History - Heavy Equipment Parts & Tractor Parts

FP Smith Parts & Equipment History

FP Smith gained the nickname “Piggy Smith’s” many years before its current business was formed.

During the 1920s through the 1940s, Francis Peter Smith ran the largest pig farm in Northern California on his ranch in Cordelia. During World War II, his pigs were delivered under contract to the San Francisco stockyards to help with the war effort.

When World War II ended, Francis began buying large quantities of military surplus parts and tractors and phased out his hog business.

FP Smith (“Piggy Smith’s”) became known as the place to buy tractor parts among California’s agricultural community.

FP Smith Old Barn Warehouse

One of Francis's first purchases was a brand-new surplus Caterpillar D4 2T crawler dozer at the end of World War II. It arrived by rail car in a large wood crate. Not expecting the crawler to be crated, he had to return with tools to open it to drive the dozer on his trailer.

Francis Smith Caterpillar D4 Military Surplus Dozer

During the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, FP Smith purchased large quantities of parts from International Harvester factories and dealers when they closed facilities.

My Little Salesman FP Smith West Coast's largest inventory of tractor parts

FP Smith became one of the first importers of tractor undercarriage parts from Italy and built the largest inventory on the West Coast.

FP Smith Acres of Undercarriage

FP Smith Undercarriage

FP Smith Undercarriage Inventory

FP Smith one of the largest inventories on the west coast

FP Smith first to import Lamborghini tractors from Italy

In the late 2000's, FP Smith was awarded a large contract by the US Army to provide hundreds of reconditioned diesel engines and transmissions.

FP Smith rebuilt DT466 engines for the US Army

FP Smith rebuilt Dresser M10A transmissions for the US Army

FP Smith rebuilt diesel engines for the US military

FP Smith rebuilt diesel engines for the US Army

Buying opportunities for OEM surplus Komatsu, Dresser, Dressta, Payhauler, Hough, Allis Chalmers and Caterpillar parts throughout the decades increased FP Smith's physical inventory to millions of parts available for immediate shipping to customers and additional warehouses were added.

FP Smith continues to support many in the California farm, ranch and winery communities. It has increased its business to rock quarries, construction and mining companies, power plants and other parts dealers worldwide.

Francis Smith was a very fair and giving person. He once helped a fellow Japanese neighbor by buying his farm equipment at full price while the man and his family were sent to an internment camp during WWII. Francis stored the equipment for years and returned it to the family after they were released.

He contributed to the local fire and sheriff departments, the Salvation Army, and volunteered as Santa Claus at annual local dinners for 46 years.

Francis P Smith

Currently headed by Francis’s son, Pete, FP Smith continues to carry on the legacy and still maintains one of the largest inventories of heavy equipment and tractor parts in the World.

In 2011, FP Smith hosted a special event at its Fairfield California facility for the annual Independent Distributors Association IDA convention. More than 300 members from 26 different countries visited FP Smith for a memorable day of fun, networking and meeting friends and business partners in the heavy equipment parts industry.

FP Smith has been a member of the IDA Independent Distributors Association since the 1980's.

FP Smith welcome for the 2011 IDA Independent Distributors Association

Greeting guests for the IDA convention party and FP Smith tour

Classic cars for the FP Smith IDA convention party

Plane rides for the FP Smith IDA convention party

FP Smith warehouse 2011 IDA party

FP Smith ice sculpture

FP Smith vintage equipment and warehouse

Clay shooting at the 2011 FP Smith IDA party

FP Smith property aerial view

FP Smith IDA convention equipment operaton

Pete Smith became President of the Independent Dealers Association IDA in 2014.

Local sculptor, Phil Glasshoff gifted this pig statue to Pete Smith in 2024 as a tribute to FP Smith's impact on the community

Piggy Smith sculpture

FP Smith Aerial View

Acres of Dismantled Machines & Parts

FP Smith Aerial View Acres of Dismantled Machines & Parts

IDA Independent Distributors Association Member

NTPDA National Tractor Parts Dealer Association Member

Our History Since 1947 | Family-Owned Heavy Equipment Parts | FP Smith Parts

FP Smith Parts & Equipment History

He contributed to the local fire and sheriff departments, the Salvation Army, and volunteered as Santa Claus at annual local dinners for 46 years.

FP Smith has been a member of the IDA Independent Distributors Association since the 1980's.

Local sculptor, Phil Glasshoff gifted this pig statue to Pete Smith in 2024 as a tribute to FP Smith's impact on the community

FP Smith Aerial View

Acres of Dismantled Machines & Parts

Click here to find us on Google Maps

Heavy Equipment Parts & Tractor Parts | FP Smith Parts & Equipment

Large physical inventory of OEM surplus, quality used and reconditioned parts and components in stock

79 years of knowledge, experience, and resources to supply the right parts for your machine the first time

He contributed to the local fire and sheriff departments, the Salvation Army, and volunteered as Santa Claus at annual local dinners for 46 years.

FP Smith has been a member of the IDA Independent Distributors Association since the 1980's.

Local sculptor, Phil Glasshoff gifted this pig statue to Pete Smith in 2024 as a tribute to FP Smith's impact on the community

FP Smith Aerial View

Acres of Dismantled Machines & Parts

Click here to find us on Google Maps