7050 - why weren’t many built?

Were there issues with the 7050? Why weren’t many built? What are the main differences between it and the 7060’s?

I always wondered this about the whole 7000 series, weren't many of the whole series built- 7030 + 7050 started it off , wasn't nothing wrong with them but only put therm together for a few years then jumped them up to more hp and other changes Im not aware of

Had a 7030, really liked it, was a good tractor that just needed a few minor updates to 7040.

Their plan was to have the Power Director AND the Power Shift transmissions available in the 7030/7050. The PST wasn't ready, and it still wasn't quite ready when the 7040-7060's came out.  A-C lost a lot of time trying to work with Allison transmissions before they went out on their own and built one. Similar fate happened to International Harvester when they came out with the 5088-5288-5488. They were to have the standard (Synchro-Tri-Six) transmission and the optional full Power Shift. The PST wasn't ready until the Magnum tractor and by then Harvester went broke and sold out to Case-Tenneco.

Not to hijack this post, but what I find ironic is that when allis came out with the 7000 series, it was to cater to the latest, greatest,state of the art, modern farmer. But, at the same time period they were building the 70's run of white top Roto balers, which was to say the least, at the opposite end of the spectrum. Darrel

AC lost a ton of money on the last production run of Roto balers... I sold one which was robbed of parts from a dealer close out to Ronnie Hill Farm sales for $600; Memphis Region had over 20 that went for not much more than that that were 4 years old and still new unsold. There was one in Russelville Ky if my memory serves me correct that was in a shed til the 90's...

If I remember right there were 2 speeds of 4.2 mph. One was in high button and one on low button so you had a shift up or down from those. I think the 4,2 went to 3,8 on downshift, the 4.2 went to 5.2 on upshift. I think these were 3rd gear low range or high 1st gear, been a lot of years so my memory may be all wrong.

Speaking of the "looks"...when 7000s showed up I couldn't believe how ugly they were....today I'm used to them and nothing seems odd. Maybe if they'd put a square nose like a 220 on them they'd sold. Who knows. Too late now.

Timing. In short, farming economics comprise of world crop commodity marketing adjustments that coincide (or derive?) currency value(s). The new AC 7030/7050 tractors offerred a radical, but necessary advancement to embrace AC’s past 1960’s issues. Some issues were Load sensing hydraulics, safe roll-over quite/comfortable cabs, effective reliable power-shift transmission, reliable economical turbo-charged Diesel engine that encompassed inter cooling & oil/piston cooling dynamics. AC addressed, maybe better put, heavily invested in those improvements. But, the mid-late 1970s US farming economy challenged facilitation of the extra price associated with the AC improvements.

During the 1960s, Dad had switched to narrow rows(30”), co-owned a self propelled combine & grain drying facilities, plus embraced diesel power. The 1970s herbicides enabled no-till after wheat double crop soybeans. After realizing $8 soybeans during 1973-74, he seriously looked to upgrade his farm equipment. Our local AC dealer though was only able to offer him a series 3 190xt for field plowing demonstration. So I gotta think the newer 7030/7050 tractors impacted the local dealerships too. AC had numerous smaller dealerships that may not have possessed the newer improved tractors?

Edited by AC7060IL - 29 Nov 2019 at 12:53pm

I always have liked the looks of them , as I was a kid when they came out they were huge monsters ! Always liked the maroon color , but do remember being at an auction and a couple fellas joking that Allis must have ran out of paint to leave them primered,, as they didn't understand

I have seen where Harison Noble turned his 220 puller back to a farm tractor because of the shortage then,, Allis had a big investment on the 7000 series , as they put in a new computerized manufacturing assembly just for this , and future too,, I have an internal shop guide that details how they used the floor space from the now gone electrical business to acomadate more tractor production,, as they said - NO END IN SIGHT- ,, yeah that didn't turn out too good

   I was born in 66, I remember as a kid 10 or 12 or so, our neighbor chopping silage with an open station 7030 and 3 row head Gehl. We chopped with a 200 bought brand new in 74 and 780 2 row, crawling along. We never owned a 70xx, went from the 200 to an 8050.

The 7000s really were ahead of their time. Someone mentioned the styling of the hood above. That's not what stuck out to me. The fact that you could fuel them standing on the ground was such a good idea- I can't think of anyone else putting a fuel filler low like that until the 1980s.

matador wrote: The 7000s really were ahead of their time. Someone mentioned the styling of the hood above. That's not what stuck out to me. The fact that you could fuel them standing on the ground was such a good idea- I can't think of anyone else putting a fuel filler low like that until the 1980s. The looks are kind of a "Love it or hate it" design, but simple things that make the machine work better will make me okay with almost any styling. I remember the first time I saw a 7000 series- that cab just looked hideous to me. But, over the years, it's grown on me. Who knows- we might have one in our yard in the not too distant future....

The swing out battery tray was the thing of envy for the off color guys as well.

Swing out battery tray is AWESOME!