The Allis-Chalmers Model C was a small row-crop tractor manufactured from 1940 to 1949. Developed from the smaller Model B, it could work two crop rows at once, and in 1949 it gave way to the Model CA, which remained in production until 1958.
Allis-Chalmers Model C at a glance
| Maker | Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company |
|---|---|
| Model C production | 1940–1949 |
| Model CA production | 1949–1958 |
| Class | small row-crop tractor |
| Engine | Allis-Chalmers four-cylinder, 125 cu in (2,050 cc) |
| Fuels | gasoline and distillate |
| Transmission | three-speed (C), four-speed (CA) |
| Built at | West Allis, Wisconsin |
| Model C built | 84,020 |
| Model CA built | 39,499 |
| Price | about $1,200 in 1949 (C), about $1,900 in 1958 (CA) |
This page is based on one source, English Wikipedia, so its figures could not be cross-checked.
History of the Allis-Chalmers Model C
Why the Model C existed
The Model B was too small to work two crop rows at once. Allis-Chalmers briefly adapted the Model WC as the RC from 1938 to 1941, but that machine proved expensive. The company therefore adapted the B itself, giving it wider wheel spacing options, a larger engine and additional fuel options. The result was the Model C, introduced in 1940.
The C used the RC’s 125-cubic-inch (2,050 cc) Allis-Chalmers four-cylinder engine, available for gasoline or distillate. It inherited the B’s three-speed transmission, power take-off and hydraulics. A total of 84,020 Model Cs were built at the West Allis, Wisconsin plant; in 1949 a Model C sold for about $1,200.
The Model CA
Starting in 1949 the Model C was replaced by the Model CA, which had enough power to be rated as a two-plow tractor. The engine was the same, but it turned at a higher speed and had a higher compression ratio, giving 11 percent more power. The CA received a new four-speed transmission, and power-assisted rear wheel adjustment was introduced.
The CA was produced with single and narrow dual front ends and with an adjustable wide front axle. 39,499 CAs were built at West Allis until 1958, when the tractor was priced at about $1,900.
Design and features
- Two-row capability: the reason the model existed, since the Model B could only work one row at a time.
- Proven engine: the 125 cu in four-cylinder taken from the short-lived RC, with gasoline and distillate options.
- Inherited equipment: three-speed gearbox, power take-off and hydraulics from the Model B.
- CA improvements: 11 percent more power, a four-speed transmission and power-assisted rear wheel adjustment.
Allis-Chalmers Model C versions
- Model C (1940–1949): the original two-row tractor with a three-speed gearbox.
- Model CA (1949–1958): more power and a four-speed transmission, rated as a two-plow tractor.
- CA front ends: single front wheel, narrow dual front wheels or an adjustable wide front axle.
The Model C was developed from the Model B and was replaced by the D series, whose D12 took over from the Model CA. More machines are in the Allis-Chalmers collection.
Video: Allis Chalmers CA Tractor
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Allis-Chalmers Model C, English Wikipedia: development, engine, production, CA
