AC Collection Boasts 50 Useable Tractors

2003 - Volume #27, Issue #5, Page #24

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Collecting, restoring and showing Allis Chalmers tractors and equipment is a passion for Marion Klutzke of West Lafayette, Indiana. It shows in the number and rarity of the units he owns.
  Seventy-three year-old Klutzke has 50 useable tractors and all the AC combine models ever made, plus a Model 10 continuous round baler (one of 1,500 made), and a model 303 square baler. It is one of the larger AC collections around.
  He began his collection in the early æ70's when he bought what continues to be the oldest member of the collection û a 1934 WC that has all factory options available, including the original magneto and Firestone tires.
  "I have every model of WC that was made from 1934 to 1947. The only one I'm missing is 1933," he says. "A lot of what I have is what I used when I farmed. Allis Chalmers was taken over in 1985 and I retired in 1993. I still hobby farm just enough to exercise the equipment and myself."
  Klutzke says his rarest tractor is a D17 diesel Wheatland model. There are less than a dozen of these in existence, he says.
  A big recent find was the 40-in. Cat AC Model 40 combine. The rest of his combines include the model 100 self-propelled, model 90 pull-type, models 72, 66, 60 and 40, and the "All Crop Harvestor" made in 1936.
  He also has a model 66 combine with a corn head that is one of 1,150 made in the 50's and 60's.
  Klutzke once cooperated with another collector in Phoenix, Arizona in order to find a cotton picker. In exchange, he found a mounted corn picker for that fellow.
  He has restored everything in his collection himself and hosted a "Wheat Harvest Days" event for the first time this year on the July 4th weekend. He harvested 22 acres that averaged a 75 bu./acre yield, which was a challenge for the old combines. Klutzke plans to host the event again next year.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Marion Klutzke, 1928 N. 550 W., W., Lafayette, Indiana 47906 (ph 765 583-4512, cell: 765 426-8588).

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AC Collection Boasts 50 Useable Tractors AG WORLD 27-5-24 Collecting, restoring and showing Allis Chalmers tractors and equipment is a passion for Marion Klutzke of West Lafayette, Indiana. It shows in the number and rarity of the units he owns. Seventy-three year-old Klutzke has 50 useable tractors and all the AC combine models ever made, plus a Model 10 continuous round baler (one of 1,500 made), and a model 303 square baler. It is one of the larger AC collections around. He began his collection in the early æ70's when he bought what continues to be the oldest member of the collection û a 1934 WC that has all factory options available, including the original magneto and Firestone tires. "I have every model of WC that was made from 1934 to 1947. The only one I'm missing is 1933," he says. "A lot of what I have is what I used when I farmed. Allis Chalmers was taken over in 1985 and I retired in 1993. I still hobby farm just enough to exercise the equipment and myself." Klutzke says his rarest tractor is a D17 diesel Wheatland model. There are less than a dozen of these in existence, he says. A big recent find was the 40-in. Cat AC Model 40 combine. The rest of his combines include the model 100 self-propelled, model 90 pull-type, models 72, 66, 60 and 40, and the "All Crop Harvestor" made in 1936. He also has a model 66 combine with a corn head that is one of 1,150 made in the 50's and 60's. Klutzke once cooperated with another collector in Phoenix, Arizona in order to find a cotton picker. In exchange, he found a mounted corn picker for that fellow. He has restored everything in his collection himself and hosted a "Wheat Harvest Days" event for the first time this year on the July 4th weekend. He harvested 22 acres that averaged a 75 bu./acre yield, which was a challenge for the old combines. Klutzke plans to host the event again next year. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Marion Klutzke, 1928 N. 550 W., W., Lafayette, Indiana 47906 (ph 765 583-4512, cell: 765 426-8588).

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