The Elec-Trak I1 - A prototype of the industrial tractor
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Although there was actually a picture of an "I1" in the 1972 Annual Dealer Meeting Persentation Packet, it was
thought any such prototype machine was probably lost forever by now. If one researches all of the available
literature, no where in any G.E. publications was it ever mentioned and all the announcement materials for the
first industrial version of the Elec-Trak were credited to the I5.
Shortly after I had found the first I2 still in existance, a fellow Elec-Trak owner noticed his I5 had the same early fenders as my I2, not at all like those found on the standard I5 machine. Also his serial number indicated it was built on the same day as my I2! Upon closer inspection of the decal on the hood of the tractor he noticed that a small cut-out section of an "I5" decal had been pasted over the large decal already on the tractor hood. He fired up his heat gun and pealed back this small piece of decal to reveal the larger decal below- it was an I1! The odd thing is he lives and had bought this "I5" in Wisconsin. One might believe an I1 might possibly turn up in the Scotia, N.Y. area as it could have been taken home from the plant when operations closed down. After all, most of the prototypes that were made were used as plant utility vehicles. In 1973-74 they were recalling unsold machines from dealers, refurbing them and then sending them back into the field as newer models. They no doubt converted this I1 to modern I5 electronics and shipped it off to a dealer in Wisconsin to sell as a new I5. The electronics look more like a late model E20 with four relays rather than the primitive integrated circuit boards used in the 1971 machines. No one know how many I1's were built but this one was built on June 18th, 1971- almost a year and a half before the first I5's came off the assembly line in the fall of 1972. Later that same day, they built my I2 so chances are not too many! Since the owner was looking to get a little cash to put toward a loader for his Elec-Trak, it did not take too much convincing for him to agree to sell me this amazing treasure. Use the zoom and rotate features of your Adobe Reader to examine the following pub and check out the tractor's decals closely. Associated Publications:
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