Oliver 66,77,and 88 (The 3 Beauties Before the Beast)

By Sh e r r y

W

hile many will agree that the model 70 was revolutionary as a modern trac-

tor, many will also agree that the introduction of the Fleetline series gave Oliver a real boost in the market. With new engines, new styling, and new features, these three models had efficiency AND splendor. In my opinion, these are still some of the best looking tractors out there today. It is no wonder that they are referred to as The Three Beauties.

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Oliver Heritage

World War II significantly impacted tractor production. New models that were on the drawing board were suddenly sidelined to make room for war efforts. By the time the war was over, EVERYONE was ready to come out with a new model!

Oliver had already begun work on what would become the Fleetline

series in the early 1940’s. As far as the engineering department was concerned, upon introduction of a new series, it was time to start working on the next series. Oliver wanted a series that could share some components, reducing inventory and production costs. The 60, 70 and 80 streamline tractors were successful but did not

have a lot of similarities other than the overall look.

The Continental engine in the Oliver 70 was widely accepted and was the engine of choice for the new series.

However, when Oliver approached Continental about providing engines for the Fleetlines, Continental informed Oliver that they would not be able to fill their order. Following the war, not only

The 60, 70 and 80 streamline tractors were successful but did not have a lot of similarities other than the overall look. did everyone want a new tractor, they wanted a new automobile too. KaiserFrazer was using all of the engines that Continental could produce. Because Continental turned down the offer with Oliver, the tractor builder was forced to search in another direction.

Oliver had been involved with Waukesha Motors since the early 1930’s. It is unclear to me why they were not the first choice, but perhaps the Waukesha engine appeared antiquated while they were looking for a more modern engine. When Waukesha and Oliver did partner up to develop a new series of engines, it was like a match made in heaven.

Oliver used their foundry to cast many of the blocks that were shipped to the Waukesha Motor’s plant in Waukesha, Wisconsin. From there, they were machined, assembled, tested and shipped back to Charles City for installation in the new tractors.

When moving these engines back and forth, two trucks were used on each load. The Iowa truck took a trailer load of blocks to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where it would meet up with a truck from Wisconsin. Both trucks would drop and switch their trailers. This allowed the IA truck to return to Charles City with a load of completed engines and the WI truck to take the bare blocks back to the Waukesha plant. Doing this allowed each of the drivers to be home at night.

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During the early stages of testing of the new Fleetline series, the prototypes appeared to be nothing more than a 60, 70 and 80 model, all streamlined. A picture of these three prototypes has been reproduced in several publications; however, if one gives this careful consideration, there was never a streamline model 80, so it’s obvious there is something wrong with that picture.

The first pilot run of 88s were manufactured and brought out in 1946. There were three hundred of them built and they were known as the XK tractors, strictly for testing purposes. Later that year three hundred model 66 and 88s were built to test the market.

The first tractor of the new series to be sold to the public was the model 88.

Production models were introduced in April 1947, which retained the same streamline styling as the 70. It is commonly referred to as the old-style 88 or the streamlined 88.

The 77 was the next of the Fleetline models to be introduced. Production on this model started in June 1948, which was just in time for the two newly styled Fleetlines to make their debut in Battle Creek, MI. This was a huge celebration that Oliver marketed as

28

Oliver Heritage

The first tractor of the new series to be sold to the public was the model 88.

“Oliver Begins Its Second Century.”

The company celebrated a century of success, using Nichols & Shepard’s 1848 anniversary. Old Hart-Parr No. 3 was on display right next to the new Fleetline models to commemorate the next century.

The 66 model was the last of the three initial Fleetlines to make a showing. This baby Fleetline began production in February 1949 with a new 4-cylinder Waukesha/ Oliver HC or KD engine.

Despite the first of the series being very successful, it had many options that were later changed. The engines used in the old-style 88s had larger freeze plugs than the later engines. This is a feature that most collectors check when purchasing this model to assure it has the correct engine.

In early production, the 88 was only available with a gasoline (HC) or distillate (KD) engine. The engine used in the early models (engine serial numbers prior to 664619) were unique with large freeze plugs. G2 engines incorporated several changes in the crankcase and rods to permit the use of these parts on the diesel engines as well as the HC and KD. This was a K-100-A block.

The next engine used on the 88 was the G3 series and was used from engine serial number 753786-753823.

This was the K-100-B block. The G4 block was the K-100-C and incorporated even more changes including the absence of freeze plugs.

The 77 began production using the G1 engine. At engine serial number 760138, the G2 engine was used and bore was increased from 3 3/16” to 3 5/16”. Since the 66 came onto the scene a little later, it never used the G1 engine.

When the 88 and 77 were introduced, they used the same solid cushion seat that was used on the 70. It wasn’t until June in 1949 that the Ridemaster seat was introduced.

After the Ridemaster was placed on production models, a field conversion kit became available. This caused many of those seats to be put

on earlier model tractors.

However, with a wider seat frame, the PTO lever was interfering with the seat so the tractor owner was advised to put a pipe over the lever and just bend it outward.

Originally the PTO lever was mounted on the left side of the seat. This was done so the operator could engage the PTO with his left hand while feathering the throttle to the appropriate speed with his right. However, operators wanted a right-hand PTO lever. In January 1949 a change was made to the PTO assembly that allowed the tractor owner to use the

Ridemaster seats were introduced at the following serial numbers: 88 RC: . .

88 STD: .

88 IND: .

77RC: . . .

77 STD: .

77 IND: . .

66 RC: . .

66 STD: .

66 IND: .

124704 821962 920506 325601 270566 403186 420151 470406 462051

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SUPER

Photos by

The Three Beauties - 66, 77, 88

PE SU R

30

rm Po we

r

Fa

Oliver Heritage

STAR

Owned by:

Craig Montgomery

Monroe, WI

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PTO lever on either the left or right hand side. Engineer Herb Morrel was against this change. He felt that gave the operator the opportunity to just rev the tractor up to maximum RPMs and then engage the PTO, putting quite a bit of stress on the system.

Early Fleetline tractors used a decal to indicate the shift pattern. These did not hold up well under weather and field conditions. In March 1949, the decal was replaced by a metal tag and decals were no longer supplied as a replacement.

In November 1949, another feature was released for the Fleetline series.

Radiator shutters became available for installation. This required a little cutting and drilling to install but full instructions came with the kit. These were primarily for the KD engines but worked with the HC as well. No mention is made of installing them on diesel engines because those were not yet available.

When Oliver promoted their new tractor fleet, they advertised a choice of three engines. The HC and KD were available from the beginning but Oliver stated that the diesel would be available later. It was actually 1950 before that happened. In 1951 they introduced the factory LP engine. LP tractors prior to that were field conversions and Oliver had to be “approved” before LP tractors could roll off the assembly line.

In the early 1950’s, gasoline was only eighteen cents a gallon. Diesel was twelve cents. When you consider that the diesel used 1/3 less fuel for the same horsepower, it seemed like a no brainer but the diesel engine was not an easy sell at first. It took a while for farmers to warm up to the new method of power, but by 1954, Oliver was selling 43% of all diesel tractors on wheels.

Oliver did their research when they

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Oliver Heritage

When you consider that the diesel used 1/3 less fuel for the same horsepower, it seemed like a no brainer but the diesel engine was not an easy sell at first.

Model

# Cyl.

B&S

CID

Comp. Ratio

DB HP

Belt HP

22.3

26.05

66 HC

4

3 5/16x3 ¾

129

6.75:1

66 KD

4

3 1/2x 3 ¾

144

4.75:1

66 DSL

4

3 5/16x3 ¾

129

15.5:1

22.05

25.03

77 HC

6

3 5/16x3 ¾

194

6.75:1

34.2

38.82

77 KD

6

3 1/2x3 ¾

216

4.75:1

77 DSL

6

3 5/16x3 ¾

193.9

15.75:1

31.28

35.79

88 HC

6

3 1/2x4

230.9

6.75:1

38.4

44.66

88 KD

6

3 3/4x4

265

4.75:1

88 DSL

6

3 1/2x4

230.9

15:1

patterned the diesel engine. This was not an engine designed to burn gasoline that was switched over the diesel. It was truly intended to burn diesel and hold up under higher compression. The first fifty diesel engines used the Richardo combustion chamber system and a single plunger pump manufactured by Sundstrand. Bosch did not offer a single plunger pump at the time. When they found out what was going on, they quickly got to work. The result was a Bosch single plunger pump with the Lonova combustion system that was used throughout the Fleetline production.

One of the revolutionary features

of the Fleetlines was the directdrive power take-off unit that was independently operated. Initially, engineers set out to have the belt pulley and PTO operate as one unit off the rear of the tractor. During the failed tests, it was decided that they should be separate units in separate locations, thus the belt pulley was moved in front of the transmission.

When the three beauties were introduced, they were equipped with a power lift just like that on the 70.

This was a necessary feature that worked well with the pipe-mounted implements, but not so well with

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38 38.30

43.53

drawn implements. Oliver’s solution for this was the Hydra-Lectric system which was introduced in 1950. With a hydraulic pump and reservoir located on the operator’s platform, implements could be controlled by switches mounted below the steering wheel.

This created a minor problem on tractors with a belt pulley. When the operator pulled up the lever to engage the pulley, the lever came in contact with the hydraulic controls. Oliver sent out a service bulletin telling dealers how to bend the pulley lever to a 90, which would eliminate contact until a new lever was designed.

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snappy

versatile

powerful

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Oliver Heritage

Each of the models was described

by Oliver using different adjectives.

The 66 was the “snappy” model.

The 77 was the “versatile” model and the 88 was the “powerful” tractor in the lineup.

The three beauties were available in a wide variety of configurations. The 88 was available as a Standard, Industrial and Row Crop from the very start. Later the Orchard and Grove model was added to the 88 lineup followed by the High Crop.

The Fleetline RC was available with the single front wheel, dual narrow front and the heavy cast iron adjustable wide front.

The 77 was the same way. The 66 was initially just introduced as a Standard and Row Crop model. The RC was available with a single front, dual narrow front or the adjustable wide front that was tubular, unlike the heavy cast front on the larger models. The industrial model soon joined the ranks and by 1951 all three sizes were available as Orchard and Grove models.

Each of the models was described by Oliver using different adjectives. The 66 was the “snappy” model. The 77 was the “versatile” model and the 88 was the “powerful” tractor in the lineup.

Of course the diesel models where the “economical” choice.

The late Bob Tallman, Tower City, Pennsylvania Oliver dealer, vividly remembered that time. He stated that he thought he had died and gone to Heaven when the Fleetlines were introduced.

There were so many new features and so much to talk about with the new series.

When the Fleetline series was initially promoted to the public, a cost-sharing

national billboard campaign began.

The billboard showed the three new models with the local dealer’s name at the bottom. In addition, each dealer was supplied with a four-page colored folder showing the billboard.

These were provided to the dealer in an envelope already printed with the dealer’s return address. They were then mailed out to the dealer’s mailing list.

According to the code on the flyer, there were 1,700,000 of these flyers printed and mailed in May 1948. I found this number to be high until I found documentation in Oliver material stating there were two million direct mail pieces mailed out to customers.

Oliver spared no expense marketing this new series. The company

borrowed $8,000,000 that year which was mostly used to put production in high gear. The company was so confident with their new series that Oliver and its 2500 dealer organization launched a campaign featuring over 10,000 outdoor billboards around the country, a thirteen-week schedule of dealer promotional films, a series of slides to be show at movie theatres, an eight-week dealer newspaper ad series as well as radio announcements.

Dealers were also sent four-color posters, hanging pennants, postcards, matchbooks and other items.

Another popular item was the Three Beauties calendar. A blonde, brunette and red head were picked from Oliver’s office staff to post for this piece of art.

If the tractors failed to catch your eyes, maybe the girls would.

The Oliver Shield, which was a popular periodical distributed to the dealers, was put on hold while this major campaign was taking place. The March/ April 1948 issue was the last one until the October/November 1948 issue came out boasting the success of their summer media campaign. Net sales for 1946 were $50,841,000 but two years later, the net sales for 1948 were $103,310,000!

By 1953, net sales were over 136 million.

These beauties were a definite shot in the arm for Oliver. Not only did they have, snap, versatility and power but their style definitely proved that even 60+ years later, the 66, 77 and 88 are still “The Three Beauties”.

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