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Northeast Missouri | In this area many combines were smaller so diesel added a fair amount to the cost of the machine. The "big farmers" were thought to be the only ones needing a diesel. The most frequent comment I remember hearing was the fear of starting a diesel when it was cold. Crops were harvested later in the season and cold weather during harvesting was common. Once farmers found an earlier harvest was advantageous and larger combines were used diesel took over in just a few years as most already had a diesel tractor or knew someone that did. The thought at the time was you had to keep a diesel "close to shore" so it would start the next morning. Engine technology overcame that fear.
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Gasoline engine in a combine
