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Ford 7810 | Picture made by mklok
Photo of a Ford 7810, this type almost wouldn't have existed if it were up to America's Ford leadership. In 1981 Eric May of SEM ( South Essex Motors) was building a light six-cylinder , competitors already had them in the program. In Principle it was simple. Swingarm from a 7600 with an engine from a TW 10 , at Ford it fit . Eric had already done this for the Australian Ford 8401 , only Ford saw nothing in it for Europe. They had already filled this with the 7600 , 7700 and 8200 . The 8200 was built by Ford at County. In 1986 sales declined in this segment. So for Eric to take up this project again. SEM built a number of prototypes. One without cab , one with LP cab and one with the super Q cab. With ZF front axle though. When in the spring the American leadership was for a meeting and wondered why sales of this segment(100 HP) were declining , they said at Ford England that they had an answer for it. So the prototypes were put on the Basildon lot and looked at. But the American leadership didn't like it . They said dead nice , we make tractors , swingarms and engines , stay away from us . Disappointed they went back to the SEM workshop. Take them apart and sell the parts . Ford Basildon management got wind of that and said , put them in we do believe in this tractor it will be fine. In the summer of 1987 they were there again from America to talk again about the declining sales figures. Now there was another senior gentleman there. So SEM was called to put the prototypes back on the lot. When after lunch this high gentleman saw the tractors there was only 1 answer , DO IT . Then everything accelerated. Ford meanwhile had the front axles from carraro, and ten were made at SEM for homoligation for type approval. In December 1987 at the Royal Smithfield show, the 7810 was introduced to the public. When Eric May went to see it there he was surprised , it looked like ants walking across the booth , where the 7810 was standing. At that show they had already sold about 300 of them. In March 1988 the 7810 went into production. At one point, 1 in 3 was a 7810 on the assembly line. In 1989 the generation III came . Broadly speaking I have this written down now. If anyone wants to add anything please do.
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