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05/13/2009: "Golly G!"

In for a penny, in for a pound... I guess once you have one tractor you just can't stop reading tractor forums and classifieds. I was cruising through the classifieds over at SSB Tractors when I came across an ad for a private party in PA selling a Allis-Chalmers Model G in good condition with implements. The Model G, as you can see above, is a very strange beast: it was especially made for cultivating, and thus the tractor was designed with the engine in the rear and the implements right in the operator's field of view in front of his or her feet. This way you get pin-point control of whatever you're doing, since it is right in front of your eyes. No twisting around to see what's going on behind you!

Of course, there are a few trade-offs. One is that there is no rear PTO, so you can't use it with all the usual PTO implements. There is a bar back of the engine, and you can drag things with it, but that's not its forte. No, the Model G is beloved by CSA's and truck farmers through-out the U.S. because it is still very well-designed for cultivation of high-value crops.

The specs of the Model G are quite modest: 62 cubic inch motor has 5.5:1 compression and develops 10 horsepower. It has 3 forward speeds, and one reverse; there is a belt-driven side PTO to drive a mower. It was in production for just 8 years, from 1948 to 1955, with a total production run of 29,976 tractors total. The one I purchased was apparently built in 1949. The price of a Model G in 1955 was was a whopping $970.

Here is how the Model G was transported from Pennsylvania out to Oregon:



Here's something to think about the next time one of these auto carriers passes you on the highway: the driver of this truck picked up the tractor in Amity, Pennsylvania on Thursday morning, May 7th. On Saturday morning May 9th he arrived in Oregon and dropped it off, almost exactly 48 hours later. Mapquest lists the distance and driving time as 2670 miles and 40 hours, respectively. The driver, who was exceptionally courteous and helpful, must not have slept very much I'm guessing!

Here's another view of the beast; note that the only control in front of the operator is the see-through steering wheel. Everything else is either under the seat (gear shift, throttle), behind you (choke, starter pull switch), or under your feet (brakes and clutch). The starting drill is rather comical: you set the throttle midway, put the gear in neutral, then reach back with your hands; one hand pulls the choke, while the other pulls the starter. Once it fires you let go with your hands, and you're ready to roll!



The tractor came with a sickle bar mower attached, and quite a few spare sickles.



Here's a grader. It attaches in front, just like the mower.



Here are some cultivating sweeps.



These are the spring-loaded links of the master tool carrier:



It also came with 3(!) boxes of spare parts, and a goodly amount of miscellanea.



Not shown: a massive iron plow, which like all the other parts attaches mid-body on the tractor. The former owner, Brad, was very kind and sent along a very complete collection of manuals, in all their oil-soaked 1950's glory. Thank goodness, or I would have been quite lost right off the bat. You can look over the operating instructions for a Model G by clicking the link.

So, why this tractor, when I already have Big Blue? Well, a number of reasons. One is that the Model G is uniquely suited to efficient crop cultivation; the Ford 1920 does heavy lifting like trenching and tilling well, but it is not really a cultivating tractor. Secondly, the Model G has probably the best-documented electric tractor conversion instructions on the internet; ideally, I'd like to perform a two-track restoration, where I acquire the capability to bolt on either the gas engine or the electric motor and batteries relatively easily. Finally, old tractors are simple and fun to work on, and the Model G is certainly different. When they're cleaned up and repainted, they turn heads; the auto transport driver said that he was fielding questions every time he pulled off the highway. They're just neat.

Finally, if you have a fast internet connection, and you don't mind downloading a rather large file, you can click on the photo at the top of this posting to open a new window that will show you a movie of the Model G's inaugural trip at the farm. It's not a tractor, it's a time machine!