Product Summary

· Weight: 6290 lbs

· Engine: Waukesha P 4 3/4 x 6 3/4 900 rpm

· Mag: Dixie 46

· Carb: Kingston L

· Serial Numbers:  Nebraska test Heider #8621

· Nebraska Test :114                                                                                     

Heider 15-27 1925-1927

The Heider C 15-27 was a follow on model of the Heider C 12-20 that debuted in late 1923 or early 1924. The initial rollout of it appears to have been as the 12-24 “Old Reliable” the only such reference so far being a Waterloo Mfg Catalog. That also includes the Heider E 18-35. It appears that by the time the tractor actually was in production it had been re-rated as  the 15-27.  Although the tractor retained the C designation in some advertising and on the serial plate, in other advertising it was only referenced as the 15-27.

 

Functionally for almost all intents and purposes aside from the larger Waukesha P engine, the 15-27 and later model 12-20 C’s were identical tractors.  The engines themselves are something of a mystery as all model 15-27s so far confirmed appear to have started as a Model M (from the C 12-20) but had the jugs and internals replaced by the larger P components. The tag was then altered to reflect the new size and model. According to the Waukesha engine Historical Society, only a small handful of actual P model engines were shipped to Rock Island, however enough M’s were shipped to cover the entire 10-20, 12-20 and 15-27 production. 

 

At the Jim Erdle Sale in 2013 a Heider 15-27 was listed. On examination, it bore the features of an earlier 12-20 with the pre 1918 platform and the tag was for a model M engine, but the jugs had been upgraded to P jugs.

 

Overall, while references in catalogs to the 15-27 are fairly plentiful, there is little non technical information available. It appears both the 12-20 and 15-27 were available through 1927. Nebraska Test 114 in May 1925 showed a chassis serial number of 8621. There may not have been totally sequential number between the 12-20 and the 15-27, although there were enough engines shipped to allow for it, there is a large gap in the 7000 serial range that has not been accounted for or examples seen from.

 

With the discovery of the Waterloo catalog with the 12-24 in it, it seems possible that the 15-27 was initially developed at the request of waterloo to offer well defined list of tractor HP’s to match with their separator line. This is only supposition, but as the earliest references are from Waterloo and  looking at the offerings this seems a plausible scenario. Certainly Waterloo was Rock Islands major partner and would have had a great deal of influence. 

HP: 15-27 (initial rating 12-24)

The Heider 15-27 was externally nearly identical to the Heider C.

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Below: These pages are from a Waterloo MFG catalog, this appears to be from ~1923, the engine specs match up with the 15-27. This is the only mention of the 12-24 I have so far found.