GrandPa's MM G-144 combine

Tony in SD

Well-known Member
Started on a long over due project today with my brother. Restoring GrandPa's 1956 Minneapolis Moline G-144 combine. It's based on the popular G-4 xombine but fancier. Unloading auger, gas tank waist high instead of above the motor, chain drive cylinder, dual straw spreaders bigger motor and a few other improvements that don't come to mine. I'm just a tad older than the combine. GrandPa bought it new. Brought it home (my brothers place now). GrandPa retired, sold it to my uncle. Uncle took it to his place (mine now). Uncle passed away prematurely. Dad bought it back from my aunt. So it's back home again. I bought it from my brother. So now it's back on my place (former uncles place). Point being that its entire 60 year life it has been on our two farms.
 
Tony, your post brought back memories for me too. We had a G4 for a number of years and then traded up to the G144. Like you say it had all those extras but the one I remember the most was the starter for the engine instead of having to crank the G4. Also our old G4 had steel wheels and the G144 had rubber tires on spoke rims!
I remember the day it arrived being a young guy probably 8 or 10 I rode my bike 4 miles to the farm just to be there and see and hear it run. As I grew older I ran that combine adding a hydraulic cylinder to raise and lower the header so I could do it on my own. In the evening the manifold would glow a nice cherry red when she was putting through a good 12 foot swath of wheat.
I also remember trying out an MM G12 pto model. It was a 48 inch cylinder I believe but only 12 to 16 inches in diameter so it was not as good as the G144.
Later I replaced the G144 with a self propelled 1060 case but both are long gone.
Great memories you are fortunate to have your grandfather's combine. Thanks for the post, keep it and enjoy the history attached.
 
Some before pictures. Took the tires off so I can move it around. Amazingly the right hand tire was still good and holding air after 60 years
 
I know a family that restored their G-4 Combine, they pull it in parades with it running empty, about 1//4 throttle. it's pretty quiet, they pull it in parades with a U tractor.
 

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