Showdown video

[rrlund]

Back in 1973, the US Auto Club tested the Oliver 2255 against the Deere 4630 and both V8 powered tractors offered by IH and Massey. The results are in the video link.
USAC

 

[SVcummins]

3 speeds is the secret 😂😂 John Deere gives you 8 speeds without a clutch . The cabs on the Oliver ih and Massey were little better that a heat houser with a top on it like the Deere had since the model R
 

[centash]

Kinda like having the Nebraska Tractor Lab testing an Impala a Galaxie and a Monaco...

Ben
 

[4520BW]

that was interesting. the only thing I did not understand was why they did not pull the same model of plow. Maybe I need an oliver for my plow now. BTW the IH has to be the ugliest tractor made.
 

[rrlund]

Sherry posted this summary on the Oliver forum so you can see the weights and what not. The final weight on the tractors was 18,370 to 18,510 pounds. The chart shows how much weight was added to get them there. Rear tires an all four were filled to 75% with calcium chloride and water, the rest was added weights.






 

[swindave]

that is really great! thanks for the link,
 

[SVcummins]

The sad part is they will never make machines of this quality by any manufacturer ever again .
 

[tractorguy2]

We had Oliver tractors before we bought our 4430. I liked the cab better on the Oliver. Much better door and cab steps had a good air conditioner. The over/under shift worked much better than the quad range. Had no trouble with either of the two Olivers. Grandpa and dad though they needed slightly more power so they traded the Oliver. Almost bought a 1486 but at the last minute found this 4430 that was the same year and had the same number of hours as the Oliver.

So the trade was made. After the first year both dad and gramps were wishing they had kept the Oliver. The 4430 went through a lot of parts!

The dealer put our Oliver on their fall auction and someone from California bought it. The guy was very happy it was just what he had been searching for. He loaded it on a goose neck trailer pulled by a 1/2 ton International pickup. He left Nebraska headed to California but only made it to AZ when he lost the wheels on his trailer.