MuskyJohn Loc: Benton Harbor, MI

Alright, I have to tell this story after I saw the bulldozer photos.
I am 53 and was born in 69. In 1974, my Dad and Grandpa bought an Allis Chalmers lawn tractor/ snowblower for a machine shop that they had South of here in Michigan a few miles. Needless to say, people that use equipment that belong to an employer typically do not care for the equipment the way they would if it were their own. Some people so, but most do not.
In the early 80's Allis was retired from professional work and my Dad brought it home and gave it to me to snow blow our driveway. The seat was ripped to shreds, it was rusty and hadn't seen an oil change in years. I doubt it was ever greased after being new. I was 13 and took care of it and used it for years.
Then I got married (the first one was bad - but that's another story) and forgot about Allis.
It was in storage and my folks kept asking if I still wanted the tractor. I always said yes and they kept it, thankfully.
I pulled it out of storage this year and rebuilt most of the engine, new carbs, oil, grease etc.
A new seat and started repainting it. I still have some of that to do. But I brought it up to my Winter cabin, which is in a town called Winter, Wisconsin and it is going to be my snow removal champion up there.

My stress relief is turning wrenches and working on cars, so working on this was nothing but fun. Although I did have a small gasoline fire the first time I fired it up.
No worries.

But having this machine back and better than ever is like having a super hot girlfriend in your past that got away for whatever reason, but now she's back. And she still looks awesome, even better than she did back then.
We grew up together.
What a beast!

And I am remarried to an awesome woman that tolerates my love for sports cars, snowmobiles, tractors, muskies, guns, etc.

Now I think I need a bulldozer. I totally need a bulldozer.

Thanks. Have an awesome day.
God Bless.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

WOW, great story. Congrats on the "new" tractor AND the new wife.🤠👍

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

I like your ride John and a wonderful narrative about your super hot girlfriend.

Here is a pic of a love i once enjoyed, but had to leave her behind when we moved. Only thing missing was the mower deck on the mid section.

MuskyJohn Loc: Benton Harbor, MI

Thanks Saw and Plumb!!!!
And it would break my heart to leave that beauty behind, seriously.
And I would love a toy like that now.
It's funny too. The guys that trashed Allis before me, took off the mower deck too and threw it away.
So, I don't have that part, but it O.K.
Thanks for the photo.

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

You are welcome John, I also had to leave a 24' Hudson trailer behind too. Live goes on though!

Papa Jack Loc: Indianapolis

Thanks for sharing the story By the way i have yet to see an old flame that looks as good or better than i remember I'm sure they are saying the same about me haha

Papa Jack Loc: Indianapolis

A great story thanks for sharing By the way I have yet to see an old flame that looks as good or better than I remember I'm sure they are saying the same about me haha

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Can’t tell you how many truckloads and train car loads of those A-C tractors I watched ship out of this area back in the day. Proudly made in West Allis, WI.

MuskyJohn Loc: Benton Harbor, MI

That's awesome!!! Great tractors! Thanks O.J.
And Jack you are right.
That's why this one is cool. It looks better than before.
Most of my old flames look very lackluster today.
Lackluster was a careful choice of a word, for me.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

I just think you're bein kind with your words.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

Nice restoration !
As a boy, living in Kansas, we all took pride in being able to identify various farming equipment from a distance simply from the paint schemes, green for John Deere, etc. Always kinda wondered how PO'd the AC guys must have been when Kubota "stole" the color orange as their ID.