Gleaner mystery

Model "L" from 1972 to 1976. See thru grain tank extension. Model "L-2" from 1977 thru 1982. 1977 models also having the see thru grain tank extension. 1978 and up the grain tank was galvanzied all the way to the top of the cab roof.   Model "L-3" from 1983 til the end 1987 ????  The 2 and 3 series began at certain serial numbers. Over the years there were drives changed and beefed up. The only really obvious drive I can remember is the optional belt driven thresher beater on the left side of the throat. I doubt that was even available on the 72-73 models. The straw chopper drives were different as time went on. It may have had a newer chopper/chopper drive on an older machine which could have caused some parts issues maybe ??

I will have to ask dad for more details. I remember it was a diesel but not a hydro. We had a 6r30 corn head on it and also a pickup head for it. I can remember driving it while dad would check for losses but was only 10 when he traded it for a new N5 for the 84 harvest. I also remember finally peeling the tape off the sticker on the old combine when they came to pick it up but have no recollection of what was under it.

ACguyWill, do you remember which of the following striped decal combinations were on this Gleaner??
“Orange/black”
“DeutzGreen/black”

When you said the letter decal was orange and black the first thing I thought of was the N5, but I doubt that's it. I don't know my Gleaners nearly as well as others, but if the 'curved arm' you mention supporting the steering wheel curved from the right over to the centre, I think that would have to make it an early L or an early M. Was it something like this picture?

Edited by DanielW - 17 Jan 2025 at 12:29pm

AChuyWill, did your Gleaner M have factory installed air conditioning? If so, was its outdoors condenser housing either of the following?
-Painted gray smooth slender rectangular unit mounted on the left side of grain tank just above unloading auger?(1973).
-painted cream color trapezoidal/rectangular shape housing mounted back on engine’s housing left side just above engine ladder?(1974-1975)

Maybe Someone turned the L into a C or a G or U

A model "M" did NOT ever have a larger grain tank than a model "L" if they are the same model year and equipped the same with the standard bin or the optional bin. I only remember 1978 and newer...M2-M3 180 bushels.....L2-L3 200 bushels. The model "L" is approx 50 inches wide at the rear tail and the model "M" is approx 40 inches wide. And an N5-series would have been lower than an L-series with the optional large tires.

Edited by DrAllis - 18 Jan 2025 at 10:55am

If the N-5 was lower than the "mystery" combine, it was an L-series.  23.1 x 34 drive tires on an L-series is tall compared to an N-series at cab roof height. The "M" series only had a 30 inch tire and was noticeably lower than the model L.

Is it likely that 120bu was the bin capacity of an L without the extensions? Were there different versions of the L or just different years with changes made along the way? I tried looking on the agco parts book website but could not find any Gleaners older than an R65 on it. I wonder if they had specific custom cutter models or corn or wheat models back then? I was hoping to find decals that would help me figure this out beyond the fact that this was an L of some variation. Spent some time looking through dad's old financials from back then but had no luck as everything from 77 to 90 were destroyed to make room at some point in time. Was interesting to look back and see how things have changed on our farm... for better or worse.

Forwarding photos for Dr. Allis