If they (there's good ol' 'they' again ) say, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", then Allis Chalmers must have been especially proud of their baby 'G' back in 1953 when it's unique configuration was, for the most part, copied overseas by the 1953 Roymond Simplex.

Now, for any of you not familiar with the Allis G, it was a purpose-built row crop cultivator tractor, and the (albeit dimunitive) king of them all. Utilizing a very unusual rear engine configuration, and a pipe frame in front with no real discernable operator's area other than a seat sitting practically in thin air that gave the operator the feeling of floating over the crop, the G was the undisputed champ of forward visibility. The little Continental 62 cubic inch engine was housed in a neat little streamlined sheet metal body behind the operator's back, and the radiator was towards the front of the tractor, but what would normally be the rear of the engine.

The Allis Chalmers G

Now, hop across the pond and take a gander at this lil puppy:

These are the only pics I can provide, and my dumb camera decided to refuse taking a clear closeup picture for some reason, so much of the detail is lost. What you can see, however, is the rear engine, forward operator configuration, and the streamlined engine compartment with the radiator right behind the driver's seat. The pipe frame is much like the G, but shorter. Differing from the G is the neat, streamlined fairing (to break the wind at high speed? Just kidding...) up front with the single headlight. Speaking of headlights, the G only had a single headlight, also. Even more bizarre is the single red dot taillight, again, just like the G.

Parked next to a Ferguson TE20 of the same scale, one can readily appreciate the compact size of the little Simplex (Implex?) tractor. What it's primary function would have been is anyone's guess, but a good one would be the mounting of a side mounted sickle bar mower, because the view would have been fantastic.

Whatever the case, four things can be immediately recognized in the Roymond Simplex:

1. the designer(s) REALLY liked the Allis Chalmers G
2. the designer(s) really liked streamlined sheet metal
3. the designer(s) really liked pinstriping
4. the designer(s) weren't afraid of being copycats

Twenty years later, the ground breaking (pardon the pun) little G was once again granted the ultimate compliment of imitation by the Hefty G, right down to the Continental F62 engine, although the tractor itself was presented in a slightly updated format, with a full operator's platform. They even chose the model designator 'G' in honor of the original. Who would have known in the beginning the ugly duckling little G would end up garnering such admiring attention?  Imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery!