The County connection
The Ford 8200 seen here in all its glory belongs to James Briggs and his son, James Jnr., from Drumaghlis in Co. Down. The Briggs duo farm, but also repair and sell used farm machinery – specialising in Ford and New Holland models.
Their prized Ford 8200 was built by County Commercial Cars at Fleet, Hampshire, for Ford, with the model having been launched at the Smithfield Show in December 1980. The 8200 replaced the 8100, also built by County, and was manufactured between 1980 and 1982.
Although it was based on the two-wheel drive, four-cylinder Ford 7700, the 8200 used the six-cylinder Ford 401S engine – a de-rated version of the motor fitted to the 128hp (DIN) Ford 8700. Priced at £23,000 (+VAT), the 8200 was aimed at the larger farmer and contractor requiring a six-cylinder tractor available in two-or four-wheel drive configuration and fitted into the Ford range between the 7700 and 8700 models.
County was familiar with the 401S power unit and proved to be the obvious choice for Ford when it came to creating the 8200. The company had no problem fitting the engine to the 7700 transmission and had already fitted the power unit
