I promise you I’m not a homer for old tractors with cartoonishly big tires, but this one, which is almost an Oliver El Toro, gets a pass because it’s so cool. What’s an El Toro? Glad you asked. Let’s talk about it, because from where I’m sitting, they’re pretty neat! Furthermore, this one is up for grabs right now on an auction in Mondovi, WI that wraps up on December 4th, 2025.
Right now, some of you are probably thinking, “Uh, what’s with the ‘almosts’ and the ‘-ishes’? Will you please write like a normal human, please?”
I will, but there’s a reason for that. Whatever. We’ll get into it in a minute. For now, let’s talk about the 1850 for a bit, because it was a high point in Oliver’s lineup.
The 1850
Call it serendipity, call it luck — but sometimes everything just clicks. Everything feels balanced and happy. For Oliver, the 1850 was the model where it all came together. Some folks say it was just an updated 1800 — and to a point, they’re right. But one key upgrade stood out. Instead of the Waukesha 310, Oliver chose a Perkins 354 inline-six for the diesel option. That choice mattered, because the 354 was (and still is) a reliable, durable powerhouse. It found its way into everything from tractors to offshore racing boats for nearly 40 years!
The 1850 delivered the goods. It had a responsive chassis that was right-sized for either the primary tractor on a smaller farm or the secondary on a bigger one. Engine choices were fairly efficient, too. Power was competitive for the time, with about 92 PTO horsepower and roughly 80 on the drawbar. The tractor also offered several transmission choices, including a standard 6-speed, a 12-speed partial powershift, and beginning in 1967, the Hydraul-Shift 18-speed. The model stayed in production from 1964 to 1969, which was a strong run for Oliver in the sixties. In total, over 19,000 of ’em rolled out of Charles City.
When push came to shove, the 1850 didn’t have many major faults. The hydraulics weren’t state-of-the-art, and the mechanical brakes could be finicky. Still, it was a very solid package, and plenty of farmers bought one. Thousands are still out there today, earning their keep without much complaint.
So where does the El Toro connection come in? Let’s talk about that.
El Toro
So here’s the tie-in to the whole “El Toro” thing. In the sixties, Goodyear rolled out a new line of oversized, low-compaction Terra tires. They were a natural fit for Oliver’s “Hundred Series,” especially since they were available in MFWD. Oliver began offering them as an option on the 1600, 1800, and 1900 in 1964. The company hoped they’d catch on in a few key markets — places like Big Sky country where the terrain is steep and a wider stance helped with stability. They also made sense for farmers who needed a light touch that wouldn’t tear up the soil, like sod growers.
Oliver brought several of these MFWD tractors to a big ag expo in Mexico in 1964, and they were a hit. Their aggressive stance made them look a bit like a bull, hence the El Toro nickname. And it stuck, too. When Oliver built tractors for the Latin American and Australian markets, they left Charles City with a black-and-gray “El Toro” decal on the side shields. The U.S. versions didn’t get one.
Here’s the funny part. Although it’s those big Goodyears that everybody associates with the nickname, those tractors didn’t have to have them to earn the decal. Any MFWD 1600, 1800, or 1900 headed overseas got one. The badge carried over to the 1650, 1850, and 1950 as well.
Still, while U.S. farmers never got that nifty decal, they did get a pretty neat demo showing what those big Goodyears could do…
Walking on eggshells…
According to T. Herbert Morrell, one of Oliver’s chief engineers, the company demo’d the new Goodyear Terra tire option at a Farm Progress Show in Iowa. After digging into the dates, I’m almost certain it happened in 1965, when the show was held in Van Horne.
They laid out a bunch of fresh eggs, little end down, in some damp soil. When the crowd gathered — and I’m sure there was plenty of pomp and circumstance — an Oliver 50-series tractor rolled out wearing those big new Goodyears. Then one of the sales guys drove it straight across the eggs… and didn’t break a single one!
If ever there was a “video or it never happened” moment in farm show history, this was it!
(Side note: We need to bring demonstrations like that back to farm shows. Tire manufacturers, if you’re listening, can we make that happen, please?)
Anyway, what’s the story on this one selling in December?
The Prissel Collection
Before I start rambling about these tractors, you’ve got to check out what’s on this sale. It’s a wild collection!
The Extraordinary Prissel Collection
This sizable collection of Oliver-built muscle tractors, owned by the Prissel family, is likely one of the largest in the country. Years ago, Gary Prissel founded The Tractor Doctor in Mondovi, WI, with his sons, Chad and Dan, to handle repair work for local farmers and the occasional restoration. Back then, their collection leaned toward the Fleetline tractors and the three-digit models from the fifties. As the years went on, repair and resale work gradually shifted toward more restoration projects. At the same time, Gary, Chad, and Dan developed a real interest in the high-horsepower Oliver MFWD tractors, and that interest built the impressive lineup you see here.
Over time, though, priorities have changed. Dan passed in 2019 due to complications with cystic fibrosis. Gary has retired and moved south. And Chad’s farm operation has grown steadily — right alongside his son. That boy’s now eleven, deep into football, hunting, and anything outdoors, and Chad wants to be there for all of it. You only get that window once, y’know?
And while most of those are good changes, they do leave less time to manage a major collection. Rather than let the tractors sit and slowly fade, Gary and Chad chose to pass them along to collectors who’ll appreciate them — a decision I genuinely respect.
So, they reached out to Kurt Aumann and his team, and they’re handling the sale. And my, what a sale this is shaping up to be!
The 1850 MFWD
The 1850 immediately caught my eye because it kept coming up in the comments whenever we posted content about Jon Kinzenbaw’s “Monster Truck” 4020 back in October. And after trading voicemails for a bit, I finally caught up with Chad this morning and he told me the story behind this tractor.
It was originally shipped to Idaho in 1966 and handled tillage work on a potato farm. Tires aside, it was a fairly standard machine: 540 PTO, two remotes, a 3-point, and a Hydra-Power 12-speed. From what I can tell, the only things it didn’t have were the fender fuel tanks and a cab (remember, the Over/Under transmission wasn’t a thing until 1967). With that spec sheet, it likely sold for around $12–13,000…before the Terra tires. Chad has a dealer brochure where someone scribbled out the math, and if you ordered those tires, they nearly doubled the price. Those tires alone were a $9–10,000 option!
Chad bought the tractor fifteen or twenty years ago, and they didn’t waste any time restoring it to the condition you see today. Thus far, it’s been one of the top attention-getters at the recent open house. And quite frankly, that tracks. If you want a mid-sixties tractor that pegs the Cool Muscle Tractor Meter, an Oliver on chunky rubber is hard to beat.
Chad is fairly confident the hours are correct, and the restoration is about as complete as they come. It runs strong and drives pretty nicely, and obviously it makes a pretty big splash wherever it goes. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t need anything but a tank of fuel and someone ready to enjoy it!
What’s it worth?
I think this is one of those deals where the tractor is cooler than the data says it should be, and here’s why.
Recent data in our TZ Pro database shows that a nicely restored 1850 MFWD typically lands in the low–mid $20,000 range. But this isn’t your run-of-the-mill Oliver. The Terra tire option adds real value today, just like it did when an Idaho potato grower checked that box the first time.
And then there’s the “cool” factor. This is a classic muscle tractor — but with a twist. Factory Terra-tire machines weren’t real common in the States, and the ones you do see are usually the bigger 1950s with a Detroit under the hood. It’s boxy in that very Oliver way — squared-off, purposeful, and somehow still stylish. You don’t have to be told it’s cool; you just know.
That intangible appeal counts for something. It looks tough just sitting there, and tractors like that tend to bring confident bids. While a more typical MFWD might settle in the mid-20s, I think it’ll take $30–35K if you want to bring this one home.
Either way, if you end up owning it, reach out to me. I’m absolutely going to try to talk you into recreating that “walking on eggshells” demo from the 1965 Farm Progress Show. I’ll even spring for the first few dozen eggs!
Here’s that link one more time. Make it a good one!
