Yes, there was a good Allis Chalmers dealer in that area called Lift & Equipment - New Orleans & branch in Baton Rouge, it was run by a man called, Harry Tabony. They had strong presence in the port operations in LA. Then things started to unravel in the early '80s.
Harry introduced this Yankee to the best etoufee I've every had on a business trip to see a customer called Ryan Stevedores in the mid 70s.