Super 99

The Fleetline Series debuted with models consisting of the 66, 77 and 88.

In 1953, at the tail end of the series, Oliver introduced a tractor that would be a short-lived transitional model known today as the ’53 99. Efforts to design a new higher-horsepower model were done in phases. For the 1953 model, engineering retained the back half of the heavy-duty 4-cylinder 99 and incorporated a new power plant and sheet metal.

The South Bend’s Muscle Tractor

By Sherr y

T

Going off of the success of the Fleetline models, Oliver continued to work with Waukesha for this new tractor. Using a block based on the 195 series, this engine was available as a gas or diesel model with 4” bore and 4” stroke. Although never tested at Nebraska in this model, the 6-cylinder engine was rated at 65 hp on the belt and 54 hp on the drawbar. Fuel was provided through a Marvel Schebler TSX-581

carburetor on the HC model and on diesel the Bosch PSB 6A 7CY 2920E pump.

In 1954, when Oliver introduced their Super series, the new Super 99 joined the family. By this time engineering had built a new backend and attached it to the Waukesha engine. Once again the choice of a gas or diesel 302 CID engine was available hooked to a 6-speed transmission.

he Fleetline and Super Series were undoubtedly some of the most popular models produced by Oliver.

Charles City, Iowa is known as the birthplace of the tractor for more than one reason, however, one of the favorite collectible models never set foot (or cleat) in Iowa. The muscle tractor of the series was Indiana born and left a mighty footprint in the hobby with a voice that matched.

Waukesha Diesel Waukesha Gas

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Oliver Heritage

GM Diesel

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When introduced, the Super 99 was rated a 4-5 plow tractor. With a bare weight of 6800 pounds, this model still handled like a smaller tractor. Steering was accomplished with a recirculating ball-type steering gear.

Although the tractor could make a

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Oliver Heritage

turning radius of 16’ with little effort, hydraulic boost power steering was an optional add-on. This “booster” eliminated 75% of the effort required to steer. Since this was just a booster, the tractor could still be steered when the tractor wasn’t running.

The platform on the operator’s station had plenty of room for greater driving comfort. The driver was well protected from wind, water and mud by the large fenders and splash panels.

If the operator should choose to stand up while driving, he/she could do so in comfort without having to straddle any obstructions.

Stopping power was done with double-disc individual brakes.

Providing four times the braking surface of the former band brakes, this meant longer life and less maintenance.

Any adjustments that were needed could be done easily from outside using just a wrench.

An independent 540 RPM powertake-off was available as special equipment. Controlled by a lever on the right side of the seat, no clutching was necessary to activate the PTO for driven equipment. Also controlled by this lever was a belt pulley, which was mounted under the platform at the rear of the tractor next to the PTO. While OSHA would have plenty to say about this today, the sales literature actually told you to tie a rope to the lever so you could control it from a distance.

Sales literature listed several options as “special needs”. An over-center hand clutch was available for attachment to the present clutch pedal. This permitted either hand or foot operation of the 12” dry disk clutch. A precleaner for the air cleaner was available for use in extremely dusty operating conditions as well as an extension to raise it up out of the dirt. Front and rear wheel weights were offered for extra traction.

The electrical system on the Super 99 Waukesha diesel consisted of two 6-volt batteries tied together to make 12 volts. The gasoline model, although built in low numbers, used a 6-volt system with electric start and generators standard equipment on both models.

The Super 99 was a massive machine compared to other models but lacked the desired horsepower. At the time, Oliver’s Chairman of the Board was Alva Phelps, who came to Oliver from GM. With Alva’s contacts, the choice was made to turn to GM as the supplier for a higher

The Super 99 shared the same grill halves as the Super 88.

It used a wider center strip to make up with the additional width of the frame.

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SUPER

STAR

Photos by

Super 99

Tom Magneson Verona, WI

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Oliver Heritage

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horsepower engine. Chosen was the 71 series 3-cylinder supercharged model.

Known as the 3:71, the 213 CID engine put out 72 hp on the drawbar and 80 hp on the belt. The additional seven hp changed the Super 99 from a 4-5 plow rating to a 5-6 plow rating.

When this model came out, it was the most powerful engine ever put in a factory-built ag wheel tractor. This engine had been used in countless applications for years, so it was a proven engine.

This engine was built in eight different configurations. The configuration used in the Oliver tractor was known as the RB. R = right hand location. B = the accessory arrangement which used. On most right-hand rotation engines, the blower is on the right side but on the Oliver

it is on the left. Differences were purposely made to this engine. Oliver didn’t want the dealers going to GM for parts. They wanted to sell the parts themselves, therefore it was designed slightly different. However, you can still get parts from GM for this engine even though it’s in an Oliver.

This engine was unique from the Waukesha for many reasons and it’s obvious whether the tractor is running or not. From a distance, the 371 can be differentiated from the Waukasha by the twin air cleaners poking out of the hood. While the tractor is running, without even looking, the cackle of the 3:71 can easily be identified. The Waukesha was of the standard 4-stroke cycle configuration. The 371 had a 2-stroke cycle, meaning intake and compression shared the same stroke

as did the power and exhaust. This configuration means power is produced twice as often per piston, which is why the 213 CID engine could put out so much more power than the 302 CID Waukesha. Delivery of all that power also required a larger clutch. While the Waukesha unit used a 12” clutch, the GM models required a 14” clutch.

The price book for November 1955 lists the three different variations of the Super 99. The first was the HC (gasoline) model with a base price of $2824. The Waukesha diesel model had a base price of $3535. This same model in a Ricefield configuration listed for $3938. The Super 99 GM ad model had a base price of $4620 and its Ricefield configuration listed for $5023. The HC model was definitely the cheaper option at 60% of the cost

of the GM unit. However, the fuel savings on the GM model over the HC model along with the addition work produced, made the GM model by far the wiser investment. The GM powered 99 was just a workhorse in the field and that’s all there was too it.

By 1957, the base price on all models had increased substantially.

The HC now listed for $4089, the Waukesha diesel was $4918 and the GM model was $6562 with the Ricefield model at $7123. That was quite a jump over a 2-year period.

Since Oliver was already teamed up with GM, a new option became available in 1957 that came from the Allison transmission division of GM. The Super 99 was now available with a torque converter. The October 1957 ag price book shows the base price of

this model as $8124 when equipped with 7.50-18-4 & 18-26-8 tires and it appears it was just being offered on the ag tractor. However, industrial Super 99 sales literature made the announcement in their January 1957 literature. When a tractor was equipped with this option, it was known as the Super 99 GM TC. The Super 99 originally came out with a primitive swinging drawbar.

Effective Dec. 1, 1955 all Super 99 and Super 99 GM tractors were provided with a newly designed drawbar. A heavyduty drawbar with an extra wide swing became standard equipment on the Super 99 GM. It could be installed on the Waukesha-powered tractors from the factory if ordered as special equipment.

Optional equipment on ALL Super 99s was the drawbar roller support.

Originally, the Super 99 came out with a double H shift pattern consisting of 6 forward speeds and 2 reverse speeds. In June 1957, the Super 99 could be ordered with two gear-shift levers instead of one. This option cost an additional $26.50. The pattern changed from a double H to a single H. One lever was for Hi-Lo while the other shifted in the gear pattern consisting of four positions.

This option was also available for field installation but cost an additional $69 and labor was extensive.

6 3 5 1

N

N

R2

LO

4

1 stick

R N

R1 2

5 6

HI

1 3

2 4

2 stick

The GM powered 99 was just a workhorse in the field and that’s all there was too it.

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Also available during the same time period was a foot-accelerator.

This option cost $12.50 and would work on any of the Super 99 tractors, regardless of the engine. By this time the Super 99 was becoming quite popular in construction use so more flexibility was needed. The tractor wasn’t just dropping the plow in the field and operating at the same speed through great lengths of time.

Additionally, by this time Oliver had acquired Be-Ge out of Gilroy, CA. The Speedhaul scraper had been designed specifically for the Super 99.

The SS-756 and SS-767 were both a match for this tractor. The 756 had a heaping full capacity of 5.6 yards while the 767 could haul 6.7 yards.

In 1956, Oliver teamed up with Harrison Hydraulics in Columbia, South Carolina to mount a Be-Ge pan scraper on a Super 99. This unique combination of engineering allowed the front axle to be removed from the tractor. Teetering on just the rear wheels, the Super 99 was given an industrial designation of 990. There is often confusion where the 990 scraper is concerned. This scraper WAS originally built from a Super 99 and called a 990. The 990 tractor had not yet been produced. When the 990 did replace the Super 99, the scraper combination was still called a 990.

Therefore, the 990 scraper can be built from a Super 99 or a 990.

The Super 99 was also available as a Front End Loader Tractor. The model was painted industrial yellow, had a wide-tread industrial front axle fitted with 10.00x20.12 truck tires and 18.00x26.10 road grader tires on the rear. The loader came with the tractor or could be ordered separately as the model 998.

The Charles City, Iowa factory had been known as the tractor factory of

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Oliver Heritage

The Super 99 is a favorite no matter if you’re pulling a plow, pan, tractor pulling or just making a lot of noise in a parade.

Oliver since the turn of the century when Hart and Parr left Wisconsin.

Tractors during the Fleetline and Super era were designed with parts compatibility in mind, meaning parts would fit more than one model. There was a lot of sharing going on. But the Super 44 and Super 99 were a bird of a different color. Those were completely different machines and weren’t even built in the same factory as the rest of the Supers. Since Oliver’s South Bend location had two factories, there was ample space for production. Most of the products built in South Bend were seasonal and weren’t produced year round leaving an opening for production. The Super 44 and Super 99 were a perfect fit for Plant #2 in South Bend.

When the Super 99 came out, it followed the paint scheme of the other Super models and used green wheels.

Due to the protest of farmers, Oliver eventually decided to switch back over to the red wheels originally used on the Fleetlines. A Sales Note alerted dealers that any tractors built after January 1, 1957 would leave the factory with red wheels.

The Super 99 is a favorite no matter if you’re pulling a plow, pan, tractor pulling or just making a lot of noise in a parade. Undoubtedly, the GM is by far the most popular with the gas model being the rarest. Produced from 1954-1958, these tractors were replaced by the 950 (HC model), the 990 (GM model) and the 995 (GM model with torque converter). Production of the 3-digit models was transferred to Charles City and tractors were never again produced in South Bend. While the South Bend plant will go down in history books as the plow factory, for many who worked there, it was the birthplace of one of the most powerful tractors of its day.

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