Viking
Garden Tractors
Last
updated 31 July 2000
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Allied Motors
Corporation built a number of tractors while in existence, and without fail
these tractors were, when developed, some of the most advanced in the
Syndicate.
"B"
Viking Twin. (1928-1934)
This tractor was
designed and built to market to farmers as a replacement for heavy horse
plowing and light team cultivating duties. The tractor was well engineered with
a L head two cylinder engine, dry plate clutch, and two speed transmission.
Reverse and a belt pulley were options. Most bearings in the tractor were
either roller or ball bearings, with only a few others being of the bronze
sleeve type. One major design flaw in the engine was the use of sleeve bearings
for the camshaft. In the initial design, these bearings did not receive
adequate oiling, and the camshaft system was later designed to address this.
Tractors
equipped with reverse were also equipped with a different sort of wheel hub
than those without. The standard exposed ratchet hub was used on the forward-only
tractor, while a single dog hub was used on the reversible tractor.
You can identify
this tractor in the field by examining the crankcase casting. A "B"
should preface the casting code. The serial number plate is located on the
inside of one of the handle bars. The serial number is also stamped into the
top surface of the engine crankcase main casting on the front left corner.
My "B"
Viking Twin has been in the restoration queue for about 2 years. This is
where the restoration stands as of spring 2000.
"F"
Viking Twin (1935-1937)
With the
introduction of the Standard Twin and its improvements over the "B" Viking,
there was a vacuum in the Viking line, so the F model was developed. This
tractor uses the same engine and transmission as the Standard Twin, but the
final drive system is very different. The Viking also uses "I" beam
handlebars instead of the Standard Twins' pipe style handlebars.
The F model can
be readily identified by the large differential casting, and the code on this
casting will begin with the letter "F". This tractor will also have
an "F" in the serial number.
This model was
built for only three years, 1935 through 1937.
"G"
Viking 3 1/2 (1935-1937)
This tractor was
the next clean sheet of paper the Syndicate designers pulled out. The plan was
to build the next generation of engines that would put the competition on the
ropes. To this end, in some ways, a very advanced engine design was crafted,
one which focused on durability and maintainability. Perhaps the most
interesting feature of this engine is a large square hatch that can be removed
from the side of the engine to facilitate access to the bottom end of the
engine. World War 2 cut short the life of this design (See the note on the CG
Viking 3 1/2). This engine was mated to the "F" Viking Twin differential
and transmission, producing a 3 1/2 horsepower tractor with two speeds forward,
one reverse, and a host of attachments already proven in operation.
"CF"
Viking Twin (1938-1941)
Beginning in 1938,
a new tractor was introduced in the Viking line. It was the CF Viking, and it was new only
because it was a new Viking. In fact, it
was a Standard Twin with cosmetic changes.
These included an engine house; a large boxy affair with louvered doors and
front, the gas tank was oriented front to back instead of side to side, and the
handlebars were made from an I beam type material instead of round pipe. Otherwise, the tractor was purely a Standard
Twin, and of course all parts will interchange.
This tractor was made from 1938 through 1941. Production ceased in 1942 due to World War
II.
"CG"
Viking 3 1/2 (1938-1941)
The CG Viking 3
1/2 was, like the CF Viking Twin, based on the Standard Twin tractor. However, there was one major change from the
standard Twin – the engine. The CG
Viking 3 1/2 used the G Viking's single cylinder engine, and was mated to the
Standard Twin chassis. I know of very
few of these tractors, though production numbers indicate something like 300
were made. Like the CF Viking twin, this
tractor's production run began in 1938.
Production ran until 1942, when a shortage of materials caused a halt in
production.
