The other 10 %

In Feb. 2012 I posted that I was 90 % sure I would own this combine. Over the next 2 ½ years I overcame many obstacles. I am unsure of the time or money I spent on this and it doesn’t matter. In that time I have become friends with the owner’s family, friends and neighbors. Several of them have checked up on me and have convinced the owner that I am an honest person. When the money changed hands today the deal was made with a handshake. This ends a 15 year quest to find and buy a 5297 Moline Combine. Now the work begins. Trees will need to be removed, tires aired up and ????????
There is another 5297 in another location that you cannot see. Getting it out will be a SOB. It has set for a long time. A tree between the header and front right drive tire almost touches the header and tire. 80% of the tree hangs over the combine. All four tires are flat. The biggest problem is the land has washed away and a crossing will have to be built. It will then need to be pulled 3/8 of a mile through a hairpin curve to get it on the road to load it. Like my father, I am German stubborn and will figure it out. I have not made the deal on it yet.
Shout out to Erik-Kansas Farmer for finding this for me. I owe him.
Through all of this my adopted daughter Cynthia has stood beside me, always positive and pressing me on. When I called and told her I bought the combine today she said; don’t you mean - you bought “ME” a combine today. It is hers.
I took these pictures today, she is still a good looking machine to me.
If you think I ain’t proud of this, set down and I’ll tell you all about it.
It has been a long day, I am tired and beat. I am going to my beloved deck and have an “adult beverage”, maybe even two.
a163957.jpg

a163958.jpg
 
Roger,

I am sure you will find a way to get the machines out SOB or not. I"m glad you finally got the machine bought. I may have a lead on the header for that machine. I have neighbor with a White that looks real similar and the head looks to be the same color. The head is not in the best of shape but it might just work.

Masseypride
 
Not a bad looking machine. What head is on it now, Oliver? Are they a 52" machine as the number would suggest? Perkins diesel? Don't think I've seen one here in E SD. What year is the machine?
 
(quoted from post at 06:02:40 07/27/14) Not a bad looking machine. What head is on it now, Oliver? Are they a 52" machine as the number would suggest? Perkins diesel? Don't think I've seen one here in E SD. What year is the machine?

Congrats on finally closing the deal, Roger.

casecollectorsc - Yes they're a 52" machine, only motor available was a Chrysler 318 V8 gas which was a bit underpowered especially when unloading on the go.

We had the successor model, a Cockshutt 7800 for over 20 years. It had the big block Chrysler 400 V8 that never lacked power and had a terrific rap sound from it's two unmuffled straight pipe exhausts.

I think the 5297 and it's brother models Cockshutt 555 and Oliver 5555 were made from 1969 until 1971.
 
52 refers to the width of the cyld. 97 refers to the length of the straw walkers. I am unsure of the engine 318 or 360, year or how much fuel it will burn. What I do know is - it is a Minneapolis Moline 5297. Maybe these are easier to find than I think but these are the only two I have found. The head is the wrong color but last I heard Dupont was still making paint.
I have something going on every weekend for a long time. Not sure when I will get started moving it home. I think I have a truck & trailer lined up. Chainsaws and loader tractors, help and money eeeehhhhh ????
 
Congratulations on finally making the deal, and not giving up on it. I remember reading your original posts from when you first found it and had wondered how it would all turn out. Good luck on getting it home, and keep us posted.
 
I like silver combines myself but am very glad to see these old gals saved and restored no matter what color they are!! Ryan
 
Congratulations!

Nice to see others that are passionate about older, odd farm equipment. Was that the last model that they made? It looks like it can hold quite a few bushels in the grain bin.

Best of luck getting her home! Hope you have fun fixing her up!
 
tell us about the gran feeder houses on those case combines that is a surprise I heard once that very early 6600 combines had case eagles on the final drives because deere bought the design from case it makes some sense because a 6600 is vastly different from a 105 except for the color
 
Congrats on the purchase! I was wondering just the other day if anything was achieved with this deal.

How many were built? Cant be too many.

Jim
 
(quoted from post at 19:23:19 07/27/14) Congratulations!

Nice to see others that are passionate about older, odd farm equipment. Was that the last model that they made? It looks like it can hold quite a few bushels in the grain bin.

Best of luck getting her home! Hope you have fun fixing her up!

The 5297 was the last model badged Minneapolis Moline, the Oliver version was the 5555 while the Cockshutt version was the 555. The successor model was the 7800 which was sold in Cockshutt (red) and Oliver (green) versions. Interestingly the Oliver 7800 catalogue shows a red Oliver was available. Not sure the reasoning behind that. Later models of these machines were the White 8800, 8900 and lastly the 8920. All were 52 inch machines.

I don't know the production numbers for these machines.
 
We had one of the last MM 5297 on the farm in the late 70"s. Had the 318 Chrysler industrial engine. It was a very loud machine, so buy some ear plugs. Ours was plagued with hydrostatic problems. It finally met its demise after blowing the main hydraulic line and spraying hot oil on the engine. Exhaust manifold lite it off and it went up in flames and burnt 5 acres of oats with it. We replaced it with a White 8600 with a Perkins diesel. Much better machine. Don"t let our past misfortune discourage you. Good luck with your project.
 
The feeder houses are from 105 JD combines. I adapt them to fit the JI Case 1660s. Allows me to use JD corn and bean heads. Probably an old wives tale on the Case trade mark as the finals are made by Rockwell I think.
a164168.jpg
 
Completely untrue. JD designed the New Generation combines from the ground up themselves. They first tested the NG internal design in 55s and 95s. After they were successful JD then hand built the prototypes that would be the eventual 00 series.

And it does not make sense for a JD who was a major player and sales leader in the combine market to buy a design from Case who was a minor player and would quit production of combines completely in the early 70s. Sorry for the rant but this comes up a few times year and why I don't know.
 
The one I heard was that there was a plate on the early xx00 combines on the feederhouse that said something was made under JI Case patents, not that there were Case casting marks. I've never seen one of these alleged plates and nobody can say what on that machine may have been patented by Case that Deere needed to use.
 
Congratulations Roger...I'm happy to see you get it..I wonder if it was sold new at Shucks in Lawrence,KS...The MM dealer at Hammond,KS once had a 5297 MM on their farm and it burnt up..

Maybe you will have it at the Winfield show in 2015...If you need parts that 5555 Oliver I told you about is still there..
 
Roger,these may be the only two MM 5297's left...I've tried to find you one for years and have had absolutely no luck....I'm guessing that only 150-200 were built..

1968 #10107
1969 #10222
1970 #25201

I think that they had a Chrysler 400 V-8 rated at 150 HP at 2800 rpms.....
 
Roger: Glad you got the combine bought finally. Two reasons, one that you saved another combine from the junkies and two, when someone sees me haul in another item I can say "you think this is bad, go over to Winfield and see what Roger just hauled in" :)


On the loading and hauling job just remember what Harold Ottaway always said "The travails of hauling are soon forgotten"
 
I've been around early and late 00 series and have yet to see a plate like that. I put this whole thing into the same category as Bigfoot and the Lochness monster. Until someone captures the beast, its still a myth.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top