White is a brand that is well known for its silver tractors. This month for our corn harvest theme we are going to start a two part series on White's combines. Many readers may not be aware that White even made combines. What indeed produced combines for many years and they were quite popular with farmers of the day. In October we will take a look at White's subsidiary brands Oliver, Minneapolis-Moline and Cockshutt before they became just one brand. In November we will look at the White models.

White was a semi truck and engine manufacturer since the 1930's. In 1960 White Motor Company entered the agriculture market with the purchase of the Oliver and in 1962 Cockshutt. White increased its Ag interests in 1963 with the acquisition of Minneapolis-Moline. Oliver, Cockshutt and Minneapolis-Moline all produced their own unique combine at the time of the mergers. These machines could handle 50-75 bushels. As the decade of the 1960's came to a close farming power and capacity was growing. Farmers were looking for combines that could shell 6 row of corn and carry over 100 bushels of grain in the tank.

White purchased Oliver and Minneapolis-Moline for their strong brands of tractors. Cockshutt was purchased because its renowned Brandtford, Ontario combine plant. The Oliver and Minneapolis-Moline combine plants were old and out dated and would require millions of dollars of improvements. White concentrated all combine production to the Cockshutt combine plant.

In 1969 White introduced a 170 bushel combine built at the Cockshutt plant. This 150 hp combine could handel a 6 row corn head and 22ft grain platform. This large combine was in the same class as the John Deere 7700 and International Harvester 915 combines, also introduced in 1969. White offered the large combine as the Oliver 5555, Minneapolis-Moline 5297 and Cockshutt 555. The M-M combines were sold in red instead of the famous prairie gold color used on past combines.

In 1972 White brought the three brands closer together under a new division run by White Farm Equipment. Oliver and Minneapolis-Moline under the new division were sold at the same dealerships and Cockshutt in Canada began to see the White name replace its brand. In the same year the big 5 combine was replaced by the 7800. The 7800 offered a 155 hp V-8 engine and a 170 bu. grain tank. The 7800 was joined by the 7600. The 7600 was also a 6 row corn combine with 128 hp V-8 engine and 150 bu. grain tank. The 7600 was built to offer farmers a second choice in big capacity and was in the same class as the John Deere 6600 and International Harvester 815 combines. Both the 7800 and 7600 were built at Cockshutt and sold under all three brands.

The 5, 7800 and 7600 combines were popular and strong selling combines across the United States and Canada. Over the past 30 years of corporate mergers the Oliver, Minneapolis-Moline and Cockshutt combines have drifted away in the shuffle. These combines were leaders in their field during the 1970's. Toy collectors enjoy collecting combines. The classic machines offer draw more attention from collectors than the modern ones.

Tom Toohill is one of those collectors who is interested in classic combines. Tom is loyal to the White brand and wanted to have the wide varity of White brand combines in his own collection. He decided to make his own 1/64 models of the 5, 7800 and 7600 combines. This was an easier task because the three combines share the same frame. Tom crafted the combines with accurate sheet metal, the White combine cab and a folding unloading auger that details the White combines real auger. Each combine maker has their own unique corn head. Tom created an accurate model of a 6 row White corn head complete with the correct sheet metal. Once Tom crafted the resin plastic mold of the White combine all he had to do was pick the colors and print the decals. Tom with the one mold is able to create the Oliver 5555, Minneapolis-Moline 5297, Cockshutt 555, Oliver 7800 white cab, Oliver 7600 white cab, Oliver 7800 meadow green cab, Oliver 7600 meadow green cab, Sumac Red Oliver 7800, Sumac Red Oliver 7600, red Minneapolis-Moline 7800, red Minneapolis-Moline 7600, Cockshutt 7800 and 7600. From one model casting 13 combines are possible all ready to handle a 6 row corn head.

Tom Toohill has done an excellent job in preserving the history of White combines in 1/64. Enjoy a selection of pictures of Tom's models and the real machines. Next month we will continue our look at White combines as we look the development White combines as Oliver, Minneapolis-Moline and Cockshutt were phased out under the White name in 1975. Tom Toohill has built an excellent selection of White combines from 1975-1985 that will be featured along with Jeff Moore's custom model of White's big rotary combine.

If you are interested in learning more about Tom Toohill's 1/64 White combines you can contact him by e-mail at tom.toohill@electrolux.com.

Tom Toohill
23340 Old Principal RD
Leroy, Ill 61752