Yeah, it's interesting to see what companies did, and did not do.
A really good illustration of just one facet of it came to me in form of an engine for a Dixon 308 ZTR I owned many years ago. The original engine was an 8hp, and it expired with a bang one day, yielding a picture window in the block.
I looked up the parts lists for the various models, and like any manufacturer, they had a basic chassis, which was fitted with different engines and different decks... and initially they were all mechanical (cone-clutch) drivelines, at some point Dixon introduced a hydrostatic drive module that'd fit the same form-factor chassis, so they offered it in clutch, hydrostat, several deck sizes, and according to the deck and drive, engine size.
They would fit the 8hp to 30" deck with mechanical drive If you chose a 36" deck, you got a 10hp, or a 42" deck 12hp If you chose a hydrostatic drive, the 30" got a 10hp, and the 36" deck got 12hp... So basically, it was sized on the deck, and any hydro was 2hp more, right?
My 8hp's spec number was SUPPOSED to be stamped in a particular spot, that as a result of the aforementioned appearance of air-cooled crankcase, the serial and spec numbers had exited my property at a velocity just shy of Mach 1...
So I called Dixon to figure out which spec I'd need for a replacement.
The salesman (IIRC, his name was Norm?) looked it up and told me, and said "Hey- do you need an engine?" I said Of Course! I asked him how much, he threw me a price that was WELL UNDER what I'd expected to pay... so I jumped on it.
Two days later, there's a box on my doorstep, with a 17hp Intek in it.
I called him back, said there's been some mistake, he sent me a 17hp instead of an 8.
he said "Put it on, and use it".
Well gee... will it fit?
"Yep, bolts on perfect, same bolt pattern, same shaft, and I threw in a pair of fuel tank brackets to fit yours on it. You'll love it- it's dead quiet, smooth, and more power than you'll ever need, so it'll last forever"
So I asked why they sent a 17hp instead of an 8.
He explained that they don't BUY 8's anymore. They don't by 10s, 12's, 14's, or 16's. Why?
Because if they buy all those different sizes, they have to stock, and organize, and keep track of four different engines, and then figure out which ones go to which assemblies, and all the drawings for each of the build sheets has to be updated to fit all those combinations...
But if they just buy 4x as many 17's, they NEVER have to worry about having sufficient power, they don't have to maintain 20 different combinations of deck and drive sizes, wiring diagrams, parts lists, etc...
And the cost-out-the-door is lower on ALL machines, because the manufacturing support overhead has been slashed to next-to-nothing.
And... when they order just that one engine size, they get a much better deal, because they're buying 40,000 17hp engines, rather than 10000 8's, 10000 10's, etc.
Another example was the transmission in my '72 Jeep Commando. It was a Turbo Hydramatic 400, and it was unordinary because it was neither a Buick-Olds-Pontiac, or Chevy bellhousing bolt pattern, it was a Caddillac/Bentley/Rolls-Royce bolt pattern... and it had an adapter ring to fit the CBRR pattern to it's AMC 304 V8. Yes, this was totally normal.
Why?
Because of production volume economics. The largest volume of TH400 cases, was the B-O-P case with conventional long tailshaft housing... it was available in every full-size GM sedan and station wagon from inception through what... 1979 or so. Next most common was the Chevy pattern, it was most volumetric in the shorter tailshaft/transfer case variety because it was used in cars AND light trucks, both 2wd and 4wd, but the Hydramatic division made less of those, because it was JUST Chevy/GMC.
When it came to bolt patterns, Caddillac, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce used the same pattern, and had the Hydramatic Division make them a case specifically intended for use in their heavy sedans and limousines. They used a long tailshaft assembly... BUT... For 'specialty' customers, they wanted to be able to adapt a transfer case, so that armored limos could have a driven front axle TOO... and there's LOTS of big old Cad/Bentley/RR limos that have a Dana 60 front axle tucked under there with run-flat tires carrying a body filled with bullet-absorptive armor.
So why the Jeep? Easy- The Cad/Bent/RR transfer case was the LOWEST production volume of T-case housing. By selling them, with T-case shafting and an adapter ring kit, they could INCREASE the production volume of a low-production part, and bring the cost DOWN, while serving multiple market demands, hence, it's simpler, and more profitable, while bringing that value to the customer's end product.
Sometimes, the dollar cost isn't where you THINK it is... but at the end of the day, when there's a guy signing a deal, the dollars are there.
Back on the WD35...
Think of what it'd be, if they made a WD35 with 4wd, a flat floor, full live hydraulics, fully live PTO, power steering, a combination 3point and snap hitch, 12v lighting all around... and a heated cab option?
If they split off and made the WD35 engine AND the WD45 engine, it would have made BOTH engines end production costs more. They'd be better off doing what Dixon did...
Making the engine good for 55hp, labelling it as a 45hp in the WD45, and labeling it as 35 in the WD35... and laughing when it stomped-daisys all over the competetor's 35hp tractor.
My Grandfather was really tight with his money... he didn't pay for stuff he didn't think made a difference in his dollar, which is probably why he stuck to Allis. He decided it was time to relegate the 1-ton 4x4 to farm-only operation, and get a smaller 2wd pickup for errand running. He wanted a diesel stick-shift, so he bought a Ram D50 (a Mitsubishi) turbodiesel. He didn't want to pay for the 'optional' 5-speed (I don't think he ever saw a speedometer reach 55mph in his lifetime)... so he harangued the dealership until they agreed to sell him a 4-speed. They 'ordered' it, and a few days later, he went to pick it up, sure enough, the stick showed 4-speed.
I was 18 when we were coming back from (what turned out to be my last trip with him to) the sale barn. He'd had this truck for 5 years or so by then, and asked ME if I wanted to drive.
Sure! I hopped in, started it up, and he reminded me that 'It's a diesel'... "Okay Grandpa"...
As we were goin' up the valley blacktop, he said "She's a diesel, giver some, feel the power"... so I did... just a little. "Hear the turbo?) "Yeah, I do"... (The boost gauge made it to about 5psi). We got to a straight stretch and he asked me how it felt, I said "I dunno... there's something not quite right here"...
He said "What?"
"I dunno, hangon"...
I pushed in the clutch, blipped the throttle a little, watched the boost gauge, and said "Hmm..."...
I pulled it back one gear, eased it out, and brought up the throttle, and the boost gauge came back up to about 10, then I rolled on more throttle, boost came up to gauge upper normal, and I chopped the throttle, and the wastegate let out a little hiss...
He said "What was THAT?"
I pushed the clutch back in, backed up another gear blipped the throttle, eased it out, then mashed it to the floor, boost went to limit and she took off like it's ass was on fire. His eyes turned into saucers as I went past 3rd, then shifted into 4th with that little diesel running 4200rpm, he thought it was 'running away'...
I said "I figured out what's wrong, Grandpa" (Whilst he was conteplating a new pair of underwear), I pushed in the clutch, dropped the throttle and said "Watch This!!"
I slid the shifter over to the far right, past the pattern indication, and down,
Into 5th gear.
Let out the clutch, RPMS down at 2100rpm, and we're going 70mph.
Two hours later, we're sitting on the porch, drinking lemonade, and he said:
"Those Sons-of-Bitshes tricked me... they just switched the shifter knob, and lowered the price to sell me a truck they already had"
"Yeah, Grandpa, and YOU got the better deal..."
See, it would've cost Mitsu/Dodge AND the dealer MORE MONEY to ship out a pickup with a 4 speed, than just change the damned knob (and not tell him that it's a 5-speed).
He also didn't realize that, if he REALLY wanted to enjoy the diesel, he should give it some boost, and SPIN it... after all, the 4D55T was 2.3L that's easily 80hp, and it was MOST fuel efficient when it wasn't lugged down below boost range...
------------- Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
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