The Last AC Farm Equipment book by NORM SWINFORD?
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=45223
Printed Date: 29 Jul 2025 at 7:18pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: The Last AC Farm Equipment book by NORM SWINFORD?
Posted By: dpower
Subject: The Last AC Farm Equipment book by NORM SWINFORD?
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 6:03pm
We recently decided to buy another Allis Chalmers Equipment book by Norm Swinford since our original book was getting some age to it. We have probably had that book for 15 years. My brother sent in a check to get this book and A Guide to Allis Chalmers Farm Tractors from Norm Swinford. During the time we were waitng for the books we noticed on his ad for the books in old allis news that this book was no longer in print. When we got our books delivered inside the front cover it was signed by Norm Swinford and he also put down "LAST ONE". Not sure if it is the last one or not but kinda of neat to have it signed like that.  
|
Replies:
Posted By: John (C-IL)
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 6:12pm
| That's pretty cool. Back in 2001 he came to our club show with a car trunk full of his books. He was a master salesman and sold a lot of books at the show. I'm sure that his car got better mileage on the way home. |
Posted By: Glockhead SWMI
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 7:19pm
| that's real neat. |
Posted By: dpower
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 7:27pm
| When i was a kid i just thought that was the neatest book. Id always be looking at it and it made me always want to get a 220 fwa and an M7 snow tractor. Just a real good book with lots of knowledge |
Posted By: Gary in da UP
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 7:29pm
| I've had a copy of his book since '03 or 04 read it cover to cover at least once every winter. Thanks , Norm, great to have when cabin fever sets in ! Gary |
Posted By: Don(MI)
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 7:31pm
|
That is really, really cool.
I have most of the AC books.
Growing up, I read that book and also CH Wendels "Allis Chalmers Story"....
Could be why I enjoy AC equipment so much, seen all those black and white pictures when they were new, tillin up the land. ------------- Galatians 5:22-24 "I got a pig at home in a pen and corn to feed him on, All I need is a pretty little girl to feed him when I'm gone!" |
Posted By: Dave (NE)
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 7:31pm
| Wow, Jason, you've always been lucky! |
Posted By: ILGLEANER
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 8:31pm
|
Jason you are still a kid......LOL
IG ------------- Education doesn't make you smart, it makes you educated. |
Posted By: JC-WI
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 8:35pm
|
It is neat to have a book that is signed by the author, in this case, Norman Swinford. I have one that was signed in 8-17-94. And I ain't letting go of it either. |
Posted By: Brian G. NY
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 8:42pm
|
I've always considered this the Allis-Chalmers "Bible".
I think a lot of other people think so as well, given the number of references to it's "scriptures" I've seen on this site!
Having a signed copy would be wonderful; having a signed copy of the last one could be "priceless"!
|
Posted By: dpower
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 8:42pm
|
LOL thanks John |
Posted By: ChuckLuedtkeSEWI
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 8:54pm
|
I met Norm at the Union Grove show a couple years ago. I asked him about my grandpa who worked in the tractor division at AC. He remembered him and told me some stories about being there when he was young and wet behind the ears. It was very neat to talk to him that day. ------------- 1955 WD45 diesel 203322 was my dad's tractor, 1966 D15 23530, 1961 HD3 Crawler 1918, 1966 D17 IV 83495, 1937 WC 41255, 1962 D19 6221 |
Posted By: WD45
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 9:41pm
|
At the GOTO in Union Grove 2005 I Norm signed my book. I enjoyed talking to Norm re his time working for Allis Chalmers. Norm has done a great job writting different books related to Allis Chalmers farm and construction equipment. ------------- Fred Dunlop, G,B,CA, WC,WF, 3 WD45`s,gas, diesel and LP,U,D10 series III, D12,D14,D15 SERIES II,D17 Series IV in Gas and Diesel ,D19 GAS and D21,170 185,210 ,220 an I-600 8070 fwd, 716H and 1920H |
Posted By: Unit3
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 9:45pm
| THAT IS THE COOLEST THING I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME!!! A Swinford signed book in itself would be great, but the last one? Are you kinding me? That is like buying a 6070 over the phone just to find out that it is S.N. 1972. |
Posted By: Rfdeere
Date Posted: 08 Feb 2012 at 10:33pm
|
In case anybody else is looking for a new copy, signature not included, they are available here for a reasonable price:
http://www.nbbooks.com/index.cfm?get=item&id=2369" rel="nofollow - http://www.nbbooks.com/index.cfm?get=item&id=2369 ------------- Randy Freshour,Member Indiana AC Partners, http://www.rumelyallis.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.rumelyallis.com |
Posted By: morton(pa)
Date Posted: 09 Feb 2012 at 2:44pm
| I got a signed copy for a present one time when I was about 16 or 17. I was ecstatic. Still am. Wrote "To Tyler, 3 B's, thats pretty impressive! Norm Swinford". That thing is never getting out of my hands! |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 09 Feb 2012 at 9:46pm
|
A few years ago I obtained all the books that MR SEINFORD had written at that time. I had ordered one from him which he graciously signed. I wrote back and asked if he would sign the balance of the books. We made arrangements and I mailed the books to him with postage to return the signed books to me. Later MR SWINFORD wrote the book about Ford New Holland. My son asked what I wanted for Christmas. I told him the last book signed my MR SWINFORD. Needless to say Christmas Morning I was presented with the final book in MR SWINFORD's series signed by him. One of my proudest possessions. If anyone has the books and wants them signed ask him if he will do it. He is a most gracious person. Good Luck! Bill Long |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 09 Feb 2012 at 9:49pm
|
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 09 Feb 2012 at 9:50pm
|
Sorry for the bad post but this is a picture of me and MR SWINFORD taken at Union Bridge "Coming Home" Good Luck! Bill Long |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 7:28am
 ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Rfdeere wrote:Posted By: Rfdeere
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 9:26am
That figures !  ------------- Randy Freshour,Member Indiana AC Partners, http://www.rumelyallis.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.rumelyallis.com |
Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 1:22pm
|
Posted By: DanD
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 2:38pm
I too have a lot of AC books that I would never part with. They are irreplaceable.  
|
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 4:08pm
|
I would love to have that copy of the "Plow Peddler". Sadly the author is gone. Take good care of it. Good Luck! Bill Long |
Posted By: Dale H. ECIL
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 4:32pm
|
I talked to Norm Swinford at the Union Grove Show. I bought a file full of some of his personal papers from while he was with AC for a very reasonable price. He is a very down to earth man, he said" I do not know why anyone would want that stuff".
------------- Allis Chalmers Museum, Paris, Il.http:// www.allischalmersmuseum.com 217-275-3428 |
Posted By: chuckz
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2012 at 8:28pm
| I've got a couple of extra books if anyone wants one. one is't signed yet but I can take it up for signature. Had lunch last week with Norm. He went to lunch without his walker for the first time in a long spell, still had his cane . Chuckz |
Posted By: Calvin Schmidt
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 9:42am
|
I bought some of Norm's personal items at Union Grove. One note book was his (sales department) wish list for the D-21 series III and the D-15 Series III. You know what engineering did with these requests. There were notes on how the A-C tractors compared to their competitors and what the sales department thought needed to be improved. I have two of his books that he signed and a picture of him posing in front of my H-3 and TL-W loader at the GOTO in Georgetown Ohio in '95. A GREAT MAN !! ------------- Nothing is impossible if it is properly financed |
Posted By: Gary
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 10:45am
|
A D-15 Series III would have been great - especially if it had 'Live Hydraulics", like the D-17 Series IV. Wouldn't you agree Charlie ? Gary
|
Posted By: 79fordblake
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 11:46am
| Does anybody have Norm's book "A Guide To Allis-Chalmers Farm Tractors"? I was wondering what all it described. I was looking at books he made last night and never heard of this one and couldn't find much info on it. |
Posted By: skipwelte
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 12:10pm
| I have the Guide to AC Farm Tractors by Norm. Its the only signed book I have, bought it at Union Grove in 05. Its a paper back book, a lot of the info on tractors is the same as the Farm Equipment book. There is a chapter on Tractor Performance and a chapter on Tractor Enginering which by themselves is worth the price of the book. HTH |
Posted By: John (C-IL)
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 12:24pm
|
Posted By: Oldoug
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 12:34pm
|
That's pretty awesome Jason!!! ------------- Matt Folkers FOLKERS RESTORATION Restoring vintage things to last so the future can enjoy our past. |
Posted By: Gary
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 4:32pm
|
On Amazon.com A Guide to Allis Chalmers Farm Tractors $19.95 Gary http://www.amazon.com/guide-Allis-Chalmers-farm-tractors/dp/0929355784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328999368&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow - http://www.amazon.com/guide-Allis-Chalmers-farm-tractors/dp/0929355784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328999368&sr=8-1
|
Posted By: DanD
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 5:04pm
|
I forgot about that book the other day when I posted pictures!! I think I have almost every AC book and many other general tractor books!  
|
Posted By: Chris WI
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 6:15pm
|
I've got a couple of extra books if anyone wants one. one is't signed yet but I can take it up for signature. Had lunch last week with Norm. He went to lunch without his walker for the first time in a long spell, still had his cane . Chuckz I wouldn't need a signed one but what would you need for one? Thanks,
|
Posted By: dpower
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2012 at 7:51pm
| That book is great with how it shows the original designs for the new series of tractors. Shows that 7080 with a cummins in it. |