In 1970, to keep up with the Joneses (so to speak), Oliver released the 55-series tractors. They were great tractors, but in order to be more efficient in production, they based the 1755, 1855, and 1955 on the same motor…the Waukesha 310. In theory, one size fits all is a great idea. In practice, not so much. It was detrimental to the success of the model lineup – especially the 1855 and 1955, as these two were turbocharged for more power. Oliver continually dealt with overheating problems with both of the turbocharged models. Proper maintenance and oil changes would help, but if a farmer was trying to finish a field before dark and ran hard too many times, it often ended badly.
BUT…
The 1755 was the exception. The Waukesha 310 was the perfect size for the tractor, and because it wasn’t turbocharged, it would run cool enough to work all day long! I’ll bet some of you still farm with a 1755 that’s never had the motor cracked open! They’re a great little tractor!
So why is this one on Interesting Iron? Because there were only 39 Oliver 1755 FWA tractors ever made, and I’m 99.9% sure that this one is #39! Not only that, it was the second to the last 1755 ever built!
Now, does this translate into massively collector value? That’s debatable. Rarity doesn’t always mean dollar signs. We’ll have to see when the hammer falls! In the meantime, click the link and check this one out! It’s a survivor for sure!
BTW – If you really love Olivers and want a seriously deep dive into a great collection with some very good camerawork, check out That Oliver Guy on YouTube. He’s got some REALLY neat stuff!