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tbran 
Orange Level
Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Paris Tn
Points: 3252
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 Posted: 09 Aug 2020 at 8:31am |
The reason for the Mexican L's was price. They had to source product locally. If they shipped all the parts from Independence plant the freight would offset the labor and overhead trying to be saved and the unit would be the same price. Square tanks and flat glass they could do there.. this was a 'plant' that had a lot of dirt floors...
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When told "it's not the money,it's the principle", remember, it's always the money..
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gleaner1
Silver Level
Joined: 17 Dec 2009
Points: 213
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Posted: 09 Aug 2020 at 8:25am |
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All the L4’s had the curved glass, infact the later ones even had the light grey interior like the 90-91 Independence built machines.
The two piece glass units were on L2’s that gleaner had built there when they could not keep up production in Independence, that was the rumour I heard.
Personally seen two L4’s, at the Minot and WCFPS shows back in the day.
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ALLIS CHALMERS "The color is orange"
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AC7060IL
Orange Level
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
Location: central IL
Points: 3214
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Posted: 08 Aug 2020 at 6:31am |
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CrestonM, it great to see older gleaners still harvesting - thanks for sharing. I’ve never seen an L4.
Tbran, interesting follow-up story. So what exactly was Swenson’s relationship with Duez/Allis - employee, dealership, or farmer? Am I not seeing correctly or does it appear this L4’s windshield has been replaced with a curved style?
The other gleaner in the video looks like a 1978 K2 gas wheat plot combine. It’s vertical weigh bucket is located in front left corner of it’s grain tank & it has a hydraulic cooler behind its fuel tank(hydro-trans/spout auger?). At the beginning of video in the background, I see where the wheat plot strips end.
Edited by AC7060IL - 08 Aug 2020 at 6:38am
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tbran
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Paris Tn
Points: 3252
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 10:02pm |
The L4's that were produced triggered an infringement of product patents . Parts were being shipped with no knowledge of the development of the L4. Gleaners were being test run with different engines as there was a movement of the plant going independent of AC …. The curved front glass was the trigger as the cab came from the Independence plant. The "Taco L's " had straight glass, square fuel tanks and ALUMINUM RIVETS. Most components came from the Gleaner US plant, the sheet metal and cabs were built at the SA plant. At the end of the plant run a bunch of Taco L 's were rail shipped to the US. Dealers ordered the hydro units readily only to find standard drive machines on the rail cars. The units ran fine but when choppers were added the sheet metal fell off due to aluminum rivets. the SA plant did not have power riveters so the steel rivets were too hard to install. The glass in the front was flat with a 30 degree joint where the curve in the us glass was. They could not cast a curved glass. Swenson gambled (he had a history of gambles) that Deutz Allis would mutiny or that the company was so weak and disenfranchised they would not fight his new endeavor. He was wrong. The machines built in Mexico were basic wheat machines. Most had no AC, had ag link non roller chain elevator chains and standard non hd feeder beaters and non header height controls. They were wheat machines. The 80's were not stable times....
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When told "it's not the money,it's the principle", remember, it's always the money..
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Mikez
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Joined: 16 Jan 2013
Location: Usa
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 10:01pm |
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Ok school us that don't know the significance of this combine. Thanks
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DrAllis
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 9:07pm |
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My opinion of what the "L-4" actually is, is nothing more than an L-3 with a small block Cummins engine in it. No changes to the machine worth mentioning. Same old model. Same capacity.
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CrestonM
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Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 8:51pm |
I was surprised to find a video of one. I've seen a few photos of them floating around the internet, but never a video. I was fortunate enough to get a sales brochure for them on eBay (last I checked I think they still have some). Hopefully someday I'll get to see one in person. Darold Swenson was one of the big pushers of the L4, and he was out of Saskatchewan. Would be really neat to talk to him or some of the other people involved with the machine.
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Ed (Ont)
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Joined: 08 Nov 2009
Location: New Lowell, Ont
Points: 1227
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 7:32pm |
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That part of Ont is really good farm country as you can see. Expensive land and high yields.
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DrAllis
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 7:14pm |
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15 or 16 ft.
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FREEDGUY
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Joined: 15 Apr 2017
Location: South West Mich
Points: 5391
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 7:11pm |
Any guess as to the width of the header on the machine in the video? Seemed kind of narrow for an "L" machine  . Looks might be deceiving though  . Great photography/video work, and an awesome looking harvest set up in the field  !! Thanks for the link !!
Edited by FREEDGUY - 07 Aug 2020 at 7:12pm
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Ed (Ont)
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Location: New Lowell, Ont
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 6:50pm |
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Neat video. Thanks Creston. After watching the video I did some research. Turns out this was by a farm equipment dealership just north of Alma, Ontario, Canada. About an hour from my place. Was just by there a couple days ago. Maybe Calvin Schmidt knows something more about it. He is down in that area. 😀
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CrestonM
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Joined: 08 Sep 2014
Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 9:54am |
Really neat to actually see one in action. Wonder where it's at?
Edited by CrestonM - 07 Aug 2020 at 9:54am
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