OT - 1919 Illinois brand tractor

I've Googled and surfed with no success. I've left messages on several forums. No luck.

I have an owner's manual and parts list for an Illinois brand tractor. The copyright date is 1919. They were made in Bloomington, Illinois.

Anybody ever hear of one? Recommendations for more info? I would think a mint manual with the warranty registration card still inside would be more scarce than a tractor. If there is a tractor out there, I've got your manual.

Reply to
Andy Asberry
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I usually have good luck over on

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I did find this on a discussion board over there
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"There are a lot of tractors with low production numbers that only have

1 or 2 examples known to exist. The ILL> I've Googled and surfed with no success. I've left messages on several
Reply to
RoyJ

several

tractor.

UNREAL !!!!!

I spent my WHOLE childhood in, around, and on top of an operating 1920 Illinois. It was My grandfathers, and he was just plain crazy over steam power. Sawing, Pulling Stumps, Threshing........

I think you DO have a very RARE object. from what my Grandad always said, there were only 3 known tractors in the states. Of course, stranger things have turned up, but I know it is the ONLY one I EVER saw ANYWHERE !

The Engine was sold after my grandfather passed on. It is located in Chilton Wisconsin, about 25 miles from me. I get to see (and Smell... Ohhh the smell ! Oil, Grease, Hot Steam ... COAL ! ) it every year at the Chilton Steam Show.

If you do not get any takers, I would search the owner down for you. I will tell you that if I had that, I would be VERY Tempted to make a copy. I have NEVER seen literature for one either.

Boy, you have something really neat there !

Thanks, Chris L

Reply to
datac

Reply to
Waynemak

i live in bloomington and never heard of sutch a place.

Reply to
Erik Litchy

Is from the Illinois Silo & Tractor Co.? Or from the Illinois Tractor Co.?

Tom

Reply to
Tom

man talk about the obsure of the obscure, this NG has it!

Reply to
yourname

This was a 4 cylinder gasoline flathead. There are 2 pairs of bolt on cylinders. Two heads. The manual is bound. I hesitate to break the spine enough to scan all the pages. I appreciate the info. Here are three pages.

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I keep everything related to this farm. I have 1880's farm ledgers. My great grandfather kept track of everything. Like how many eggs the chickens layed; how many were eaten, sold or hatched. I can tell you what corn and oats were bringing in 1882. A spool of thread was $.01 in 1910. Kind of puts things in perspective.

Did I mention there is a 1909 Hupmobile buried in a wash in the back pasture?

Reply to
Andy Asberry

Chris, I would appreciate communication from the owner of your old tractor. This manual is for a gas tractor.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

Reply to
Andy Asberry

That may be 'cause you ain't lived there long enough. :) With only two known to exist, I suspect they weren't around long.

If you could find the time to check old city directories at the library, I would really appreciate it. They might shed a little more light on this. The Illinois Tractor Co. might have even placed an ad in the directory.

No way, other than the Internet, could 2 tractors and one manual get together 86 years later. Oh, and a few guys just setting around jawing. A small thing but it is history.

Reply to
Andy Asberry

Illinois Tractor Company.

Reply to
Andy Asberry

Another example of the potential of the Internet for finding information and bringing people together.

--RC

Reply to
Rick Cook

Ahwwww !!! Wrong Tractor !

The Illinois I am familiar with is a Traction Engine ! (steam)

Who would have thought their were both steam AND internal combustion tractors called Illinois ?

This is a new one on me too..... I would have thought that having an Illinois traction background that I would have heard about a gas tractor if one existed...Never did.

None the less, That is a nice piece of literature. Now I am going to have to ask a few aquaintances if they know anything about them. I do have a few "collector" friends.

I've managed to keep my "collection" down to just two hit and miss motors and a gaggle of small engines...

If I hear anything, I will certainly make contact on this list.

Interesting......

Chris L

Reply to
datac

I found one reference.

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"Illinois 18-30"

Reply to
wws

Good job! You guys are evidently better at searching than me. By the way, someone told me the 18 was drawbar hp and the 30 was belt pulley hp. If true, those huge gearboxes soak up a lot of power.

In keeping with this group, it also had change gears. Under a cover on the left side of the transmission were two meshed gears on splined shafts. One of 23 teeth and one of 27 teeth. Reversing the position of these gears changed the top speed from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 mph.

Reply to
Andy Asberry

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