AC Bonanza

[Danny 0]

I was turned on to this site when asking questions about a tractor I had saved from the scrap pile. I'm not entirely certain if it is a Simplicity built tractor. Hopefully some of you folks can help me out. What I do know is that I have an Allis Chalmer "Bonanza", it looks very much like a Mini Jeep Scrambler. That was the biggest reason that it caught my attention in the junk pile. Although pitted the sheetmetal is straight and I believe all there. I've actually already begun working with the metal. Its missing the motor and I believe I have a good portion of the rear/trans (which sat with the tractor) I'm wondering what motor belongs in this tractor also (maybe its thick headedness) but I'm having trouble visualizing or understanding how the rear and trans. ties in underneath and too the motor. I could be missing some parts. I send this in hopes to gain some knowledge about this model tractor. I'm certain it is fairly rare. Also maybe in finding a parts book or pictures of a Bonanza so I can compare what I have too what I need in order to get it back into shape. Thanks for any help, Danny Tabor

[johnmonkey 4]

I have never heard of a Bonanza, others on site may have heard of them. Wecome to the club. Dues paying members can post pictures and we love pictures. JH

[perry 1]

now i think i have herd of one those. i seen some pics some where on the net. the guy had a jeep looking tractor and his kids where driving it threw the grass and tall weeds. now ya got me on a mission to find that pic. it may have even been on this site. heck it may even be a video?.....

[MarksA-C 93]

Is it like this? [IMG]http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r238/Marksac/Tractor40CumlingJeep.jpg[/IMG]

[IronPony 3]

Guess it is my turn to say welcome to the sitesm01. If your "new to you" tractor is in fact a Simplicity/Allis Chalmers then you will want to join the Club. It will be the best $10 you ever spent. Otherwise, just enjoy the site with the rest of us. Dan aka IronPony

[MarksA-C 93]

I found a better one... [IMG]http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r238/Marksac/roof2.jpg[/IMG] Here is the link... www.ytmag.com/articles/artint154.htm

[Danny 0]

Neat pictures but not it. The Bonanza is much smaller. While looking at the photo gallery on this site I had noticed or at least thought that maybe the Scamp would have interchangeable parts with the Bonanza. The Bonanza looks nothing like the Scamp except for size, so rear etc may match. I will see about photos of it as it is this weekend. While my passion is in collecting Oliver tractors and equipment, I do have a large number of garden tractors among them 5 are AC and Simplicity. And so probably joining would be worth the $10. Danny Tabor

[Kent 436]

Mark, The second pic is definitely NOT an Allis-Chalmers. It's a Roof lawn mower, which is very sought after by collectors. I don't know what your first picture is of... I've never personally heard of a Allis-Chalmers Bonanza, but it wouldn't surprise me if Allis made some "unique" or "niche" kinds of things -- they were known for that... just look at the Terra Tiger.

[Kent 436]

Heres an old topic from YT that discusses them -- saying that they were marketed under about three different brand names. Allis-Chalmers probably did that also, just having them produced (by whoever built them) and labeled as Allis machines. Allis sold minibikes, chainsaws and other things that way. Most of the "big ag companies" did something similar -- for example, I've seen an International Harvester refrigerator... http://www.ytmag.com/gardent/messages/29433.html Didn't Elon or someone else post a pic in the last few months of a lawn tractor with a "truck bed" on the back. Was it a Bonanza?

[john-holcomb 0]

Danny, Welcome I have no clue about the jeep like thing, but I also have Oliver tractors "The Finest In Farm Machinery" so its good to have another true believer on the site. If you join the club then I wouldn't feel so lonely here in Orange Land:D. My thought is that people with good taste who love top of the line equipment will over time all have Oliver full size tractors and Simplicity/AC garden tractors. You know the "Cream to the Top" that sort of thing.8D Anyway welcome and good luck. JW

[UCD 14]

I believe the top picture is a Crosly. There is a gentelman that comes to Colchester that collects them and has a few, As a matter of fact that looks like him in the picture and the picture looks like Colchester.

[goatfarmer 817]

Welcome from South Bend, the home of Oliver for a lot of years! That's all my uncles would buy, and farm with, until they couldn't get them any more. Then they switched to Whites. My brother in law has an IH 'fridge I found for him, in his garage. IIRC, IH built the 'fridges with their name on it, it wasn't purchased from another company.

[perry 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarksA-C
I found a better one... [IMG]http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r238/Marksac/roof2.jpg[/IMG] Here is the link... www.ytmag.com/articles/artint154.htm

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hey mark, thats the pic i was thinking about .

[ehertzfeld 1]

quote:

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Originally posted by perry

quote:

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Originally posted by MarksA-C
I found a better one... [IMG]http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r238/Marksac/roof2.jpg[/IMG] Here is the link... www.ytmag.com/articles/artint154.htm

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hey mark, thats the pic i was thinking about .

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Hey, I know were there is one of thouse!!!!!!

[ehertzfeld 1]

Maynard, yes it is the sme guy. I got this from the QVEA web site.

[mendon-chalmers 0]

hello there is a man named NORM SWINFORD was a field representative for AC from 1957 to 1987 wrote some books about AC & used to live in milwaukee & did collect literature if you can find a way to contact him

[FastPaul 0]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarksA-C
Is it like this? [IMG]http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r238/Marksac/Tractor40CumlingJeep.jpg[/IMG]

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Hey Maynard your right ! I remember talking to him with you but I don't remember that he had that unit with him It was a green Crosly he had that day

[UCD 14]

Paul He brought the red one one day and the green one the other.

[MarksA-C 93]

I got the picture from the Simpletractors.com site. In the show gallery. (I think)

[tractormike 0]

Danny, here are a couple of pictures of a tractor that I think is what you have. They do have a ac in the decal but it is different than any allis decals I have seen. I don't believe that these were made by either allis or simplicity but none of the 3 I have have any id plates on them to tell who did build them. I have this fairly complete tractor and 2 parts tractors. I would like to rebuild 1 tractor and make a trailer out of the boxes of the other 2 to pull behind the tractor. The box does look like the old army jeep. Let me know if this is like the one you have or not. Mike [/img]

[/img]

Danny are these like the tractor you have? I have this one and 2 more for parts tractors. I intend to rebuild this one and then make a trailer out of the boxes of the other 2 tractors. The decal on the tractor does have a c in it but I don't think allis or simplicity had anything to do with building them. None of the 3 tractors I have have a manufacture id plate on them so I can not tell you who did build them. They do look like a small jeep with the box on them. Hope this helps you out some, Mike

[MikeES 466]

Mike, if those are the original front wheels on the Bonanza...my Dad had a Cenex lawn tractor with the same wheels, it was built by Murrey. Other features look like an older Murrey or MTD.

[tractormike 0]

Thanks for the info! I believe the front wheels may be original as the tread pattern matches the rear tires. All 3 of the ones I have are built a little differently from each other. There are 2 different trannys and all three have a different grill style on them.

[Kent 436]

Whatever it is, IMO, it isn't an Allis-Chalmers. Compare the logo from the tailgate...

[MarksA-C 93]

I can See where someone could get confused by that.

[Roy 0]

The Bonanza logo on the left of Kent's post sort of looks like an "L P". Maybe for Lawn Products????