"Double G" Gets Double Takes

Double G Gets Double Takes TRACTORS Conversions This articulated double G Allis Chalmers tractor is a real eye catcher at shows It was built by Steve Pope of Salisbury Penn and John Mrotek of Luray Va     The tractor has two engines and transmissions and was built from the back ends of two early 1950 s Allis Chalmers G tractors It s equipped with dual wheels all the way around and has a hydraulically-operated steering system     The engine on the G tractor is normally located behind the steering wheel The two men removed the front wheels and axles and bolted the rear halves of the tractors together so they face each other     Pope did most of the engineering and mechanical work while Mrotek did the cleanup and painting      There s an engine on front and back but it s hard to tell if the tractor is going forward or backward says John We turned the ring gear over on the tractor in front so they work together in the same direction     The two tractors are bolted together at the middle where they pivot on a front wheel spindle off an Allis Chalmers D-14 tractor The steering column is located above the spindle and was taken off an old combine     One clutch pedal disengages both clutches With just one clutch pedal we can power the tractor with either engine or both at once says Mrotek     The rear tractors original final drive was replaced with a shorter 12-in long final drive which Mrotek bought on eBay Spacers were made in a machine shop so that dual wheels could be mounted To make room for a gas tank on back the gas tank on the rear tractor was replaced by the tank off an Allis C/A tractor The sheet metal from the tank to the radiator on the front tractor was made in a machine shop with bends in it that take on the shape of the G hood     One of the tractor s generators was replaced by a hydraulic pump which operates the steering system The hydraulic oil reservoir is located behind the seat and in front of the radiator     Both tractors still have their original transmission shift levers We can pull the tractors with just one engine without having to shift the transmission on the other one At shows I keep both engines running One engine operates the generator which charges the battery and the rear engine operates the hydraulic pump says Mrotek      We chose the G model because both Steve and I collect these tractors In fact I own the very first G that was ever made G tractors were made from 1948 to 1955     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Steve Pope 10072 Mason Dixon Hwy Salisbury Penn 15558 ph 814 662-2417 or John Mrotek 4 Jamison Rd Luray Va 22835 ph 540 743-6531; jmrotek@earthlink net

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