I recently came across a story on the internet about the Loretta/Mooney Lynn Farm's 4WD Allis model 8550 going under water. That wasn't the end of the story of the biggest 4WD Allis-Chalmers unit over there. One actually went to the National Farm Machinery Show's tractor pull and entered in a new 4WD class. For those interested, here's that story.
One January day in 1979, a call came into the dealership from Dave Arps, dealer development manager with the Allis-Chalmers Memphis branch. He stated that Mr. Cornwell, the branch manager, told him to tell me to get the AC 8550 from the Loretta Lynn Farm, get a set of rules, and prepare it to pull in the new 4WD class at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville. I said, “Do what?”
Well, we did. But, we also contacted Mac Baggett who we had sold an 8550 to and got his permission to take it to Louisville as well. My brother, Tony, drove the LL unit from the ranch to our shop in Paris. Parts manager and cousin Larry drove them over and flagged the bridge at New Johnsonville. When they were coming back, Larry had traffic backed up and stopped waiting for the 4WD to come over the bridge. Suddenly from the line of traffic, a black Lincoln land barge pulled out of line and started up the bridge. Larry waved urgently at the lady driver but she just slowed, lowered the window and told him she was late for her hair appointment and passed him by. She headed up the apex of the 2-lane bridge. A few seconds later she saw the huge 8550 appear and was coming at her at full throttle.
The brakes screeched. Larry tells the backup lights came on and she set a speed record of backing up off a quarter mile long bridge. Brother never let off the throttle — he was a tad perturbed. Larry said when the ashen-faced lady passed him her eyes were about to pop out. He figured she needed more repair to her undies than her hairdo.
Anyway, we got the unit in the shop, rigged 2 over the cab top exhaust tubes that went to the smoke collector, dumped the fluid, got as much weight off the rear and onto the front as the limit allowed, and went to work on horsepower. We were given the phone number for Terry Wood from the engine division, and he walked us through moving the fuel stop on top of the P pump. Our dyno was the old larger M&W and it would not even phase the engine. In fact, two techs had to ride the wheel of the dyno as it was trying to spin over. We had the rpm increased a tad but that didn't really matter as it lugged down to the governor setting quickly. During the dyno run the engine went to missing, black smoke was blowing and I was certain we had blown the engine.
Turns out I had neglected to tighten the stop plate bolt and the fuel rack had traveled into cranking or retard mode. Whew. We have no idea how much horsepower it had, but found it was not enough to out power a couple of Versatiles with the 903 cubic inch engines that had been pulling for a while. 8550s had 731 cubes. There was another 8550 beside our 2 that had pressed steel duals, different turbos and a huge rack of weights strung out front that beat us as well. This guy was also a veteran of several pulls. We managed to get 5th place with Loretta and Mooney's 8550 and our other 8550 with only 18.4 inch tires got 7th, I think.
I could have gone at least a gear higher, but we didn't want to chug out. Not too bad for the first time out at a national venue with 8 other — set up for pulling — tractors in the class.
I think Jerry Baird, who helped start the pull at the NFMS and worked for AC, might have had something to do with the promotional effort; trying to get some orange in the pack and on the track.
There never was a second chance to better our efforts as the phone call didn't come again and the class faded. I lost the 5th place plaque, pictures and copy of the $200 check we won, in the fire that destroyed our dealership in 2023.
There is really no lesson to be learned here, just an old war story about either corporate egos or promotion at a venue laden with farmers, tractor owners and prospective customers.
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Told from the perspective of an in-the-trenches owner/operator — Tim Brannon of B&G Equipment, Paris, Tenn. — Equipment Dealer Tips, Tales & Takeaways shares knowledge, experiences and tips/lessons with fellow rural equipment dealerships throughout North America. Covering all aspects required of an equipment dealership general manager, Brannon will inform, entertain and provide a teachable moment for current — and future — leaders within equipment dealerships. |
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