Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1544539
like the Model T, but it helped subsidize other parts of the business. The family business continued to evolve through the decades, and in 1929, after World War I, they put up the building they remained in until 2000. These were "survival years," Rechberger said, and to save money, they chipped mortar off the bricks from a nearby demolished mill to form the walls of the building, and trusses were sourced from a washed-out steel bridge. A-C tractors became part of the family enterprise about 1935, he said, adding, "That's really when it became two separate division of their organization," with one brother running Kelly Motors Ford and another in charge of Kelly's Garage (welding, fabrication and A-C). Many B's, WC's and WF's were sold, along with All-Crop combines and Roto-Balers with WD's. Equipment arrived via rail and they drove it home. Mike recalls backing up their old Ford truck with winch and hooking to combines to pull them off the rail car. The 1950s and 1960s were a time of great progress, Rechberger said, and the D Series "was good to us." One obstacle they had to overcome was farmers' disdain for the Snap-Coupler system and no live PTO, he added. "Allis-Chalmers was just right as far as power/ weight ratio but not great with live PTO demos" because of plugging in PTO application, he said. Farmers were more accustomed to pushing in the clutch part-way to stop ground travel and the PTO would continue; with A-C's, the PTO shut off with foot clutch. The family also sold many Fox choppers. Lloyd traveled to Canada as part of planning for a potential Fox/Cockshutt merger. Cockshutt offered live PTO and three-point hitch, and the family dealership signed up to sell them. But shortly after his trip, Oliver bought Cockshutt, making this a wasted venture. Rechberger said they sold a lot of 190's and 210's but never sold a 220 new. About the time Mike took over the business, things were taking off with the A-C 7030, 7050 and similar models, as they could go after the high-horsepower market and have live PTO. "A lot of people Mike and Don Kelly are pictured above. At right is the dealership in the 1990s in desperate need of more space. Chub and Boo Kelly drove in the 1970s the restored Oldsmobile that was the first car they sold from their dealership, right. Below left are Mike combining with his new Gleaner E that the family still has. Below right, Mike planted with the new concept of "no till" in a press photo. Continued on Page 36 35 OLD ALLIS NEWS