Versatile self propelled combine 1980s prototype

[dale560]

The 5000 was an okay combine but they had issues with the hydrostatic drive. When it worked it worked good but it had control issues sometimes. The rest of the combine wasn’t that bad. I just remember they could plug the walkers in wet or weedy crop. They used augers instead of elevator chains which was a good deal and I believe everything was a belt with no chains. They used the same rasp bar as a gleaner I believe. Dad never ran the versatile himself much he ran the f gleaner but the hired help or mom ran it.

[db1486]

Dad almost bought a 2000 years ago. I was pretty young but I remember checking it out with him. I think he almost made a deal on it then the dealer took in a very clean 1482 so he bought that instead. I re all seeing a few of the versatile pull types but not at all like the IH. The versatile was a big beast but like was mentioned they were built too light for the capacity. Fun fact about them, they were sold as a New Holland version for a short while. I forget the model number they used though. 

Doubt I'll make it this year, but Austin Thresherman Reunion is celebrating 60 years of Versatile this year. That's where I first saw Big Roy when I was a kid and got to go for a ride on it. Now they don't even let you touch it

[SDman]

19 hours ago, 5088 said:

How deep would the sweeps on that Noble be run?  What kind of power needed to pull it?  Never seen anything like that around here.

You would try to run them 3-4" inches deep ....more or less just enough to keep soil flowing over the blades consistently. That depth seemed to also be the most effective at killing weeds by cutting their roots.

I guess in my area, a Noble blade was generally considered one of the hardest pulling implements back when I was a kid in the 1980s. Moldboard plowing was pretty much retired by then, we did also use chisel plows and tandem discs at the time, but they were considered easier pulling. The 24' Noble blade we pulled behind the 2+2 was a pretty good load for it, I wouldn't expect it to pull much more than that. Now, my neighbor also had a 1586 tri-stripe just like the one in your Avatar; we pulled the Noble blade with the 2+2 for two reasons. Reason #1 was the 2+2 had a lot more radiator capacity; IIRC, it held almost 2 gallons more than the 15. You could pull that 2+2 hard all day in 100-degree heat without worrying about it running warm....the 1586 would run hot if pulled very hard above 90 degrees. Reason #2 was you could turn under load with the 2+2...something that was necessary as you didn't want to ever raise the Noble blade out of the ground any more than you had to if it was in very hard ground to penetrate.

The biggest Noble blade I ever remember around here was one BTO had a 9-blade Flex-King that he pulled with a 525/50 Big Bud. 

We pulled three 6-footer Noble Ms like Big Bud Guy described with our 1086...I don't think you would have wanted any more behind it, either.

[Sask466]

14 hours ago, db1486 said:

Doubt I'll make it this year, but Austin Thresherman Reunion is celebrating 60 years of Versatile this year. That's where I first saw Big Roy when I was a kid and got to go for a ride on it. Now they don't even let you touch it

About 10yrs ago we stopped in Austin - late fall cold miserable rainy day.  No other tourists there. Big Roy was in an open wall shed (before it was restored).  To my surprise the cab was unlocked.  I spent a long time crawling around it.  

[Big Bud guy]

 

[Big Bud guy]

 

JD versions of the “undercutter plow” and Noble blade.

[Big Bud guy]

 

Model M getting over taken by Mother Nature.  We used to have 5 of these but are down to three.  Notice the weight box extensions made out of worn out noble blades.