Thought this was really cool

Doubt it.  The 7000 series was a completely new design with a lot of newer features not found on other tractors at that time.  I don't think they had to do much to go from the 7000 to the 8000 series but bringing out those 7000's I bet was a doozy.

I think the 200 was an attempt to keep the 190 design going until the 7000 tractor as well as the 7000 series of tractors were ready. There were improvements but it was "evolution" in comparision the 7000 was "revolution". The one thing in my opinion that AC did wrong with the 7000 series was the looks. I've owned 3 7060's and a 7080 and I think a 7060 is one of the best tractors of it's era. However the D17 & D19, D21 an XT190 or any 8000 series are much better looking.

It wasn't the product, it was mis-management.

From my perspective the 7000 series is nearly bullit proof, we own 4 of them 1-7030 and 3 7060s and they just keep on giving, we also own a 190XT III, and it is the same thing, just keeps going.  Do we treat them perfect nope, do we abuse them nope, so I can't complain.  I truly don't think engineering was the problem.

HagerAC, if you multiply that 19,000 hours times 60 to get equivalent road miles that is just a tad over one million miles! Kinda impressive when you think of the dust conditions in field work vs road miles, huh?

Engineering, metalurgy, modern oils!= long life!

When I was in high school bailing hay with a 7000 we had to take it to the local JD dealer for some work (nothing major).  I overheard one of the mechanics comment on how the AC's were easy to work on and generally very well built. 

Dave, I know we all have our favorites, so don't hate me to much for not agreeing with you that the D's and 8000's are prettier than the 7000's. Out in the shed there are 3-8000's and 2-7000's. One of them is a 7080 powered by the mighty 670HI engine. I have to agree that the 8000's are light years ahead of any tractor up to that point in time. Two cab filters and a throttle that fits so easy at your right hand. I do wish that could have also be squeezed into the 7000 console.

CBL95 wrote: With all this talk about 200's and 190's I thought i'd share this. The only mechanic in my area that I would even start to trust with my 200,brought this up in a conversation about the quailty and best designs of AC's, he said that when he worked for Strickland Implement in Oakland City,IN an AC Engineer told him that AC put the most effort into designing the 200 since the wd45. He also said that AC design/engineering efforts went on a steady decline starting after the 200 and that i part of what lead to the downfall of AC. Now,how true this is I don't know, but usually if Tim says it, its usualy true???    whats your all's opinion on this

My opinion, find a new mechanic.  He does not know much about AC if thats what he says.

Seen it in action, so I don't really think you can call me a liar.  You can get conversion kits to change the spreaders over to 540 PTO.  His D-17 has a beefed up drawbar and bigger front tires full of fluid and weights on the front.  Trust me, he can show anybody how to pull something with a small tractor.  His D-17 more like a 180 than a D-17 the way it is set up.  Don't believe well then whatever.  The slinger spreaders are a well balanced machine, and really there isnt a lot of tongue weight, even when full compared to a box spreader.  I run a 3200 gallon slinger everyday at work, and its a real well balanced machine.  Just to mention my dad pulls the 4100 and 5000 gallon slingers into the shop and onto the lot with a plain old WD NF at work. He has no trouble keeping the original drawbar straight, or keeping the front end on the ground with all the tongue weight, and a WD ain't no D-17 either.  Its starting to get kind of old everytime I log into this forum and somebody is constantly calling somebody else a liar, or arguing about something else.  I thought this was a friendly forum, but as of latley I have been the least bit impressed the way some members have been acting.   

Edited by HagerAC - 29 Feb 2012 at 7:18am

Austin(WI) wrote: I have heard that the 8010 & 8030 were the best of the 8000's, but the 8050, 8070 have an engine to be " a hand grenade cleverly disguised as an engine". That is just what I have heard.

Those engines were fine------------with stock FIP settings and if the coolant conditioner filter got changed on a regular basis.

Here are a couple of pics of the wood mock--up 7000 series from west allis.  The story we were told is that one of the engineers brought his wife in to look. She told him that it was the ugliest thing that she had ever seen, and that anyone could do square. He then had rounded fenders made, she was still unimpressed. The rest is history.  Personally we like both the prototype and production designs.   You can see one of the rounded fenders and an alternate dash design in the photo. 

daughter#1 wrote: Here are a couple of pics of the wood mock--up 7000 series from west allis.  The story we were told is that one of the engineers brought his wife in to look. She told him that it was the ugliest thing that she had ever seen, and that anyone could do square. He then had rounded fenders made, she was still unimpressed. The rest is history.  Personally we like both the prototype and production designs.   You can see one of the rounded fenders and an alternate dash design in the photo.

AC had highly paid industrial stylists do the styling.  Engineers didn't have much to do with it rather than make sure there was enough open area for cooling.  Engineering did have a lot to do with the size and shape of the cab, however.  A very determined chief engineer was responsible for the phone booth cab based on his thoughts that it would make for a quieter cab with better visibility to the sides.

At a later time, I had a lot to do with the size and shape of the 8000 cab.  I had to fight off the stylist over the extensions on the cab roof that provided a good place for the cab air filter and some shade for the cab.  He wanted a fitted skull cap type of roof that would not have left enough room for an adequately sized cab air filter, A/C components, and the operator's head if he was over 6' tall.

Good memories.

Sorry Mark Did not intend to offend, It may well have been a stylist, the story was told to us by a corporate employee, and also by the advertising rep at the time. 

A friend of ours is a Moline man and has had both the a4t and the  4-150,  Liked to run both of them, but of course the 4-150 was favored.  He now runs fendt, and jcb tractors his first was a g1000 which he still has.  P.S. were you invloved with the project to put an allis motor in an a4t ???

My take  having purchased a brand new 7040  in 75 , and looking back .. there sure would have been  a lot of changes with that cab , if  i were the engineer ..