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EPALLIS 
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Illinois
Points: 1131
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 Topic: December 6,1985
Posted: 06 Dec 2023 at 8:50pm |
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I hope everyone remembered to pay there respects to the last A-C tractor off the line today in West Allis. It's a fatefuil day, however it's an important one to remember in our history. The year was 1985. An Allis-Chalmers tractor never dies, it just loses compression.
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KJCHRIS
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Joined: 21 Dec 2015
Location: WC Iowa
Points: 900
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Posted: 06 Dec 2023 at 9:21pm |
Thanks for the reminder. Also 90 years ago yesterday Prohibition ended in the USA. Dec 5, 1933.
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AC 200, CAH, AC185D bareback, AC 180D bareback, D17 III, WF. D17 Blackbar grill, NF. D15 SFW. Case 1175 CAH, Bobcat 543B,
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EPALLIS
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Illinois
Points: 1131
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Posted: 06 Dec 2023 at 9:26pm |
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Ted J
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Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: La Crosse, WI
Points: 18821
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Posted: 06 Dec 2023 at 10:21pm |
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Today is the 38th anniversary of the day the last Allis-Chalmers (an 8070) rolled off the assembly at the West Allis Works in Wisconsin. This was the final chapter of making tractors in Milwaukee and hailed the end of the Allis-Chalmers tractor line.
The last tractor owner was Don Fanetti of Menomonie Wis. at Rusk Prairie Farms. His company did the trucking for Allis-Chalmers.
His collection included the last 6070 and a "8095" experimental which there were only 4 made.
His wife Marilyn told me back in 2011 that her late husbands collection will live on.
Last I knew the collection was in a climate controlled storage.
If I remember the story correctly, he was the trucker that was supposed to take the last two tractors to a ship yard for transport over seas to Saudi. He knew the dealer where they were and through some kind of a deal, the one didn't make it over seas. He took it home. Yes, he did pass away, but I don't remember just when, it was in early 2009. They had a LOT of his tractors in the funeral procession. His widow is going to take good care of his tractors. I would imagine that she will probably open a museum sometime in the future. Sure would be nice to show them off! And yes, it is just outside Menomonie, WI.
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"Allis-Express"
19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17
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jdeere562
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Joined: 02 Oct 2023
Location: SW Iowa
Points: 31
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Posted: 06 Dec 2023 at 11:04pm |
I worked at an AC Dealership as a mechanic from 1975 until 1991. They finally closed shop in 1991. Nobody wanted to buy those Deutz tractors, and I did not want to repair them.
AC service manuals were great. Deutz had few written words and a bunch of symbols I did not understand. Add to that, air cooled engines and cab heaters that ran off diesel fuel. Service manuals were like cars today. Just a stupid symbol that you need to look up in the owners manual to see what they mean.
Deere Dealer called me when AC was shutting down. I was there 12 years as Service Manager.
In 2003, I finally got smart and left the AG business completely. 9-5 job 5 days per week as technical support for a company that built machines for the gaming industry. No more working Sat or Sun. Retired from there 2021.
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Lon(MN)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Elk River,MN
Points: 1968
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Posted: 07 Dec 2023 at 5:08am |
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I was able to see that collection in 2013. At that time the 6070 had 28 hours on it. The collection has been sold since then. I have a B from that sale.
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http://lonsallischalmers.com
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I M Fedup
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Joined: 01 Jul 2020
Location: Winchester Ky
Points: 28
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Posted: 07 Dec 2023 at 8:20am |
It's interesting that we share similar experience backgrounds. I was a mechanic with a strong AC dealership from 1977 to 1992. I got to know the 7000 and 8000 series tractors pretty well.
The dealership survived the closure,and is still doing well I guess. They handle Massey and Mahindra now.
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DougG
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Location: Mo
Points: 8106
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Posted: 07 Dec 2023 at 6:07pm |
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Ok what about the storied AC tractor Deutz found in storage; memory is fuzzy on that one ; didnt it sell not to long ago -online- for around 50,000 ?
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Unit3
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Joined: 17 Oct 2009
Location: NC Iowa
Points: 5532
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Posted: 09 Dec 2023 at 9:45pm |
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Tell that story to me if you would. I don’t know it.
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2-8070FWA PS/8050PS/7080/7045PS/200/D15-II/2-WD45/WD/3-WC/UC/C
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AC WD45
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Joined: 28 Sep 2009
Location: Mid Michigan
Points: 2013
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Posted: 10 Dec 2023 at 5:49pm |
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Doug, Are you talking about the ultra low hour 7000 series that was at the dealership in Saint Johns Michigan? I believe that Machine had less than 50 hours on the clock and still had the seat plastic and floor protectors. I think that one went to a museum.
Edited by AC WD45 - 10 Dec 2023 at 5:49pm
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German Shepherd dad
1957 Allis Chalmers WD45
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1951 Allis Chalmers WD
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