Check out Mark Megliore's collection, the story of how it came to be, and the condition of each one...

Dear Kent,

Sorry it's taken me so long to get you some pictures of my Allis collection.  I hope the photo's come through all right. When my wife Jennifer & I bought our house, I looked for an old B series for months, all over South Carolina & Georgia. I had my Sister & her family looking all over North Carolina. My Mom & Step Father were looking in Ohio, and the rest of my family was looking for me in the back woods of Western New York. I finally gave up & looked for a new Agco Allis. The closest dealer was in Baxley, Georgia - 3 & 1/2 hours
away. I couldn't talk my wife into a big '900' series but we got a 514H (14 & 1/2 HP - hydro trans).  It's a great tractor, but I was still yearning for a B series.

We visited my Mom & Step Dad for Easter in 1999 and everyone laughed when I bought a bunch of Classified ads to look through. I noticed an ad for a "Allis Chalmers 10 HP. Garden Tractor for sale." They were still laughing at me until my Step Dad said that the location was only about 45 minutes away - now they began to worry and get the feeling that a trip was upcoming! When we got to the seller's shop (Mr. Robert Booth in Pataskala, Ohio) he showed me the tractor - it was an early 1970's Simplicity. I asked him about the ad and he said that he did have the Allis up the road at his home. We went for a look. It was a beautiful Big Ten. He said it hadn't been run for some time but, it started up & ran like a top - no oil burn or engine ticking (later I had the seat parts re-chromed in Atlanta & Jennifer re-did the seats for me). My step Dad was nice enough to write a check on the spot - being that I didn't have my check book on me.

That was Saturday, so after making it through Easter (with great anticipation!), we went back Monday to help load the tractor on the truck (my wife let me use the shipping account at her job-place). While waiting for the truck, we were poking around some. Let me tell you, Mr. Booth has it all - extra engines, transmissions, body parts, and anything else you could imagine related to old Simplicity/Allis'. I also noticed a tarp over a tractor at the far end of his shop. It was a B-1. It was just like my Grandfather's and in fine shape (Keith Gearharts wife did the work on the seat!). He said it was in pretty good shape but, needed some work & he didn't know when he could get to it. I told him to give me the better part of a year to smooth things over with Jennifer and then give me a call when it was restored. I got it in the spring of 2000. It always cut out after warming up, until I did the swap to a 12 volt system like you have described on the web page, now it simply purrs! The final piece of my B collection came in late 2000/early 2001.

When I sent the check for the B-1, I also sent a printed copy of one of the B-112's from your web site and told him to give me a call if he ever came across one. My Uncle had the most wonderful B-112 that I'd ever seen. He had it specially fitted with the hydro to turn it into a HB-112. Well, of course old Mr. Booth (who told me that he has been repairing lawn equipment for a living since the late 1950's / early 60's and loves Simplicity/Allis more than anything) called to say that he had a B-112 with the hi/lo range. It ran great but needed transmission work. Once again, I had to kiss-up to Jen (I love her so!!!). The B-112 has given me a great collection. I have the first Allis garden tractor (B-1), the first true 10 HP. (Big Ten), and the first really made by Allis after they bought Simplicity (B-112). I even have my new Agco Allis!

Now my only problem is that one reason we bought our nice little home is so I could have a garage for my convertible...it's now filled with Allis'!!!

Thanks for the best thing on the Internet!
Mark T. Megliore