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Minneapolis Moline Tractors Discussion Forum

Your memories of MM dealers...

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Jim W

02-10-2004 18:58:11

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Let's start a thread here to help we younger generation that may have came into this world after the merger of the White Corp. I, for one, did not arrive until 1976, so my memories of Moline dealers are zero. Give us some features, customs, traditions,display set-ups, parts and sales campaigns, give-a-ways, credit, trade policies, salemanship uniques, marketing "tips" and individual tricks.

For example, Jack Fraley of Rushville,Indiana, had a Massey Ferguson-NI-GMC dealership and had a fireplace with easy chairs in his front showroom where farmers could come in and sit in their work clothes on cold days or whenever. Next to the fireplace sat the literature racks...

Let's hear from the South, North, East, and Western States. Yes, you too, Midwest.
Help me imagine what it would have been like to pull into the driveway of a MM dealer from the 1940s-50s-60s. I step out of my old pickup and I see and hear..... ..

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Paul E. Kroenlein

04-12-2004 10:21:51

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

Humphrey implement co was the dealer in Moweaqua in 1939. Located in an old brick building in middle of town. I traded in a Graham Bradley for a new 1941 U which I used for 14 years. In 1948 the local Chevrolet dealer closed and M. M. moved into large concrete block bldg. It had a showroom in northeast corner of bldg with a large fireplace and chairs to sit by the new tractors. In 1943 our township purchased a new G. T. A. and used it for 20 years on the roads. I now have that tractor, restored and a 1951 UTU. In 1947 a neighbor died and the neighbors went in to plow his ground. There were 52 tractors at that plow day and all were M. M. but 3. When this dealership closed M. M. lost their foothold in this territory.

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John G

02-15-2004 16:54:30

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

The only memories I have are from the IH dealership in Murray, IA. I found the pith IH helmet my Dad was given when he bought a new H in '49 when I helped him move 2 years ago. He also bought a freezer from IH in '49, we just junked it 4 years ago. '49 to '99 still worked, just couldn't sell it, didn't need it. SHAME!!

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chris

02-14-2004 20:43:43

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

I don't ever remember being in the dealership but there was one in Clarkson Nebraska. The building still stands and was being using by a retired mechanic to tinker on his tractors. My family owned a MM E? cornsheller and remember shelling some corn with it, but dad had a combine and his brother used the sheller. Also was told there was one in Norfolk too, don't remember that at all, since I was born in '71. The dealer had a farm by my uncles and remember some combines sp and pulltype and some other stuff in the late eighties but was soon scrapped. Wasn't alot of MM sold in Clarkson since there was a JD dealer in town also and IH dealers in the two towns surrounding Clarkson 6 miles away. I know of only three MM tractors in the area.

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farmerjosh

02-14-2004 11:06:01

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

I'm really glad this was brought up....I wish I had been old enough to have remembered our local MM dealership...seems my father spent an awful lot of time and money in there....I'll get a few stories from him. there's a very neat picture of the showroom at the Seidel Implement Company in Rallinger Texas around the time of WWII on page 131 of a book called This Old tractor. it features the Model Z and a pull type combine

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Jim W

02-13-2004 14:47:19

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

Great info guys, keep those stories coming. I think this type of feedback would be great for a start on a book of "The Days of the Dealerships...", since there are fewer all the time. Maybe an idea here for an all brands dealer history book here.

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Brian Rukes

02-21-2004 14:37:29

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Re: Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-13-2004 14:47:19

I've already started one of those, and it's close to being sent in to the publisher. However, if anyone has any other dealership stories they would like to share with me personally (and thus have potential of being included in the book) I'd LOVE that! Also, I'm looking for more old photos of dealerships if you guys have any.

Respectfully,

Brian Rukes

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Jim W

02-22-2004 16:18:22

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Re: Re: Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Brian Rukes, 02-21-2004 14:37:29

Hey Brian,

I just got my hands on some good New Idea dealership stories and pictures from some brochures if that would be any interest to you. Let me know how to get them to you.Some have pictures of major tractor maufacturers that dealers sold along with NI. I also have some I&T newsletters on "dealer talk."

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Brian Rukes

02-22-2004 20:40:00

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-22-2004 16:18:22

E-mail me off-site if you would. My e-mail is [email protected]. I'd love to hear more about what you have. Thanks!

Respectfully,

Brian Rukes

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John G

02-12-2004 20:46:01

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

Seems these people are the REAL MM memories, WOW

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Fran

02-12-2004 18:43:31

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

I remember my cousin and I going with my dad and uncle to Trom Farm Store in Casselton North Dakota in the early sixtys. They were right in the middle of the Red River Valley with the heaviest black soil in the world. They always had many of the biggest tractors MM made on the lot. They usually had several ready with front wheel drive and duals. We used to go sit on the G-706s and imagine we were out plowing. I attended the National Plowing Contest in 1964 near there and saw the MM Display and a G-706 pulling a big digger in 3rd gear and that beautiful deep roar from that 504 exhaust. Later remember doing the same with the G-708 s on the lot. That long hood really impressed me and the ads saying you'll think you are piloting a locomotive, I can still remember. When we got a chance we bought a used GVI but it wasn't that powerful. We had a GTB & U before so traded the GVI off for a new 1968 G-1000 vista at that store. I was so in love with that tractor that we still have it. I felt like a jealous husband if anyone else on the farm climbed on it. As I remember MM was offering a $500.00 refund for buying one of these tractors. I remember the dealer or salesman coming out after we had closed the deal and told us that there had been a rebate program but it had expired before we bought ours. We didn't know about it anyway so it didn't affect us. He then told us that if we got a check it belonged to someone else, not us and we should turn it over if it came. It did and we did. I think we got scammed by a dying company or dealership. They were closed in a year or two. Does anyone else remember anything about the rebates?

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Howard H.

02-12-2004 17:46:41

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

Hi Everyone -

Jim Payne of Stratford, TX was not a MM dealer per se, but he was one of the best MM engine mechanics in the Texas Panhandle for the past 25-35 years.

He worked on hundreds of irrigation MM engines 800's, HD800's, 605's, etc, for me and many of the farmers in this area.

It was such a comfort to know no matter how tough the engine problem was, he could always solve it one way or another...

I always liked listening to his stories about the big dual-800 1600 cubic inch engine units, or how the old style 800 block castings had a weak spot in the oil galley's that could blow out to the inside, dumping oil pressure without a person being able to tell.

He saved my bacon many, many times with those old motors - and I know them pretty well myself...

He passed away about a year ago - I guess it was fitting they found him out at an irrigation well engine site - he passed away from a heart attack while working on one of the big engines.

He sure was a fine man.

I bought quite a few mementos from his shop when they had his auction...

I left his shop number in my cell phone just because...

Howard Henderson
Stratford, TX

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02-11-2004 19:47:09

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

In the early sixties, I remember going with my dad to Everett & Sons Minneapolis-Moline dealership near Gnadenhutten, OH. I know I was there before this but what impressed me most was the brand new G706 they had in the back of the shop on one particular visit. A couple years later I started working for the dealership when I was 15 & worked for them until after I graduated from high school. The parts counter & front showroom are still pretty much the same today as it was back then except it has more parts laying around now. It is where Wendell Everett still sells MM parts today. In 1964 the brand new JetStar3's, U302's and M670's arrived. The next year they bought the first G1000 to be sold in Ohio, to use on their farm. During the farm science review, MM didn't have another one to take so they touched that one up and took it to the show.

John

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DOK

02-11-2004 15:05:42

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Re: Your memories of MM dealers... in reply to Jim W, 02-10-2004 18:58:11

The local MM dealeer in Peru, IN was Charley Smith. My dad bought a new U which later passed down to my older brother. He used it a few years and traded it on a M5. Mr. Smith lived over the showroom/garage with his wife, daughter and five sons.

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