Empire

Beginning in 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Empire Tractor Corporation began producing a lightweight agricultural tractor. These Empire tractors cleverly incorporated numerous surplus parts salvaged from the Willys Jeep, most notably the engine itself. However, the Empire tractor faced challenges; its price point proved too high to compete with smaller farm machines, and it lacked the traction necessary to effectively utilize its power when compared to more robust, larger models. The Willys-Overland company experienced remarkably similar difficulties while attempting to position the Jeep within the agricultural market. Consequently, by 1948, Empire ceased manufacturing and ultimately declared bankruptcy.