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Minn. Moline UDLX

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J Heitkemper

01-06-2008 15:24:08




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Wanted to show my Daughter a pix of this rare Deluxe bird built before WW2 ,,No pixs could be found in the archives ,, Does anyone have any pixs ? , Brochures or literature pages to share and post for all to See ? ,.. There was one at Farmm Progress show about 10 years back that my Sons really thought was cool ,, All help appreciated , Jim and Sarah




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Mike (WA)

01-07-2008 09:54:30




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
They were a hard sell back in the day, not only because of the price (for the price, you could buy a better tractor, plus a Ford car), but because farmers (in the bad weather areas especially), were ashamed to be seen on them, while their neighbors toiled in the weather on open station rigs. There were still some left unsold into the war years, when everybody quit making tractors to help the war effort. One guy on this board several years ago told how his grandfather desperately needed a tractor during the war, as his old one "gave up the ghost", and all he could find was a UDLX. He bought it, but traded it in on the first new tractor that became available after the war.

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Paul from MN

01-07-2008 08:22:28




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
Several years ago, I was staying at a lake resort in northern MN. Turns out the man who owned the resort had a history with MM. Both grandfather and father were the 1st and 2nd presidents of MM. He had an interesting story about the UDLX.

MM kept the development of the UDLX top secret. In order to do testing of the tractor they covered one up and hauled it out into the nevada desert and then only tested it at night, figuring that surely nobody would see them. Well, there they are plowing the desert sands in the middle of the night and a local man happened to see them. He stopped and informed them that they were wasting there time, with the lack of rain and poor soil, nothing was going to grow there.

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Larry59

01-06-2008 18:20:31




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
Have not seen one of these before. Interesting



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1206SWMO

01-06-2008 18:20:01




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
third party image

third party image

Heres the two UDLX MM's that I once owned,#310552 and #310542.I only paid $6000 for both of them in the early 1980's.

When we pulled #310542 out of the dirt,the front bumper was still there.

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Gene Dotson

01-06-2008 18:12:46




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
J.
I had the pleasure of meeting 2 people associated with the UDLX tractors. First was a block man who worked for and on Minneapolis Molone tractors. He delivered the first UDLX tractor to a mail carrier in northern Iowa who used it to deliver mail on a rural route. This block man was responsible for the Minneapolis Prairie Gold paint color. He took a sample of wheat straw to the stylists and asked them to match it. This is the start of Prairie Gold.
Second man is or was the present owner of that tractor. It was exhibited at Belle Plaine, Minnesota in 2005. This tractor was found abandoned in a stone quarry and later restored before passing throuhg other owners. Had a great chat with him and passed along what I had learned from the block man. The UDLX was ahead of its time in both comfort engineering. It was very noisy and extremely hot in the summer. Priced at about $800 over the competition, there were few takers, since the farmers could buy a good used car for much less...
Gene

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Blue3992 (N Illinois)

01-06-2008 16:41:20




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
Huh. So that's what that thing we got in the barn is. Too bad it's all covered in dust...

Just kidding.



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onefarmer

01-06-2008 16:03:43




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
third party image

Found another of the inside. I wonder how they were for visiblity and summer heat in there.



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j Heitkemper

01-06-2008 16:30:58




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to onefarmer, 01-06-2008 16:03:43  
If a farm could afford this Lady . They certainly had others . I suppose It was a good idea to have another tractor for cultivating , Like a Z or U ,Or perhaps a WC,SC,9N,A ,or F20... Anyway,the one we saw had a corner fan in the cab , for air circulation , and All windows could tip out .... regardless, For a northern tractor co ,and a northern farmer , Winter plowing had to be More comfortable in this rig , Not to mention this tractor could get thru Rural impassable wintertime roads that most pickups and cars had trouble negotiating thru 60 years ago , They can bring over $ 150 k today , Have not checked for what they cost new in 1938 , and how many built . Best wishes Jim

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71ford100

01-06-2008 17:05:13




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to j Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 16:30:58  
they were around $2455 new.



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J Heitkemper

01-06-2008 17:21:57




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to 71ford100, 01-06-2008 17:05:13  
IH Ms and Case DCs were not out until 39 , But You could buy 2 of each for that price when new , If they could only have appreciatted in price in the same parity , sigh , Jim



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onefarmer

01-06-2008 15:47:19




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
third party image

Here is one



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J Heitkemper

01-06-2008 15:59:39




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to onefarmer, 01-06-2008 15:47:19  
Wow ! That one even has Hub caps ! ,,,. Thanx for the quick service , Not sure but before WW2 , M M was probably enjoying the popularity of 1 of the top 5 producers of modern machinery in that time frame of history .. Hence the handsome showing of prosperity of the deluxe tractor , Compare that to what Deere and Case , and IH were offering in those years.. Just an observation of tractor and equipment History,. Wonder if You can Agree ? Thanx Jim

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onefarmer

01-06-2008 16:14:02




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:59:39  
I was certainly a one of a kind. I understand they had a top speed of 45mph. Find one built for that even now a days. Heat, glove box, passenger seat, radio....



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Gerald J.

01-06-2008 20:30:04




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to onefarmer, 01-06-2008 16:14:02  
Some of the JCBs will do at last 40. They have a full suspension system to give a decent ride.

Gerald J.



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L.C.Gray

01-06-2008 15:31:51




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 Re: Minn. Moline UDLX in reply to J Heitkemper, 01-06-2008 15:24:08  
Put UDLX in the search block on Google Images and I'm sure you'll find plenty. I got several of the ComforTractors the other day just searching "Minneapolis Moline"



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