Every tractor has a story.

The WC Allis-Chalmers tractor sitting in Virgil Adcock’s shop certainly does. It was sold new in 1937 by Jones Tractor Company to a farmer in Talladega, Ala. At some point it was traded back to Jones Tractor, and then mistakenly ended up in a 1975 store auction. D.L. Gilley had the winning bid at $50, and took the prize home to live in his Piedmont barn. In February 2009 Gilley sold his treasure to Adcock for $1,500, who restored the tractor to the beauty it once was in 1937.

This tractor and many others will be on display at the first Allis-Chalmers “G” Roundup, Oct. 9-11, at the original Allis-Chalmers’ plant, 2620 Meighan Blvd., Gadsden. The event is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and will include antique tractor displays, arts and crafts, a swap meet, new parts vendors, as well as food vendors. There is a $5 entry fee, half of which will benefit the Etowah County Rescue Squad.

The event is sponsored by two tractor clubs – Weiss Lake Power Association of Centre and Coosa Rusty Iron Association of Weaver, Ala. The City of Gadsden is a co-sponsor, and will run a shuttle trolley between Noccalula Falls Campground and the event.

Tractor buffs from around the country will attend and participate in the event. “We are expecting folks from Canada, New York, and all over,” Adcock said.

The event location is especially meaningful for those interested in the history of the antiques that will be on display. The old Allis-Chalmers plant in Gadsden closed in 1984, and was the only producer of the Allis-Chalmers “G” tractor.

“The “G” stood for “Gadsden,” Adcock said. “All of the “G’ tractors were manufactured between 1948 and 1955. There were less than 300,000 built.”

Adcock will be taking eight to 10 of his “G” tractors to the event. But he is especially excited about one particular “G” that will be there.

“We located the first “G” tractor to ever come off the assembly line,” Adcock reported. “It has the serial number one on it, and it was used inside the plant. It is going to be at this show.”

Adcock said that the number one and number two tractors were used inside the plant, while tractors numbered three, four, and five were used to test the “G” machine’s endurance on the outside of the plant. “Numbers three, four and five were just abused to death,” Adcock said. Those tractors have long since been scrapped.

The number six tractor was the first one sold to the public. It is currently owned by a collector in Louisiana, who is bringing it to the show for display.

Don Turner, a member of the Weiss Lake Power Association, was able to track down the Allis-Chalmers “G” number two, and has arranged for it to be on display as well.

The show is for antique tractors of all makes, including Minneapolis Moline, John Deere, Ford, International, and Farm All.

Jimmy Grimes is president of the Weiss Lake Power Association and plans to take several of his restored John Deere tractors to the show, including a 1959 John Deere 630, a 1957 John Deere 620, and a 1954 John Deere 40.

“We have had a great response so far, and expect to see a lot of folks out there,” Grimes said.

Grimes is also an avid collector of John Deere memorabilia. “I’ve been collecting John Deere toys for years,” Grimes said. “I have one precision piece that is going for $500 on the Internet.’

According to Grimes there will be vendors selling tractor memorabilia for collectors, and there should be something for everyone.

Grimes wife, Cindy Grimes, participates in the tractor club as well and has helped with the organization of the event. “We have a lot of folks in the local club who have Allis-Chalmers “G” tractors, and they plan to bring those,” she said. “We will have a program for sale that tells more of the history of the tractors there.”

The show will go on, rain or shine. For more information about the Allis-Chalmers “G” Roundup, call Jimmy Grimes at 927-3924.