1550 Oliver Utility production #

I recently bought an Oliver 1550 diesel Utility and have posted this on the Oliver form below. Now from what I have been able to find out that there were about 93 total of the 1550 utility tractors were built. I have no idea how many were gas or diesel but I would say that there were more gas built then were diesel.

With that being said I want to ask all of you out there how many of you out there own a true utility 1550, Not a standard or wheatland but a true utility 1550 Oliver. OR know ware one is. I would like to get an unofficial count of how many are really out there. Also dose anyone know how many Cockshutts 1550 utility tractors were built? I wonder if mine might have started off being a Cockshutt as all the sheet metal is red under the green paint as well as some of the castings that I have found. Serial # plate had been painted over but with wet sanding and some goof off I got it down to see the Oliver corp name on it so I know its an Oliver now. So how many of you have one? Or know of one? Bandit

I think you are going to find that 93 is not the right number.

The red is probably primer.

This red will shine up so its not primer, On the under sides of the finders ware the paint has pealed off it looks like Cockshutt red to me nice and bright. This finder will give you an idea of what I am finding on the sheet metal. This aint the first time I have seen this. Local Oliver dealer got a new 1855 Oliver in and 2 weeks later after some rain storms the green started coming off to find MM yellow paint job under the green. you never know what was going on at the factory sometimes so who knows. Bandit

I would kinda agree with you but this is a number I have come across many times on different site as well as this one and this is all I have to go on. My local Oliver dealer said in 67 Oliver was talking about discontinuing the 1550 utility because they were selling so few of them. He said they were selling more 1250 and 1350 as they were more of what people wanted as a utility tractor. They mainly kept going with them as they were selling more industrial units than the farm tractors. To tell you the truth this is the first one I have ever seen in my life other than in a picture, So I just don't know how many they built all I can go by is what I can read about them. That is why I am asking if anyone has one or if they know of one to get an idea how many are out there. Just trying to learn more about them. Bandit

I just bought a 1550. My front axle is much further forward than the yours. What are the differences in the Wheatland, Standard and Utility? Just trying to learn a little bit here.

Not answering your question maybe,but a late Oliver man had or family still has a MM low profile just like that one,but it is the same as a 1650-1655(he bought it new when the 55 seris were being built).I think in that time period,Oliver-MM-Cockshutt were fighting so hard to stay alive they were building anything they thought would keep them alive.

I will try my best to explain this. A Row Crop tractor is what most 1550 are, They were made for the production of any crop in rows to be culitivated. Theses tractors will have ps, 3pt, pto, and hydrolices with a narrow front, single wheel or an adjustable wide front axel or an adjustable swept back front axel (like the one under my utility). The back tire were 13.6x38 14.9x38 or 15.5x38 however some came from the factory 16.9x34 or 18.4x34 rear tires.

A standard tractor will have a solid (non adjustable) wide front axel, has manual steering 18.4x30 rear tires No 3pt, swinging draw bar, it may not have pto but will have hydrolices. Its just a basic tractor to pull equipment with.

A wheatland tractor is the same as the standard tractor but will have hydrolices, pto, 3pt and may have power steering as up grades.

A utility was built to be lower to the ground (shorter) and narrower, More compact. The rear tires are 14.9x28 or 16.9x28. The transmissions are geared differently, has a lower swept back axel(for tighter turns)with power steering and 3pt, pto, and hydrolices.

High crops can be narrow front, single front wheel or adjustable wide front, PS 3pt pto and hydrolices. Theses tractors were built for the production and culitavation of row crops later in the growing season and spraying them.

This is what I have figured out over the years with Olivers and in general with most tractor companies. I hope this is somewhat a good description of the differences in the tractor that were built. Just what I have learned over the years. I wish I had some other pictures of the standard and wheatland models to show the differences between them all. Bandit

There are certainly more than 93 utilities made, they don't know until they count all the build cards, I'm not so sure a diesel would be more rare either, I would say I've seen a fairly even amount. A cockshutt utility would be super rare as they didn't sell to many cockshutt's in areas they would have wanted a utility, I have never seen one. I have seen a couple row crop cockshutt's with underslung front axle's and have 1 myself.