Vintage Machinery Club dedicates room to southern stalwart

Lenny Balneaves (centre), of JJ Ltd, reads an account of the exploits of Colin Davidson (left) and Jack Johnstone (right) at the unveiling of a plaque naming the Central Southland Vintage Machinery Club's room near Winton after Mr Davidson. Photo: Nicole Sharp

When you think Central Southland Vintage Machinery Club, chances are Colin Davidson will come to mind.

His involvement in the club spans a lifetime and on July 14, the club's main room was named after him.

Central Southland Vintage Machinery Club president John Peterson said Mr Davidson, of Winton, had been a driving force of the club the whole time he had been involved and he thought he needed to be recognised.

''He started at home in the back yard - he's our Burt Munro,'' he said.

''It's an honour to have Colin as a member of our club and what he's done for Massey Ferguson.''

Unveiling the plaque, in the room now named ''The Colin Davidson Room'' in front of family and friends, Mr Davidson said he was surprised by the honour.

''I'm very grateful for the acknowledgement and I feel a bit flattered as a result.''

Mr Davidson said he converted 2WD Massey Ferguson tractors to 4WD, an idea he had had for some time before he started doing it.

After getting in touch with Jack Johnstone, who started JJ Ltd with Abbey Jones in 1958 - and who was on site for the unveiling of the plaque, he started experimenting.

He fine-tuned the design, and more and more tractors were converted to 4WD in the 1960s, before Massey Ferguson started producing its own line of 4WD tractors in 1972.

He continued to work on tractors more than 50 years on, Mr Davidson said.