By BARB VAN LOO
Auction Exchange Correspondent

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — The tractors, crawlers, forklift, other farm equipment did not seem to mind the less than stellar weather as they awaited their turn to cross the block at the late April farm auction held by Vander Kolk’s Golden Gavel Auction Service. Furniture, other smalls, and tools awaited their turns in the barns and outbuildings.

The star of the farm equipment was the 1989 Deutz-Allis 7085-MFWD. Standing tall and towering over the other tractors and crawlers this diesel tractor, with 1240 hours, and a cab with heat and air sold for $20,500.

An Allis-Chalmers 705D all-terrain forklift with low hours, ag tires, a 5000-pound 10-foot lift and a side shift was a very desirable piece of machinery. After eliciting spirited bidding, this item was declared sold at $12,250.

Two crawlers were there and ready to be transported to a new location. One was an Allis-Chalmers/Cletrac crawler, a Cletrac HG60 crawler with an Allis WC engine, and a PTO. This crawler sold for $3,700. John Deere machinery always seems to be highly desirable. The John Deere 430 crawler presented had 1,700 hours, a track that was in good shape, a PTO, and also had newer paint on the hood and grill. The new owner of this won it with a $9,750 bid.

An Allis-Chalmers D12 Series III high-crop gas tractor with 3,500 hours and Roll Over Protection Structures also attracted its fair amount of attention and saw a final bid of $7,250. There were two additional Allis-Chalmers tractors for the bidders. One was a 1955 Allis-Chalmers CA with a factory wide front and the other a 1952 Allis-Chalmers G with a fertilizer hopper. The first sold for $3,500 and the latter earned $1,650.

Handy to have around the farm, but also desired for the outdoorsman who wants to get out and enjoy the snow, a 2004 Polaris 330 Trailboss four-wheeler came to the block and commanded a final bid of $1,450. A Polaris 250 four-wheeler sold for $600.

A 6-foot by 10-foot utility trailer sold for $700; a brush cart to go with the John Deere tractors saw $125; and a side bar earned $300. A two-row Holland celery planter saw a final bid of $600.

A snowplow that had been fabricated to fit a forklift crossed the block for $250; a three-point drag earned $260; a pair of wheels for the tractor had a final bid of $325 and a set of Allis-Chalmers G duals sold for $600.

A two-row budding cultivator on an Allis G cultivator bar crossed the block for $950 and a set of G wheels sold just before it for $175.
A set of Firestone tractor tires sold for $850; a pair of 624S tractors earned $450; A Ber-Vac S85 three-point snow blower sold for $700. For the lawn there was a Simplicity 20 horsepower garden tractor complete with a vacuum bagger and this piece of equipment saw a final bid of $1,500.

Two 300-gallon fuel tanks with pumps crossed the block. The one with approximately 10 inches of gas sold for $400 and the one with approximately 12 inches of diesel fuel crossed the block for $350.
Several Rapistan conveyors sold: a 32-foot by 16-foot conveyor belt sold for $1,150; a 12-foot long roller conveyor saw $850; a 90-degree conveyor earned $140; and smaller roller conveyors sold for $85 and $90.

For the person who wanted a tractor but did not have the room for a full-size one there were several model tractors, most new in the box, from which to choose. Many of these closely resembled the full-size ones that were out in the field. Among these a 1981 Allis-Chalmers One-Eighty sold for $65; a 1948 Allis-Chalmers G tractor earned $60; and a custom-made John Deere crawler with steel and rubber tracks crossed the block for $150. A John Deere Model 110 lawn and garden tractor, new in the box sold for $80; an Oliver 66 row crop tractor earned $75; a large Allis-Chalmers tractor saw $95; and a Cletrac with rubber and steel tracks sold for $50.

Very much for the collector a cast iron horse team pulling a wagon and in a mirrored showcase found a new owner for $350.