rear-view mirror with clock and a dome light. Equipment can vary by example, and an auction listing is not independent authentication of every detail.
Why did the UDLX struggle to sell?
A premium price for a farm tractor
The Comfortractor’s comfort and road-going features came at a steep cost. The Western Development Museum gives its list price as $1,900 USD, nearly twice that of a standard tractor of the day. Farm Collector gives an original price of about $2,200, while also reprinting a 2005 account that quotes $1,900 and compares it with roughly $1,000 for a Model U or comparable John Deere. The sources do not establish one definitive price, so the figures should be understood as attributed historical accounts, not combined into a single exact price.
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- Recommended for ages 14+ years, not for play but, for display only
- Features high detail and 3-point hitch
- Orange and brown color scheme
- Made of die-cast, with some plastic and rubber pieces, by Spec Cast
- Measures approximately: 8in L x 5.75in W x 6in H
That premium was a difficult proposition for farmers still facing Depression-era economic pressures. The UDLX offered real convenience, but buyers had to justify paying substantially more than for a conventional tractor.
Limited demand left tractors unsold
Farm Collector reports that by 1940 about two-thirds of production had sold. Unsold machines returned to the factory had their cabs removed and were converted into Model U tractors. In the Western Development Museum’s retrospective assessment, the Comfortractor arrived “30 years too soon.” Its underlying idea—making farm work more comfortable and a tractor more practical on the road—would later feel less unusual than it did to its original market.
Rank #2
- Recommended for age 14+ years and up, not recommended for play
- Features red front loader, white canopy, and rubber tires
- Measuring approx. 3.25" L x 1.75" W x 1.5
- Material: Diecast metal with some plastic components
How many UDLX tractors were made?
Published totals differ, and the sources do not explain the discrepancy well enough to settle it:
| Source | Production or sales figure | What the figure describes |
|---|---|---|
| Western Development Museum | About 125 | Comfortractors built from 1938 to 1940, according to its undated collection page. |
| Farm Collector (2018) | Estimated 150 | UDLX tractors over a four-year production run; the article says perhaps as many as 40 survive. |
| MNopedia, Minnesota Historical Society | 125 sold | Sales in the first year of production, according to its company-history account. |
These figures may refer to different time spans or measures—such as built versus sold—or reflect different historical estimates. They should not be treated as a single agreed production total. Farm Collector also reports that some UDLXs were lost during World War II scrap-metal drives.
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- This is the same manual that would have been issued with the machine when it was new with instructons for use and maintenance
- This manual is correct for all years and serial numbers in model series
- New print of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) Manuals
- 40 Pages
- Heavy stock covers, durable bound, Printed Manual for shop or field use. Clear pictures, heavy text. Easy to read and use
How did a commercial failure become collectible?
Rarity is part of the appeal, but the UDLX also stands out visually: its enclosed cab made it unlike most tractors of its era. Restored survivors can combine that distinctive design with an unusually extensive set of period features. Farm Collector estimates that perhaps as many as 40 survive and says about half of known survivors have undergone extensive restoration.
Condition and restoration matter especially because the cab structure was made of wood. Farm Collector notes that dry rot is a common problem. An attractive restoration may improve usability and presentation, while originality and the quality of the work can also affect how collectors assess an example; neither can be inferred from rarity alone.
Rank #4
- Recommended for Collectors Age 14+, For display only, not for play
- 1/16 Limited Edition manufactured by Ertl in 2005
- Die-cast metal replica, Rubber White Letter tires
- Serialized out of 3500 made
- Approximate measurement: 8.75in L x 6.75in H x 5.25in W
How much did a Minneapolis-Moline UDLX sell for?
Farm Collector reported that a restored UDLX sold for $200,000 at Mecum’s Gone Farmin’ sale in Michigan in 2016. That is the historical transaction behind the headline figure. It is one reported sale, not evidence that every UDLX is worth $200,000 or that the figure represents a current market average.
Other documented auction results show why the date and specific lot matter. Mecum lists a UDLX sold for $147,000 at its Spring Classic on March 31, 2017. A different UDLX was marked sold at Mecum’s Fall Premier on November 18, 2022, but the reviewed lot page does not expose a sale price in its captured text. These individual results cannot by themselves establish a current valuation.
Best Value
- Recommended for 14+ years and up, not recommended for play
- Minneapolis Moline G840 tractor replica with hot pink color scheme
- Open station, wide front poseable axle, rear fenders and 3 point hitch
- Diecast body with rubber wheels, some plastic parts
- Approximate dimensions:10.5in L x 6in W x 6.75in H
Mecum cautions that lot descriptions and advance information are supplied by consignors and are not independently verified; it advises buyers to inspect in person. Treat listing claims about condition, equipment and restoration accordingly.
What to check when comparing UDLX examples
For a rare tractor with differing restoration histories, a headline auction result is only a starting point. Compare:
Quick Recap
- Sale date and venue: Keep each result tied to the auction and date where it occurred.
- Condition and restoration: Look for documentation of the work and assess its quality rather than assuming every restored example is equivalent.
- Wood cab condition: Check the structure for dry rot, a known concern in the wood-framed cab.
- Originality and completeness: Compare which features and equipment are present, and whether claims about them are documented.
- Evidence behind the listing: Distinguish seller-supplied descriptions from independently verified facts, and arrange an in-person inspection where possible.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
