AC dozers and Cummins

Bob Bancroft · Jan 16, 2022

I'm reading a book about Clessie Cummins, written by his son. On page 156 is this interesting paragraph.

Allis-Chalmers in Milwaukee was another candidate on Clessie's list in the spring of 1930 to be either a potential engine customer or purchaser of the company. Allis-Chalmers even shipped a crawler type tractor to Columbus for installation with a 60 bhp model U. The tractor was tested at a local farm on July 25, 1930, where it plowed a field with performance equaling the gasoline engine that had been removed. This was the first operation of a diesel powered crawler tractor in America; Caterpillar's first diesel tractor operation came later that year. Cummins never entered into serious negotiations with Allis-Chalmers.

DrAllis · Jan 16, 2022

In 1934 the models LO and KO appeared in the dealer price book, but didn't get Nebraska Tested until 1937. By 1937 the model SO was added to the line. All of these were spark plug fired diesel fuel injected engines built by A-C. In 1938 and 1939, there were sixteen GM/Detroit 2-cycle powered Allis-Chalmers dozers tested on proving grounds and on actual road construction sites around the country. So, sometime in 1939 the "HD" series was born with Detroit power. Interesting how they tried a 4-cycle Cummins, made their own half-assed low compression engine with a spark plug and then finally decide to purchase 2-cycle Detroit's that lasted from 1939 until about 1955.

This post was edited by DrAllis on 01/16/2022 at 06:01 am.

Bob Bancroft · Jan 16, 2022

So much change was taking place during that time it makes for interesting reading. While other companies had come into success, so
could afford research/development, and tooling, Cummins was still very much struggling. A banker was in charge, and he wouldn't let
it grow. If AC had bought Cummins then, instead of Buda later, who knows what could have happened?

Eagle Beagle · Jan 20, 2022

I know in the mid 70's there were AC dozers powered by the KTA1150 engine. Scrapers in the fiat-allis days had the 903 cummins for power.

Beagle

Bob Bancroft · Jan 20, 2022

The Fiat Allis 31 dozer used a KT1150C. 41B dozer used VT1710C

fastfarmall · Jan 21, 2022

Have you guys viewed the Allis-Chalmers the Big Job on the, you tube, when they built the earth filled dam north of Bismarck N.D.. They used HD 21 i think, they were, they had the GMC 110 Diesel engine anyway!!
When the finished, in the 1950's, [Ike] President Eisenhower came out and christens it broke the bottle of wine or whatever it was!

Bob Bancroft · Jan 21, 2022

Yes sir. HD19 had a 6-71. Replaced by the HD20 with 6-110. Replaced by the HD21 with Buda/AC engine.

AC dozers and Cummins

Bob Bancroft

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DrAllis

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Bob Bancroft

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Eagle Beagle

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Bob Bancroft

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fastfarmall

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Bob Bancroft

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