Allis Chalmers 780 chopper

[LAA]

Anyone know anything about an Allis Chalmers 780 1 row chopper or ever use one before? I only chop around 20 acres per year. A nice looking 780 is coming up on Auctiontime this week, it has a corn head, I thought I read one time that ALlis Chalmers made direct cut and pick up hay heads to fit the 780 as well but I do not know. Any information is appreciated.

 

[centash]

Might be awful hard to get parts for it.....
Ben

 

[JD Seller]

LAA: They work just OK as they are a cut and throw machine. Meaning if you get dry hay ore sticky alfalfa hay they will barely throw in into the wagon. Parts are just about non existent for them. I tried to get a shear bar 20 years ago and could not get a new one then. You can buy a good NH or JD chopper for under $1000 that you can find parts for.

I watched a NH Super 717 sell two weeks ago. 2 row wide corn head, direct cut header, and hay pickup. Nice condition, all ready to go to the field. Sold for $750. Went to scrap. Up here the smaller dairies are just about a thing of the past. So little to zero market for the smaller older pull type choppers. I see JD 3940/3960 sell for under $1000 fairly often too.

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

You are going to want something with better parts availabilty. I have an Allis 780 in my collection as my grandfather had a new one. We use it to chop a few loads each year. Corn and hay heads are not going to be real hard to find but a direct cut almost impossible. They pull very easy. The 780 and the 782 are almost the same machines with mainly sheet metal differences. The worst thing is that they both used a very thin metal shear bar. Allis wanted them to need to be replaced often as that would keep them square for a good cut. There are no more of those shear bars left. The 782 was also sold as a Ford and going thru Ford parts I got the last three they had several years ago. What size tractor do you chop with and do you want a one or two row? Choppers have gotton very cheap as many smaller farms are quitting or hiring it done. In my are $2000 buys a good Deere 3940 with two row wide corn head. A 35 can be had for $7-1200. NH made lots of good machines as well. Stay away from Gehl as new parts are getting hard to come by. Tom

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

Wow JD that direct cut head was worth more than that to the Mexican buyers. Tom

 

[LAA]

I use a New Holland 707 and I have another complete unit for parts/backup, mainly looking at a vintage chopper to do a few acres and pull with my 160. Always really have wanted a case chopper to pull with my 730.

 

[JD Seller]

Tom I see stuff like this all the time. I just do not have the space and or energy to fool with it anymore. Also those Mexican buyers can be fickle as heck too.

 

[Al Baker(pumpman)]

We bought a new 782 in the mid 70s to replace a 780 that the shear bar broke. I chopped many an acre with those two machines. If you are buying it to add to a AC collection good, if you are buying it to use not so good. They were not that good of a machine while new. 40 years will only make them work worse. They are a cut/throw and had some real design flaws. the orange and white was pretty though. Al

 

[4520BW]

Is it located in southern Indiana?