My Michigan 125B

[Ryan151]

Bet that was a nice 475

 

[Rolitto]

View attachment 167988

This was when I was changing the coolant lines to the aftercooler.

Yeah yours seems to be after-cooled in a different way, I was looking at my Cummins reference book.

 

[Rolitto]

Like I said I'm not opposed to selling it. I can't give it away but a reasonable price could be met. With what I do I could run a newer machine. I can obviously provide tons of pictures and videos of it and go into extreme detail of what all has been done to it so you can get a good feel for what this machine is as far a condition. But in short I would have no problem running it everyday 8 plus hours a day she's in good shape.

Okay we'll keep in touch when time comes.

 

[Rolitto]

All these pictures of Michigans makes me need to post the only picture I have of the first one I ever saw or worked on. It is a scan of a very old and damaged picture. But if you look close you can see some details like the chrome plated ladder and the chrome exhaust stacks! Forget the exact year but the story was this was the display model the factory used at a expo in Las Vegas. I know it was working in the quarry when I stated in summer of 1968.View attachment 167989

Nice picture you got there. It's a Michigan branded 475IIIA.

 

[cuttin edge]

Yes true however your competitor is turning more dollars he does more work but trust me he's spending more money too

Spend money to make money. Fuel consumption can be a big issue. The summer before last brought us over 7 hundred thousand in savings because of the lower price of gas, fuel, and liquid asphalt. We just spent 50 thousand to switch our plant over to natural gas because of the savings. Sorry to highjack your thread Rolitto, I do appreciate a fondness for old equipment. But I have fought to stay competitive in an industry that still operates at prices that are 15 years old with increasing operating costs. While I can see smaller operations clinging on to older machines for the simplicity of repairs, I can't argue with the numbers on paper when it comes to fuel savings and production. I'll admit that our 2 G series Volvos cause some grief compared to the Fs, but overall Strongo provides good service and support, and I still think new is the way to go.

 

[Ryan151]

So basically you're not ready?

 

[kshansen]

Nice picture you got there. It's a Michigan branded 475IIIA.

Spent many hours working on that machine back in the day! It was my first time working on a diesel engine when we rebuilt that Cummins. Don't recall if it was a 1710 or a older version with a little less displacement.

One thing I do recall was you could not pull the pistons out without removing the cylinder liners, big end of the connecting rods were too big to pass through the bore. Had to make a horseshoe shaped tool to slip over the rod to push up on the bottom of the liner and force it out as an assembly.

 

[Ryan151]

I hate it when they do that! 14 liter series 60 engines are the same way

 

[Rolitto]

So basically you're not ready?

You're referring to me buying the machine now you mean?

 

[Rolitto]

That's just nostalgia. Up until the G series, our Volvo loaders reliability has surpassed any of our Cat, Case, or Deere loaders. Maintainance vs cost is at an all time low, and production is at least 3 times what it was in the 1970s. I plow snow near a contractor that purchased our 75 Michigan. I can complete several lots of comparable size before he is half done. It's nice to remember how things were, and I agree that competition between manufacturers causes quality issues, but if you want to stay competitive as a larger company, you can't go backwards. I have a 53 Ferguson Tea 20 tractor, and it is fun to drive, but I would never buy a new one if they were still offered. Our road building season will be starting in a month. We have almost 7 million dollars work ahead of us so far, but we have lost at least 5 million to a company with deeper pockets, and a newer fleet. Our asphalt plant is from the 50s. It was well made, simple to work on, fairly reliable. Our main competition, based over 200 miles away has 2 New portable plants, new spreaders, new rollers new graders. They come in, bang out in 3 weeks, a job that would take us 6 weeks to do. Sometimes I think they bid a few jobs high just to leave a few crumbs for us. Gotta go forward, not back. Always nice to see the old stuff though

Take the best loader you've got and let's see if it earns you money like you think and serves you 40-50 years like Michigans do.

 

[cuttin edge]

That's why we got rid of the Michigans because they were too slow. An L70F would feed the asphalt plant faster and for less fuel than the 125. I don't care how many years the machine will last. Trading every 5 or 6 years is cheaper than 40 years of fuel guzzling. A 940 Volvo grader will do the work of a 740 Champion for less fuel, so it's a no brainier.

 

[Rolitto]

That's why we got rid of the Michigans because they were too slow. An L70F would feed the asphalt plant faster and for less fuel than the 125. I don't care how many years the machine will last. Trading every 5 or 6 years is cheaper than 40 years of fuel guzzling. A 940 Volvo grader will do the work of a 740 Champion for less fuel, so it's a no brainier.

Firstly, you're measuring fuel efficiency by which standards?
Secondly, you're comparing a modern machine (fitted with many sophisticated devices-onboard computers that cost half the price of the loader) to a bare classic machine that costs 1/10th the price while lasting 10 times more?
What would be the resale value of your machine when you want to sell it after 6 years of punishment with half of its electronic devices aged-out? And if you opted not to sell it, will it last more and stay productive?
Will the so-called fuel efficiency compensate the loss you're going to sustain in order to pay in return for a new machine?
I don't find any beneficial issue here.

 

[Rolitto]

Oh and I forgot to say: Michigans are slow? Not in my books. Not if they are fitted with the proper engine/transmission. Care to provide what models were yours and what engine were they fitted on them?

 

[cuttin edge]

I think they were all B models, Detroit power. I was just a kid when they were new. I will have to look into it. Used machine prices are crazy. Our stuff is well looked after, and normally fetches a good price. The little L45G will 53kph. The 150E will do 45 kph, the L90s and L70s will do 48kph. I'll get some numbers in the morning.

 

[Ryan151]

You're referring to me buying the machine now you mean?

Yes. Obviously only if you were interested.

 

[Ryan151]

New machines for a modern operation can be better for customers appeal. However an older 10 to 15 year old machine especially now days with all the dpf and Regan issues can have some serious advantages. Your fuel economy story is a line of crap though. My 55b burns 3.6gph very similar if not less than modern machines it size. I will say if clark was still around providing reliable and fast parts for my machines I would likely never upgrade. We run several l220e loaders and all of them are just about done in. Only have 18000 hours on them too. The old 475 Clarks wouldn't shake a leaf at 45k hours in shot. So yeah older and simpler is better in a lot of ways but if you can't get parts its an issue. Plus image is a thing in construction I won't argue that. Me personally I like mid 80s to early 2000s machines. Anything 2008 and up Just blows chunks. To many wires and bullcrap for me

 

[cuttin edge]

That is around the same consumption as our 950H. An L90 runs about 2.2, that's quite a bit less a year for a larger machine than a 55, especially running 6 or 7 of them. Unless they give fuel away where you buy it. I'm not dissing the quality of older machines, and while I am obviously a big fan of Volvo, I do believe I said I am pretty disenchanted with the latest production run, and I also stated quality of workmanship in all machines is at an all time low. However, I don't care how well a machine is built, they all cost money because they wear. I am sad to see Volvo's difficulty with the Regen systems as we have not spent as much on repairs on 6 L90Fs as we have on 2 950 cats. I believe when repair costs start to build, get rid of machine or truck or whatever.

 

[Ryan151]

I'm personally not a fan of volvo. I'm my experience volvo machines do good for the first 8000 hours after that it's down hill.

 

[Rolitto]

Yes. Obviously only if you were interested.

I'm interested in buying your machine Ryan but there are a couple of matters that worry me: 1) I'm currently low on cash at the time being, and 2) Shipping it overseas might be a risk, unless I want to transport it to Canada. This is why... however we can exchange our contact numbers so that when things get sorted out and if I'm the lucky owner, I'll buy it. How does that sound?

 

[Rolitto]

I'm personally not a fan of volvo. I'm my experience volvo machines do good for the first 8000 hours after that it's down hill.

I'm only Clark - Michigan fan but I couldn't agree more with you lol.