(Continued from Page 14)
starting and warming purposes,
plus cheaper kerosene for running
the machine.
New generations of tractors
were coming off production lines
almost as fast as individual firms
were entering and leaving the
industry. The Model 6-12 in
troduced in 1919 offered ar
ticulated steering and a bumpy
ride for the driver who sat above
the two-bottom plow.
Powered by the popular 4
cylinder Le Roi engine, the 6-12
was quickly joined by the 15-30,
later re-rated to 18-30.
Re-rating horsepower based
upon University of Nebraska tests
was a fact of life among early
tractor models. Some manufac
turers consistently overrated their
tractors. But Alhs-Chalmers
adhered to a strict policy of un
derrating its machines, preferring
to allow lots of reserve behind the
guaranteed power rating.
But the winds of change blowing
in the industry called for slimming
down tractors while boosting the
power they offered farmers
looking to get more work done with
less labor and fuel.
in 1927, Harry C. Merritt,
manager of the tractor depart
ment, and his crew stripped the old
20-35 down to its essentials. This
snappy looking tractor could do
more than its predecessor, yet it
was nearly a half ton lighter and
sold for a modest $1,295.
Easier to handle and more
comfortable to operate, the
revamped 20-35 offered a motor
that was fully sealed against dirt
and grit with oil and gas filters as
standard equipment. This model
was also the last to bear green
paint, because high quality and
economical price were not enough
to sell tractors. Merritt felt a way
B.H.M. FARM EQUIPMENT, INC.
Factory-
Trained
MECHANICS
Partners
was needed for farmers to identify
A-C equipment from the com
petition’s at a distance.
On a trip to California in 1929, he
saw acres of blaze orange wild
poppies whose brilliant color was
visible for miles. Merritt brought
back some of those poppies to
Milwaukee and the A-C “Persian
Orange” was born.
The purchase of the Advance
Rumely Thresher Company and its
United tractor line in 1932 paled in
importance alongside Alhs-
Chalmers introduction of low
pressure rubber air tires on the
Model U tractor. First public
demonstration of the air-tired
tractor took place near Dodge City,
Kansas, on Labor Day, 1932. This
rubber-tired Model U had three
plowing speeds: 2Vs, 3V 3 and 5
mph, but could motor down the
highway at 15 mph.
The high performance
capabilities of the rubber tired A-C
tractors got a real boost when the
firm hired professional drivers to
race the machines. On June 18,
1933, a local driver named Frank
Bnsko wheeled a Model U tractor
(specially equipped with high
speed gears) around the West Allis
State Fair track at the unheard of
speed of 35.4 mph.
Throughout the summer similar
races were advertised as at
tractions at many state fairs. The
crowning demonstration came on
September 17,1933 when renowned
auto racer Barney Oldfield drove
an air-tired Model U around a
Dallas, Texas, measured mile
course at a blazing 64.28 mph. The
first man to ever drive an auto
more than 60 mph had pulled the
same feat on an Allis-Chalmers
tractor.
The Model WC was the first
tractor to offer rubber tires as
standard equipment. This tractor
R.D. #1 - Box 611
Weekdays 7:30 A.M. -5:00 P.M.
Henry Myer and Warren Bar
nhart, owners of B.H.M. Farm
Equipment, Inc, of Annville, were
both farmers before they started
their farm equipment business in
1967
Barnhart said he farmed with
Allis Chalmers equipment when he
was a farmer and chose to sell the
Allis Chalmers line when he
started in the farm equipment
business.
mechanized the American farm
and was considered to be in the
same mold as the Model T Ford
car.
By 1935 the rubber tires had
caught on with farmers. While the
Model A was introduced in 1936 for
“wheatland” farmers, the Model B
ol 1937 was a one-row tractor that
replaced the mule and horse on
small farms. For $495, a farmer
had all the power needed to work
his ground.
The 1940 s saw Allis-Chalmers
continue to introduce new features
that helped farmers be more
productive. WD, CA and WD-45
models sported the first power
shifted rear wheels (an A-C in
vention), a two clutch power
control that allowed the tractor to
stop and the PTO to run con
tmously, plus a Traction Booster
system (hydraulic draft control)
that could transfer weight
automatically to the rear wheels.
At the end of the 1950 s the D
Senes, starting with the Dl4 and
Dl7, offered more forward speeds
along with the Power Director
transmission, which permitted
high and low shifting on-the-go.
The Dl9 was the first turbocharged
diesel put on the market, and the
Annville, Pa. 17003
started with AC
Saturdays 7:30 A.M. -12 P.M.
-H-Jl
xu
3 rrzW§m
AC Supplement to Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 24,1984-
1 tanned with AC and that's
why it was in me,' he explained.
Serving Lebanon, Schuylkill, and
Dauphin counties and parts of
Lancaster county, B.H.M. has
grown since its beginnings 17 years
ago
The building was expanded
twice, once shortly after Myer and
Barnhart started the business and
once again in 1980. Each extension
;;; e nc..rnH " <n fi'dt hy 60 fCCt.
D2l which appeared in 1963 was A
C’s first over 100 hp tractor.
1964 marked the introduction of
the revolutionary 190 and 190 XT
models, which were followed by
the 170 and 180. Advanced styling,
excellent platform and control,
along with fine field performance
distinguished these tractors.
The big news of the Seventies
was the new family 7030 and 7050
models followed quickly by the
first tractor over 180 hp the 7080.
Soon there were five models from
106 to 181 hp in the lineup. The
faithful 175 and 185 models stepped
aside to make room for the 6060
and 6080 that added front-wheel
drive to these leaders of their
horsepower classes.
Perhaps the biggest break
throughs in tractor engineering
were saved for the 1980 s with the
development of the 8000 Series,
including the 4W-305 and 4W-220
models.
This senes offers the ultimate in
performance, economy, ease of
servicing and comfort for the
operator. The Power Shift tran
smission provides the ability to
change speeds under full power
while keeping the engine running
at rated RPM for most efficiency.
717/867-2211
Well-Stocked
PARTS
DEPT.
WzTWf
Working with a total of five
employees, B.H.M. offers lawn and
garden supplies, farm equipment,
parts and service.
employees are Ellis
Myers, parts; Eric Blauch, service
manager; Calvin Hostetter,
mechanic; Henry Myers, books;
and Warren Barnhart, sales.
B.H.M. celebrated their open
house on Feb. 24 this year.
Front-wheel drive 8000 Senes
models provide the shortest tur
ning radius in the industry at less
than 14 feet. FWD and radial tires
hold down slippage and let you get
the best performance from your
tractor.
A-C’s down-to-earth servicing
features for the Eighties provide
ground level refueling and
changing of oil, fuel and air filters.
The hood comes off with two lat
ches, and the self-cleaning cab air
filters are located outside the cab.
Among the quietest cabs in the
industry, the new Allis-Chalmers
tractor cabs have two doors for
entry and exit. The throttle is on
the console, and the steps are
enclosed for added safety. High
visibility from the large glass area
lets you see what’s going on all
around you.
While there is great pride in
being able to look back over
seventy years of engineering
accomplishment, the goal of Allis-
Chalmers will always be to serve
the needs of the world’s finest
farmers our Partners in
Productivity.
ALLIS-CHALMERS
8030-132 PTO H.P.
217