My newest acquisition and my oldest piece of equipment

[Roundhouse]

There has been a noticeable lack of live auctions around here this summer, for obvious reasons. I did head to one two hours away on Thursday that featured a neat collection of old equipment and old trucks. I managed to keep my number in the pocket until they got to the one item had an immediate practical need for. I hadn't known much about the old "backwards" tractor loaders until I read about some examples in use by members here. In the last year or two I've kept a casual lookout for any available models. I have an old skid steer I use at the mill but it's slooow and showing its age. I've been mentally budgeting for a skid steer upgrade. Reviewing this auction bill a couple weeks back the reverse Allis jumped out at me and peaked my curiousity. It may sell for about a tenth of what I was had in mind for a newer better skid steer.





Going by the serial number this is a 1938 Allis-Chalmers WC (reverse). It's at least 4 decades older than my next oldest machine but all in working order. I figure for the money it's worth taking a chance on even if I can get a few years of service out of it (probably a week or so of work per year). A tractor this old is pretty simple and a quick search reveals plenty of parts vendors serving the restoration/collector audience. This will be my dedicated machine around my small mill yard for keeping the log deck loaded. My only apprehension in bidding was the consideration that the tractor is an inch wider than the deck on my trailer. Before loading I removed the snow wings from the bucket and stashed them in the box of the truck. The tractor fit on the trailer, barely, with the tires smooshed between the fenders, but it did fit. Here it, loaded and chained, about to depart for a new home.





The long tines on the bucket look like they'll work for picking up most of the logs I handle once I add couple safety bars to the sides of the bucket. I'll also keep a lookout for a set of forks but I suspect that's a rare find for something of this age. If need be I'll probably fabricate some.

I still enjoy and read the forum regularly but haven't been able to recap the work done at my mill, one of these days I will. For now I wanted to share the excitement of a new-to-me machine to help out around the mill. I'm looking forward to trying it out once I do a basic tune-up and transport it to the UP.

[Southside]

Congrats on the find, but now I think you need a bigger trailer!!   ;D

[moodnacreek]

A man after my own heart. I had almost the same rig and short trailer. Still got almost the same truck.  If I come up behind you I will stay way back!

[samandothers]

Neat old find!  Looks like it will be a handy device around the mill.

[DocGP]

Neat!!  The show wings should work great for chips and saw dust.

Doc

[sealark37]

A few years back, (1962), I won a country fair tractor pull with one of those fitted with a lift mast.  

[thecfarm]

Interesting set up there.

[farmfromkansas]

When I was young, my dad had a WC Allis, and it did not have a starter.  We parked it at the top of the hill, where we could roll start it. It was geared low, and I could pull a 4 section harrow in road gear. Think it would pull a 2-14" plow, pulling it very slow.  You could walk faster.

[trapper]

Hat 2wc on the farm when I was a kid.  Had to lift up on the crank because I was not heavy enough to push down on it.  Couldnt  wrap yourr thumb around the crank for fear of getting it broken.

[Roundhouse]

It's been over a year but I thought I'd post an update with a recent related find.

The old WC has been a handy machine around the mill and the property, not without it's limitations but you can't beat the value for the price. I added a drawbar to the nose/rear allowing me to bring along a trailer or my running gear to move logs. 








The loader is also handy for moving logs and sawdust. Not a huge capacity, I have another machine for heavy lifting now, but handy and easy to use.




Dating from a time when loaders were much less common and skid steers weren't around yet these conversions dated back to the 1950s although I don't know when mine was set up as a loader. As it sits today my WC is pretty much stock back to the conversion right down to the 6 volt electrical system, trip bucket, etc. It's working for me so I don't have any plans to swap anything out at this time.

This brings me to the second part of my thread revival. Since buying a backwards WC I've been keeping an eye out for them online and in person. I haven't found many and almost none still in use. In my travels across Northern Wisconsin I've had a loader catch my eye a few times and I started looking for it each time I pass through the area. This month I was on the lookout again when there it was parked right next to the highway. I couldn't resist getting out for a quick look (my family was not as excited as I was). I knew it had seen changes but I couldn't tell how many until I looked it over. This thing is quite the project! It looks like original parts include the frame, steering box and front (rear) wheels, drive axle and wheels. Just about everything else is a substitution/build; radiator (IH?), engine, transmission, hood, fuel tank, hydraulic tank and pump, cab, seat, loader mounts, loader arms, tilt cylinders, forks, weight box. Quite the contrast with my tractor despite the common starting point.












It's been repowered but I don't recognize what type of four cylinder this is. Anyone recognize this one?




The cab and tilt cylinders are probably the biggest advances in my book. It was parked with the door open allowing for a glimpse inside the cab. It appears the brake is in the same place as on mine although what appears to be sticks for loader controls are part of the customization.




An interesting look at stock vs. modified.