Cast iron on a C
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
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=164057
Printed Date: 16 Oct 2025 at 6:34pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Cast iron on a C
Posted By: Lon(MN)
Subject: Cast iron on a C
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2019 at 7:35pm
| Brought home a C tractor. It has Cast iron valve cover, oil pan, and the oil pans on the finals are cast. Serial number is 75861. Why the cast? |
Replies:
Posted By: LionelinKY
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2019 at 9:27pm
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War time model C. Steel was rationed for domestic use during the war. Manufacturers used cast instead where they could. ------------- "My name is Lionel and I'm an Allisoholic" |
Posted By: Dakota Dave
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2019 at 10:53pm
| 1948 trany swaped on to a war time C allis was out of war time parts long before 1948.so my guess is a later trany swaped in. You could try to match the engine serial number but thats kinda a crapshoot. The engine serial numbets were spread across B&C power units and implement engines. |
Posted By: Lon(MN)
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 6:54am
| Engine is a 1945. The war time WC had a pressed steel rear end because casts were not easy to come by during war time. No casting for WC and more castings for the C? |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 3:47pm
| I’ve wondered that myself, why the WC got steel and the B/C got extra castings. |
Posted By: Ken in Texas
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 3:55pm
| I will venture to say most all war time Bs and Cs on steel also had cast iron valve covers and oil pans. Final drive oil pans too. |
Posted By: HoughMade
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 4:36pm
So I'm thinking that the WC, with a frame to carry the engine, front suspension transmission, the rear end could be replaced with stamped steel and still work while Bs and Cs had to still had their cast steel because there is no load-bearing frame. However, they could replace non-load bearing covers with cast iron, not cast steel, which was not as important to the war. Shot in the dark.
------------- 1951 B |
Lon(MN) wrote:Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 4:54pm
| Perhaps Bill Long may know? |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 5:30pm
I could be wrong here, but I think I read, somewhere, that the "cast" covers were actually pot metal... be gentle, if you are gonna prove me wrong, LOL! ------------- Source: Babylon Bee. Sponsored by BRAWNDO, its got what you need! |
Posted By: Ken(MI)
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 8:33pm
| The main reason was stamping capacity, all machinery was under the authority of the War Production Board, and Stamping equipment was running at capacity for the war effort. It wasn't as much about the material as it was about the equipment required to produce the parts. Allis farmed out many stampings and procurement was probably difficult at best, castings could be produced in house with little equipment required. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 8:38pm
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still makes you wonder why the WC went to a stamped rear end... it was already a cast unit. ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: Ken(MI)
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 9:18pm
| Rearends were made by Timken axle, during the war, Timken was making lots of truck, half track and tank drive train components. I have no idea who built the fabricated rear ends. War time production was a case of finding someone with capacity who could do whatever. Examples are rifles produced by Underwood typewriter company, Saginaw Steering Gear, IBM, and Rock-Ola. All capacity and equipment was controlled by the Government with reports filed on what every man and machine was doing monthly, with the Government dictating price and priority of all work. I believe that the Government suspended tractor production from everyone but Allis Chalmers, just like they stopped passenger car production. |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 10:41am
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The cast items on your tractor indicate it is wartime C. I checked the serial number and found that the highest C number is 1949 68281 I would check again 42 - 45 serial numbers 12389 - 30695 Remember by the gear shift on the transmission. Sounds like you have some rather rare parts. You know I still say the C was the best looking tractor Allis Chalmers made Good Luck! Bill Long
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Posted By: Lon(MN)
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 6:47pm
| Thanks Bill for prompting me to look at the serial number again. The tractor is outside now and I went with glasses on. Looks to me that the number is 35861. Swinford's book has it as a 1945, which agrees with the engine number. So would this be a wartime? |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 7:38pm
| I would say so. If the engine number and transmission serial number match, I think that'd be a neat one to restore as a "war time tractor"...those cast iron pieces, heavier cast rear wheel centers, steel wheels, tall air intake, wide fenders, etc. that were particular to the war tractors. |
Posted By: Lon(MN)
Date Posted: 04 Sep 2019 at 9:54pm
| I wonder if the Cs had the wide fenders, being that the wheels were farther from the fenders than the Bs. |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2019 at 4:37am
I have two war time, steel rear wheel B's. Both were "barn finds". Both had the tall breather, wide fenders and thicker "four bump" wheel centers, but neither had cast final drive covers, oil pans or valve covers. The one I am restoring is a 42. According to the guy on charge of the auction sale where I bought it, it had been sitting in a shed since the late 50's or early 60's and had never done much actual work. The other is a parts tractor (fenders and air intake have been sold already, but I still have the 4 bump centers), If I remember correctly, it's also a 42 .
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Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 05 Sep 2019 at 3:09pm
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Yes it is a Wartime C. Remember WWII ended in 1945. There had to be a lot of Wartime equipment left. Believe me we at that time we were glad to get ANYTHING to sell. Good Luck! Bill Long |