Versatile going back to their old colors
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Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=131477
Printed Date: 23 Jun 2025 at 9:38am
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Topic: Versatile going back to their old colors
Posted By: Spud
Subject: Versatile going back to their old colors
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 12:20pm
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I had this pop up when I was on Youtube this morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlR_QVBDxps It looks like Versatile will go back to red, black, and yellow for their equipment colors. At least that is what I got from the video. |
Replies:
Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 1:39pm
| they have been red and black (dunno bout yeller) for years. they's made by the same company as a lot of others, just re-badged. |
Posted By: victoryallis
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 1:51pm
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Limited edition I think. You can paint crap any color still the same inside. ------------- 8030 and 8050MFWD, 7580, 3 6080's, 160, 7060, 175, heirloom D17, Deere 8760 |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 2:08pm
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I wish AGCO would follow suit and give Gleaners white cabs and orange wheels. But they won't...
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Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 2:38pm
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According to bil. limited production for there 50th anniversary. Supposedly only 50 built and all sold but I have seen one coming up on an auction already. He sells them so I think he knows but I may have got some of the info wrong. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: Spud
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 3:10pm
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I'm curious why you think they are crap? A Cummins engine and Funk transmission seems pretty reliable to me. What problems have you seen with the tractors to give you that opinion? They seem pretty popular here in ND. They have always had a reputation of being simpler then the other brands. |
Posted By: ILGLEANER
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 3:31pm
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I was glad to see they are keeping the colors. Last year you could order them that color. But l guess they have had such good response there going to stay the old color. I love it !!!!! ------------- Education doesn't make you smart, it makes you educated. |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 4:33pm
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Yea, they look sharp! ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: eighty nine
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 7:57pm
I have owned 4 of them 875,936,9680, 2425. Not a bad one in the bunch. Ran the first 3 well over 6000 hrs. each & had a lot of life left in them. Have about 3000 on the 2425. Very reliable power & low repair costs.
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victoryallis wrote:Posted By: KY poorboy
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 8:46pm
| I think the old colors are much better looking than the new ones were. They are very reliable tractors. Several around here with over 10k hours and still going strong. We have a 9682 that's turned to 460 hp and it has 6,000 hours on it,,, never had a tap turned on the engine, tranny or hydraulics. It has been a far better tractor than the two stingers we had before. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 8:52pm
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"Legendary Limited Edition", sadly. http://www.versatile-ag.ca/NA/EN/Product-Tractor/4WD-Legendary/Legendary-Overview.php" rel="nofollow - http://www.versatile-ag.ca/NA/EN/Product-Tractor/4WD-Legendary/Legendary-Overview.php Wish I could have one.
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Posted By: victoryallis
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 8:56pm
My bad I wasn't clear the true Versatiles may have been fine. I have been having issues with a product of the Buehler new age. Piss poor engineering and terrible to deal with on parts. ------------- 8030 and 8050MFWD, 7580, 3 6080's, 160, 7060, 175, heirloom D17, Deere 8760 |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 8:56pm
x2!! I always wondered when I get to farming on my own, if I can't find a couple good 4W-305s, what would I get? I had always thought Case, but I guess if Versatiles are as good as you guys say, they might be in the running too! But...I've never seen a Versatile dealer in Oklahoma. Where do you guys get parts? Do you guys have dealerships close by?
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Posted By: Leesok
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 11:04pm
Ever heard of Livingston? |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 17 Nov 2016 at 11:37pm
Yes, but I'd never seen one on their lot. I didn't even know AGCO had Versatile, but I guess they do?
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Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 1:21am
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A Russian company owns Buhler/Versatile, I suspect they ship them to the motherland because they are simple to repair. I've wondered if the Versatile combines are made in Russia? ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 10:19am
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Yes, Versatile combines are made in Russia, I don't know of any local dealers who will even try to sell them. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 11:03am
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I saw the combines in their video, and wondered what the heck that was all about. I do remember Versatile did build a pull type combine back in the 80's, but most stayed in Canada I'd imagine. Maybe they were outsourced then too? I really don't know. Worked on a lot of Versatile tractors back before the Buhler merge, and they were great, simple tractors. I left the dealership right before the 846/876/946/976 were replaced with the 9000 series. ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: darrel in ND
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 4:50pm
| Ed, did you get in on the replacing all of the steering cylinders not once, but twice before they got em heavy enough. Think it was on the designation six ones. Darrel |
Posted By: victoryallis
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 8:06pm
And getting parts is like dealing with Stalin himself. ------------- 8030 and 8050MFWD, 7580, 3 6080's, 160, 7060, 175, heirloom D17, Deere 8760 |
Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 8:08pm
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In late 60s Versatile built a pull type combine and a little later a self propelled. Have a friend who still has a self propelled in his yard, the dealer I worked for in late 60s sold a few of the pull types. If I remember right they were a 42, that was the cylinder width and model number. They had one interesting thing I remember, they used augers for clean grain and return elevators instead of chains. Don't remember much else about them. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 9:49pm
| i always liked the old paint scheme the best. all the old versitiles around here are running not parked, but dont see any new ones around |
Posted By: matador
Date Posted: 18 Nov 2016 at 10:54pm
| For Creston, out here there used to be three dealers- Deere, JI Case, and Ford. There were a lot of Case 4x4 tractors sold, but they all seem to be parked now. They still run the 2 wheel drive Cases (The white ones pre Case IH). There are tons of 4x4 Case tractors here, but I can't remember the time that I actually saw one in use. I see Deere 7520s still in use here, but not a single Case. I don't think I've ever seen a Versatile in person, though. |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2016 at 12:06am
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According to the Versatile website, there are two dealers in Colorado, Leon Atkins in extreme NE corner of the state and Prospect Equipment, in Prospect Valley about 30 miles east of me. I deal with them occasionally for tillage parts, have a good selection of plow parts for all brands, even AC. There are a few newer Versatile tractors around here and if you include Ford 4 wheel drives, probably more then any other brand. Not all that many 4x4's here anyway. I'm pretty sure I have the only Allis 4x4 (7580) in the county. The Versatile combine has an interesting cylinder system, wonder how it holds up, also what rocks would do to it. ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: Jwmac7060
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2016 at 8:19am
| The red,yellow and black paint scheme is for the 50th anniversary. I own 3 Versatiles and they are great tractors. Granted mine are older .... 555 and two 850's but part availability and easy to work on is awesome to me |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2016 at 8:42am
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Prospect is where I lived, and worked years ago. I missed all the new D-6 teething pains. When I started there I got to hear lots of stories about windows falling out, but don't really remember what the other problems were. I think it was kind of a big deal for them though, since they sold some of the very first 956's off the line, and they were for Kalcevic Farms who bought 17. So, for a small place like prospect to handle lots of warranty problems, they stayed busy lol! I was still in high school when that all went down. I remember seeing all the new tractors in and out of there, as well as all the 895's they traded in for the 956's. I don't imagine there's many Versatiles over in Boulder, but you go out east into wheat country, they used to be everywhere. We had a few customer buy 555's at sales, or what not, and use it like an 850, and have all sorts of problems. The 555 is made to pull a 12 row cultivator, or a grain cart, or planter. They are a row crop tractor, that people would use like a heavy tillage tractor because it's a Versatile. Well, the 500/555 is a very different tractor. Small inboard planetary final drives with adjustable bar axles, a 15 speed transmission with live pto through it, and a wet clutch pack. And of course, we can't forget to mention the great 555 turbo engine! lol! ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: Jwmac7060
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2016 at 10:05am
| My two 850's are the primary tillage tractors...hard to beat the 855 Cummins and the transmissions seem to be bullet proof. Our 555 pulls our 16 row planter and the grain cart. The 555 is like the 7580, too many guys treated them like a 300hp tractor and they just weren't built to pull like that....we had a 7580 and I would rather have my 555 series 3 versatile. 555 Cummins gets a bad wrap but if you don't abuse them and get them hot they are fine and super efficient on fuel |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2016 at 9:07pm
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I drove past Kelcevic's last July and it looks like they have gone to CaseIH. Saw some combines and CIH 4 wheel tractors on grain carts. I remember the ad in the Farm Journal of the Versatile's all in a row. There was one new one here about 8 years ago but he retired or moved east. The place is being farmed with a Blue one and a 895 maybe, belongs to Keith Bateman. ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: JarrodACFan
Date Posted: 19 Nov 2016 at 10:42pm
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I believe that I saw on Facebook here recently that Versatile made an announcement that they are officially changing their color scheme to the old colors. I'll see if I can find that somewhere. As for Versatiles around here, there aren't any...of any age. There are 2 dealers within an hour of here, but I never have seen one working. EDIT: I can't find it directly on their website, but it is on their Facebook page, Versatile-Ag. The way I read it says that the old colors are here to stay. ------------- 1956 WD45 Narrow Front Factory Power Steering, 1953 WD Wide Front Allis Express in Muncie, IN |
Posted By: prettyview
Date Posted: 20 Nov 2016 at 7:36am
| In my early farming days had a Versatile 5000 combine. It was a simple machine with a hydro transmission and a gas engine. Very simple machine with all off the shelf belts and bearings. Parts were cheap and there wasn't a bearing on whole machine that took more than an hour to replace. I particularlly remember the 2 massey 44 mufflers it used a unique sound and red hot in the dark. If they would have made this combine bigger and put in a diesel engine it would have been around for a long time. |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 20 Nov 2016 at 12:59pm
On their FB page, they still show pics of a bunch of the Bueller Versatile tractors. I'm sure they have some other color tractors around too. They did always use Axial Flow combines too, but they still hired in custom cutters when Wheat was in full swing. They do have a nice big operation down on 79, but also have several other large operations scattered all over eastern Colorado. ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 20 Nov 2016 at 7:32pm
| while we are still on the versitles i wish they would pick up the allis chalmers line maybe some one will start a post on that |
Posted By: GM Guy
Date Posted: 23 Nov 2016 at 9:38pm
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Here is what I know: The old colors are back. Those who paid extra for the limited edition are pissed, as now the only difference is the limited edition decals and the memories of the factory tour. As far as company history, I think we all know that Ford bought Versatile in the late 80s, shortly after the Designation 6 tractors came out. Ford ag division was sold off to New Holland around 94? IIRC at that time Fiat had bought into new Holland, presumably buying out Sperry? Not for sure. Genesis tractors were engineered by Versatile and were a home run, replacing the 8x30 series Fords. As the old saying goes, Nothing Runs like a Deere, Nothing Drops a Deere like a Magnum, and only those who follow the book of Genesis rise to glory. :) In 99? Fiat, who must have owned New Holland in its entirety by then, also bought Case IH. Due to this, they had to sell off a few lines to keep the Government from declaring it a Monopoly, the Versatile 4wd tractor line and Genesis tractor line was sold to John Buhler of Canada, the Case IH Puma? tractor line sold to McCormick, and there might have been a few other selloffs I dont know about. So, now seperate from NH, the products change color to the red with black frame and white wheels. All products built in Canada to my knowledge. in 08? Rostlemash LTd. out of Russia buys 80? percent of Buhler Industries, presumably to bring some reliable tractors back to the Motherland. Later, they send over the Rostlemash combine, a bi-rotor design that differs slightly from Mark Underwood's design that New Holland made to look bad during a Demo to Caterpillar when they were interested in building combines again. (hence why Cat chose Claas to supply them combines during Cat's return to ag, which soon ended when in 2003? they sold the entire Ag line to Agco, separate from the Claas Lexion, which stayed with Claas.) after the beat down, Underwood sold the design to Deere, who shelved it. Leave it to Deere to shelve a good design and proceed with crap... :) Essentially the only major difference from the Russian sold machine and the North America sold machine is the switch to Cummins for power. It is a promising design, but still is having some growing pains. Currently the big 4wds are Cummins power with a Cat powershift. Rugged and reliable. only North American built machine that one can still get manual levers if you so choose. The joke about having a Versy is that they are for the most part dealer independent. find a good truck shop for filters and ujoints, and you dont really need much. Our friend in California who used to sell Versy from the 60s? till the NH versy split (he stuck with NH) sold many Versy tractors, and the only one he hated was the 555 and 500, any of the bigger outboard planetary ones he liked much better. THe 500/555 was not terrible, but he could " only" get close to 10K hours out of one. Sounds great, until you consider he has customers that have had around 20,000 hours on the big ones, and that was when the hourmeter broke 10 years ago and it has not missed a season. He estimates there are some in the area with close to 40K hours. So if cared for, they are awesome, reliable tractors. ------------- Gleaner: the properly engineered and built combine. If you need parts for your Gleaner, we are parting out A's through L2's, so we may be able to help. |
Posted By: victoryallis
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 7:43am
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Hey Chevy boy: Have you dealt with Buehler on parts? I own one of Buehler shortline pieces of equipment engineering is piss poor at best. Wife came within 8 inches of being hit in the head by launched driveline parts. Paid $40 for a wood bushing that my 9 month old could hold in the palm of his hand. Buehler wanted $250 for sprocket Shoup $40. The sprocket from Shoup was on my porch in under 24 hours the Buehler one was 10 days out. My Agco dealer can have stuff on my porch by 11 am if it needs to come from Batavia its a max 4 hour drive for me. I deal with a high enough volume Deere deal parts are shipped for a flat $8 from Deere. ------------- 8030 and 8050MFWD, 7580, 3 6080's, 160, 7060, 175, heirloom D17, Deere 8760 |
Posted By: ILGLEANER
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 5:30pm
Really. Call him . Chevy boy ??? For GM guy. Just because you hate Buehler, don't mean you have to be a dick to people that like Versys. I have had them and had great luck. But l know what you mean about there parts. I had a hydraulic pump go out on my 9482. Called all NH dealers, and Versitile dealers around me. The only dealer that had the pump in stock, was a dealer in California 2500 miles away. I blame these dealers, as much as the companies for not having parts. They have learned, if we need it we will pay for it. Therefore why stock it, when we can get it overnight, and charge the customer shipping. ------------- Education doesn't make you smart, it makes you educated. |
Posted By: Unit3
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 7:12pm
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Blue. They should paint them blue. ------------- 2-8070FWA PS/8050PS/7080/7045PS/200/D15-II/2-WD45/WD/3-WC/UC/C |
Posted By: Jwmac7060
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 8:06pm
| I can't speak to the new Versatiles because I can't afford one...The older ones I can speak to and they are fantastic machines. Easy to work on and very reliable. |
Posted By: AllisChalmers8070
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 8:23pm
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Well when Allis was sold off we went to Ford. We bought a 8630 in 92 great tractor has almost 8000 hours on it and we never have touched the engine. Then in 98 we bought a NH 8870 which was a great tractor. Now we own a versatile 2180,2210,280 and 305. We are even looking at a 310. Our dealer is great to work with, parts are always on hand when we need them. ------------- 180 190XT 7045 7060 S88 |
Posted By: victoryallis
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 8:28pm
Reason I did it is he had a very glorified armchair quarterback post. The Versy's of old only share the name nothing more. Dealer I work with gives me the impression that it's solely the company. The also sell NH and for that they are very decent. I get the impression that they lack the software Agco or Deere has. ------------- 8030 and 8050MFWD, 7580, 3 6080's, 160, 7060, 175, heirloom D17, Deere 8760 |
Posted By: Jordan(OH)
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2016 at 10:24pm
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Posted By: ILGLEANER
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2016 at 10:38am
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The Genisis tractors even had the sleeveless motors of the ford era didn't they ???? ------------- Education doesn't make you smart, it makes you educated. |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2016 at 11:10am
------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: GM Guy
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2016 at 7:20pm
I am not doubting your "other buhler product" is poorly designed and hard to get parts for. Considering I dont know if its a Farm King Auger or something else, I have no reason to doubt you, nor did I. But are we discussing that item? No. We are discussing the 4wd tractor line. You may have piss poor dealers, but around here, we are 10 miles from a major dealer who has a wide sales area, he has been known to sell a tractor close to 1000 miles away, and still support it. Gods gift to parts men is at one location. 30 miles east, the state wide Agco dealer used to sell Versatile at all locations till they took on Challenger to get the MT900 series, and still sell Versy at a few choice locations. Same town is a New Holland dealer that of course used to sell Versy when it was painted blue. 60 miles Southwest is a dealer that has sold Versatile since possibly the 60s. Followed every single corporate buyout, dropped NH to stay with Versy. Harry Herl, independent Versy-only salvage yard, is about 75 miles east. The other independent Versy-only salvage yard is within a days drive, down by Wichita. That is not even factoring in what Versy's are being salvaged at ASAP @ Bridgeport NE, Abilene Machine in eastern KS, and Mike's Equipment, Buhler KS. So I stand by my statement that keeping a Versy in the field is not impossible task like you claim it is. We have owned a 900 Versy for a year or two (sold it, too big for our equipment, needed brakes and injectors, didnt want to spend the money on it), may I ask if you have ever owned a Versy tractor, or just some underbuilt shortline that John Buhler bought up and plastered his name on and you are applying its lousy design and build quality label onto every line of the company? Granted we have not owned a new one, but many in this area have, and they are happy with them for reasons people have been happy with Versatile for decades: Simplicity, Reliability, Cheap to own and operate. Sorry you had such a lousy experience with what I assume was a Farm King auger, but no need to take it out on me. ------------- Gleaner: the properly engineered and built combine. If you need parts for your Gleaner, we are parting out A's through L2's, so we may be able to help. |
Posted By: Ryan Renko
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2016 at 7:50pm
| Amen GM Guy!! I have no experience with these tractors but thought personal bashing someone was out of line. Ryan |
Posted By: victoryallis
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2016 at 9:00pm
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Zero new generation Versatile tractors in the area all newer large tractors in the area are New Holland or Deere. Seems even Jordan can find plenty of holes in GM Guys post. He doesn't own one but feels he's an expert in Buehler products. Agco and Deere also ran Funk trannies. The 8000 series Deere is a heck of a lot nicer tractor than a Genesis. GM Guy seems to think its my dealer and not the company amazing I can talk to the same parts person and have great success with CNH parts and piss poor results with Buehler. With CNH I have an answer in a short phone call with Buehler it's II will call back when I get an answer. ------------- 8030 and 8050MFWD, 7580, 3 6080's, 160, 7060, 175, heirloom D17, Deere 8760 |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2016 at 9:15pm
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I don't think the problem with this thread has a thing to do with Versatile anymore but with you, Victory, getting personal with GM Guy. Short fuse? Hopefully that will no longer be the case. ------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2016 at 9:25pm
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I'm pretty sure JD is apart owner of Funk, can't remember who else is involved. ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: eighty nine
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2016 at 9:39pm
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Posted By: jiminnd
Date Posted: 27 Nov 2016 at 5:06pm
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Talked to bil yesterday, he says they are going to the old colors but a different combination than the anniversary tractors. Same red, black, and yellow colors but more yellow and less of other colors. ------------- 1945 C, 1949 WF and WD, 1981 185, 1982 8030, unknown D14(nonrunner) |
Posted By: VAfarmboy
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2016 at 3:26am
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The only Versatile tractor I have ever seen in this part of the country was one of those bi-directional things painted blue and sold as a Ford. |