March/April 2021 Antique Power
/The March/April 2021 issue of Antique Power magazine is available in our gift shop and will be available in subscriber mailboxes and on newsstands soon. Our latest cover tractor is Steve and Diana Stebbins’ 1972 Oliver Model 2655. This feature is written by Peggy Shank and Rick Mannen and photographed by Brad Bowling.
March/April 2021 Antique Power
A Big Horse of a Different Color
Farm power glows green on the Stebbins Farm because the owners, Steve and Diana Stebbins, prefer Oliver tractors above all others. According to Diana, “95 percent of our 17 tractors are Olivers or from the Oliver line, including a couple of Averys and three Oliver crawlers.” The giant in the fleet, our featured 1972 Model 2655, dwarfs the smallest in their stable, a Model 60.
“Our nephew knows how much we love Olivers, and when he saw the Oliver 2655 advertised for sale, he told us about it,” said Steve. “It had been sitting for seven years near West Point, Virginia.”
After a flurry of emails, the Stebbins arranged to check out the tractor. Steve and Diana, who became Mr. and Mrs. in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, years ago often travel to that area. On one such outing, they made a side trip to see the Oliver. “The owner got it out of the weeds for us,” said Steve, and we “fell in love with it.”
A year passed before they were able to haul the 1972 Oliver 2655 home. The tractor’s long length with a 120-inch wheelbase, lofty height, and hefty weight of 19,850 pounds created a few transportation issues. Eventually, a friend who owns a semi-trailer mentioned that he also had a lowboy, which is what they needed to transport the tall, heavy Oliver. Organizing the proper wide-load permits followed. On June 27, 2016, the Oliver traveled to the Stebbins’ farm in Greenville, Ohio.
The sheer size of the Oliver 2655 initially attracted the couple’s attention, and its rarity increased their interest. “There are not that many of them,” said Steve. “Only about 1,000 were built and chances are only about half have survived.”
This model wore several brands and colors under the White Farm Equipment banner, which included Oliver, Minneapolis-Moline, and Cockshutt in the early 1960s. Manufactured in the former Minneapolis-Moline factory in Minnesota following corporate consolidations, this Oliver Green and Clover White version, of course, represents the Oliver group. The model, also called the White Plainsman Model A4T-1600, rolled out of the factory wearing the respective colors and badging for Minneapolis-Moline and White. The articulated four-wheel-drive tractors were offered to customers in Canada bearing Cockshutt badges and livery of red and cream.
To read more about the Oliver Model 2655, pick up a copy of the March/April 2021 issue of Antique Power magazine!
Other articles in this issue include:
Twin Power Rarity
Daren Meyers’ 1942 Massey-Harris Model 102 Senior distillate tractor stands apart from the herd. text by Rick MannenA Most Rewarding Hobby
Restoring his 1941 Allis-Chalmers Model C presented a challenge to Terry Kroske that turned into a worthwhile experience. text and photos by Candace BrownA Big Horse of a Different Color
A 1972 Oliver Model 2655 is the heavyweight in Steve and Diana Stebbins’ stable of tractors.
text by Peggy Shank and Rick MannenA Strong Work Ethic
Both Wendell Kelch and his 1922 Cletrac Model F tractor know what hard work means.
text by Robert GabrickFrom the Editor
Letters to the Editor
The Canada Connection From Horse Power to Horsepower
Photos from the Attic
At the Parts Counter Jack Garner—Oliver Man
Classifieds
Show Guide
Tractor Show Readers show off their favorites
Tech Tips Lucky Strikes
Of Grease & Chaff Steel Pennies
Gallery
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