Why Maroon Belly?
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=128444
Printed Date: 24 Sep 2024 at 2:04pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Why Maroon Belly?
Posted By: Greg (Hillsboro, OH)
Subject: Why Maroon Belly?
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 11:48am
|
In reading the post asking about the best looking tractor, I saw some comments about the 7000 series maroon belly tractors. One comment said he liked the black belly as the maroon ones seemed cheap, like they were primed and not painted. I agree with that thought. What was the reason/logic for the maroon color. It definitely does not compliment the A/C orange. |
Replies:
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 12:11pm
| Oil leaks weren't as easily noticed on darker colors. |
Posted By: Play Farmer
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 12:34pm
|
I have no idea why, but when I brought my 7000 home I had no intention of keeping the maroon. The more I worked on it the more the maroon grew on me. It would have been a lot cheaper & easier to switch it to black, I kept it maroon and have no regrets at all. I like it! |
Posted By: Allis dave
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 12:37pm
| It was the 70's. Weird things were happening. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 1:03pm
|
I kinda wonder why they were maroon too. A friend of mine has two 7050s, both repainted black because he hated maroon. I also wonder why they changed the bin decals of the earliest L/M Gleaners. I thought they looked pretty cool.
|
Posted By: Tcmtech
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 1:04pm
|
Someone in the accounting dept noticed that when they ordered paint by the 55 gallon drum the cost per gallon was way cheaper ($1 a gallon) then when they got it in 5 gallon buckets ($2 a gallon) and when they ordered it by the semi tanker load (50 cents a gallon) it was even cheaper per gallon then by the 55 gallon drum. Given that they figured the biggest volume they could order it by would thus be the cheapest yet so they ordered one tanker train load (10 cents a gallon) of the stuff or ~100 33,000 gallon rail cars worth.  It takes a long time to burn up that much paint so be glad that the AC manufacturing plants were far inland and not near seaports where that accountant could have ordered a load of paint by the ocean tanker load (pennies per gallon you know) otherwise AC would have been all red primer from top to bottom just like the old Ford tractors were basically primer grey from top to bottom!
 |
Posted By: JayIN
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 2:24pm
|
Huh???? ------------- sometimes I walk out to my shop and look around and think "Who's the idiot that owns this place?" |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 3:12pm
Now that's a conspiracy theory 
------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: Tcmtech
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 5:47pm
I take you have never worked in a place where accounting either had you restricted to only ever ordering one item at a time to keep inventory numbers down or went the opposite way and pushed so hard for you to use bulk order price breaks that you ended up with a lifetimes supply of an item on the shelf and just looked for ways to use it even if it wasn't necessary? As someone who has been a service tech in one fashion or another all my life I have fought that battle too many times. Either I had a certain part that I used a lot but could not bulk order due to concerns over inventory numbers or they pushed me to order so damn many of something to get the best price break possible I doubted I would ever use them all up.
|
JayIN wrote:Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2016 at 8:35pm
|
Allis company was soooo huge I doubt paint was much of an item. They bought about every color possible for all the things they built. At least that's my take. ------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 12:57am
| some farmers are like that too |
Posted By: Kcgrain
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 9:29am
| I asked Norm Swinford this exact question. His reply was like Dr Allis said they wanted a darker color because oil leaks didnt show as easily, the intent was black, but they had a mock up that was in prime, and the president of the company seen it and said he liked that color, so keep it, and after a lot of negative feed back it was eventually changed to the intended black. His words, not mine |
Posted By: Tcmtech
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 11:55am
| If hiding oil leaks was a concern every tractor ever built would be painted black. |
Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 12:15pm
|
^^^Yeah! And, like someone above said, that primer-maroon color and the orange do not compliment each other in the slightest. That president dude, his wife musta matched his socks, slacks, and tie for work each day. |
Posted By: ACFarmer
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 1:31pm
|
Guess I'm in the minority, I think the maroon belly tractors look good as long as it's not faded out. ------------- Making A living everyday farming with and working on Allis Equipment |
Posted By: grinder220
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 2:04pm
|
Posted By: caledonian
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 3:00pm
| Milwaukee is a seaport via the St Laurence seaway. |
Posted By: cottonpatch
Date Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 5:46pm
I guess I'm in the minority as well as I always liked the maroon belly. Especially when they were new and glossy. Additionally, same colors as my alma mater: Virginia Tech! ------------- '52 CA, '61 D10 II, ‘61 D15, '66 D15II, '63 D17D III, ‘69 170, '73 185 Crop Hustler, '79 185, '79 7000, '77 7040 |
Posted By: AC Orange 1
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 8:54am
|
I'll put my vote in for the maroon belly 7000 series as well. I think the Orange and Maroon look good together. Like said before...painting a factory maroon belly tractor "black" just looks wrong. I like to see things in their "original" form. Of course I may be biased because I have a 7050. I just love the first-year 7030 and 7050 with the maroon belly and black cab front. Very unique. With all that said...I would NEVER throw out a black belly 7000 series tractor in my shed...love them too!
------------- 1937 (AC WC), 1952 (AC WD), 1957 (AC D17 SERIES 1), 1964 (AC D17 SERIES IV WITH FACTORY 3PT), 1970 (AC ONE-NINETY XT SERIES III), 1971 (AC ONE-EIGHTY) |
Posted By: Keith M
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2020 at 3:09pm
| I had a 7030 only truly new tractor I ever bought. Part of my purchase deal was remove all maroon paint and paint it black. When they got to my farm I scraped off paint behind the rails to make sure. They had and got to unload. I Never regretted my decision or the cost. I Hate the maroon some Moron chose. |
Posted By: Fred in Pa
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2020 at 9:14pm
|
WHY NOT !! I like the way they looked . ------------- He who dies with the most toys is, nonetheless ,still dead. If all else fails ,Read all that is PRINTED. |
Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2020 at 9:34pm
| I bet ya a dollar that sales would have been better if the 7000's came out with black bellies. They were such a shock to the system the way it was,then you add in that "out of place" maroon ......YUCK! |
Posted By: Keith M
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2020 at 10:47pm
| The reason I despised them was they looked like a teen aged girl picked the paint scheme. I’d just as soon owned a pink tractor. |
Posted By: JPG AUSTRALIA
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 7:53am
Well i have always prefered the maroon models, And i never liked the look of the black belly cabs always thought the earlier cabs looked better. 
|
Posted By: DougG
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 8:11am
| Nice looking 7060 ! |
Posted By: plummerscarin
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 8:41am
|
I tend to favor the early cab as well. The proportions are better but that front panel I'll bet was a bear to make. From the operator's seat it makes little difference. I don't remember ever seeing a moroon belly when they were new. Was the color dull then or shiny? Check that, looking at a side by side photo of mine I see the flat panel offers more glass to reduce a blind spot. |
Posted By: AllisFreak MN
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 9:38am
|
Yes, that early cab had a lot more work involved with those front panels. I never understood the point of that design, was it for looks or was it something to do with sound deadening? I guess if I had to pick one I think the newer flat version looks a little better and less "busy" to me. ------------- '49 A-C WD, '51 A-C WD, '63 A-C D17 Series III, 1968 A-C One-Seventy, '82 A-C 6060, '75 A-C 7040, A-C #3 sickle mower, 2 A-C 701 wagons, '78 Gleaner M2 |
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 10:38am
|
I always figured the early cab’s lower windows where designed as a “cultivator view” window. Long days of row cultivating could hurt an operator’s neck. Look at front axle row marker rod, then turn and see cultivator behaving or not(1st gear @ idle, fenders, rolling fenders, shovels, shank angles, etc...). The early year-a-round cabs weren’t conducive to cultivating. Lots of open station umbrellas used though. So AC’s newer acoustic cabs allowed operator air conditioning, shade, music, comfy seat, & great views of the crop rows. |
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 10:43am
| JPG AUSTRALIA, I love your maroon 7060. Can see it’s spelled out “Allis-Chalmers” intercooler peeking out under its hood. It’s fatback tire’s are great too. What year is it? I don’t see a PS decal, so Power director - right? Is it’s fuel tank metal or plastic? |
Posted By: Fred in Pa
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 11:20am
|
It sure did not hurt the sales like the Deutz color you all like so much !! LOL ------------- He who dies with the most toys is, nonetheless ,still dead. If all else fails ,Read all that is PRINTED. |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 11:45am
|
The offset front is to give a wide cross brace, yet angled to create the illusion of a very narrow piece going across a very important line of sight. Less blind spot so to speak. ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: Lynn Marshall
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 1:24pm
| I would say that JPGs tractor is a 1977. It is a power director. All maroon tractors were metal tanks as was the first year black bellies. |
Posted By: GARY(OH/IN)
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 4:17pm
|
I've never been so thankful to be color blind. I can tell most distinct colors with some study but have problems with all the shades. But color does matter. I have a 2007 Ram the blue color I've hated it since the day I drove it home. Guess I didn't buy it for the color because it has almost 328,000 miiles now. I do like my 2014 white Ram much better though. |
Posted By: Unit3
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 5:05pm
|
Black. I vote for the black. The flared out lower side windows made the cab louder and glass harder to clean. I hated, HATED, the gear shift in the floor. Still glad Gleaner had the good sense to use black. ------------- 2-8070FWA PS/8050PS/7080/7045PS/200/D15-II/2-WD45/WD/3-WC/UC/C |
Posted By: JPG AUSTRALIA
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2020 at 7:27pm
Its a 76 build,and the maroon was shiny from new,here it is as delivered,
|
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2020 at 11:12am
|
Myself I don't mind the floor shift..... in fact I prefer it vs the troublesome side console twist handle. I'm not sure I would like the floor shift of a straight 7000 though. One job where I don't like the floor shift is when backing up while blowing snow, my leg hits the shifter when I try to swivel the seat to look back. I live with it but I can see how a 7000 series power shift or any 8000 series would be preferred.
------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: VAfarmboy
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2020 at 3:17pm
Maybe Allis hired an Agricultural Engineer from Virginia Tech to design those tractors and he decided they should be orange and maroon. Tech grad here too. GO HOKIES!!
|
Posted By: AllisFreak MN
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2020 at 5:06pm
|
I don't have a problem with the floor shifter either, not much to go wrong with it vs the T handle which becomes a pita when they start to wear out. ------------- '49 A-C WD, '51 A-C WD, '63 A-C D17 Series III, 1968 A-C One-Seventy, '82 A-C 6060, '75 A-C 7040, A-C #3 sickle mower, 2 A-C 701 wagons, '78 Gleaner M2 |
Posted By: Michael V (NM)
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2020 at 5:45pm
 I don't remember why I decided I liked the maroon ones,,,the floor shifter is ok, if it is in the "up" gears, thing is, that step sure needs help, been trying to find me one off a black chassis...or gonna try and build something so's an ole man can get in there...a new cab kit and lotsa new 'stuffing' under the dash shore helped quiet it down in the cab
|
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2020 at 7:51pm
|
Posted By: Ted in NE-OH
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2020 at 8:23pm
|
And then the accountants said"If it is in inventory for 2 years and not used up throw it away or we will have to pay inventory tax on it" BTDT ------------- CA, WD, C, 3 Bs, 2 Gs, WC, I-400, 914 |
Posted By: JPG AUSTRALIA
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2020 at 12:05am
| Micheal V,if you look at my first picture you can see the difference in the step compared to the second picture i posted of when mine was new. The mod turns the step forward and out,i posted a photo last year on here, i will try to find it again. |
Posted By: JPG AUSTRALIA
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2020 at 12:14am
This is the best i can do for now, cut top of rear mounting bracket and lenghten 2 inches,then lenghten bottom stay same amount or more,this with a smaller 14 inch steering wheel makes life abreeze getting in and out.
|
Posted By: ranger43
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2020 at 7:16am
That is one bad ass looking tractor! |
Posted By: AllisFreak MN
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2020 at 4:33pm
|
Was it delivered with those lights up front? ------------- '49 A-C WD, '51 A-C WD, '63 A-C D17 Series III, 1968 A-C One-Seventy, '82 A-C 6060, '75 A-C 7040, A-C #3 sickle mower, 2 A-C 701 wagons, '78 Gleaner M2 |
Posted By: DougG
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2020 at 5:07pm
| I have to admit those lights up front , and I know they were an add on - makes them look - different for sure, should have got Stadium lights Allis offered |
Posted By: JPG AUSTRALIA
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2020 at 6:11pm
| Yep dealer fitted extra lights before deleviery. |