Life after the 426

I think the base 426 frame would have been continuously upgraded or because of costs, replaced entirely by an outsourced power plant. The 426 would be as viable as any other with modern technology IMO.

Edited by Lonn - 12 Apr 2012 at 11:12am

427435 wrote: There was nothing.  The engine division had been spending its resources on trying to get into the highway truck market. What would have come after the 426 would have likely been a purchased engine.  In the early 80's, I was having discussions with a number of OEM engine manufacturers including Cummins, Cat, Perkins, and Komatsu.  The 8095/9025 was an attempt to not only develop the next addition to our tractor line, but a chance to see how the Komatsu engine would work and how well it might be accepted by farmers.

injpumpEd wrote: 5.9/8.3L cummins would have made real nice additions to the AC powertrain!

No kidding an awesome combo.  Allis running gear and cummins engines.

Deutz was too arrogant to just use their engines.  They forced their tractors on the US market through AC dealers.  A Deutz engine in an AC tractor might have made for a different story.

There was nothing easy about the Deutz buyout. They forced onto the US market what they wanted us to have, not what we wanted. Even worse was the crap they forced on us, (air cooled, under powered, vibrating crap), nothing was well accepted. I'm sure there are/were any number of more than fine engines that would have worked but it's almost like they wanted the American part of the company and the market share to fail.

You could never tell the Krauts anything (and I'm 25% German).  They initially designed an "American" tractor in Independence with the Allis tractor engineers that moved there.  The tractors used a power shift ZF drivetrain and Deutz engines.  As the testing was winding down and production processes were being put together, the costs got rolled up and were way too high. 

West Allis tractor engineering had figured out several years earlier (when sourcing FWA axles) that ZF components weren't affordable, but the Krauts weren't interested in listening.  And the AC executives and engineers didn't want to rile up their bosses anyway-----------they just wanted to hang on for a few more years and retire.

So no product was left (West Allis had been closed and the 8000 inventory was gone), so they had to import the German Deutz which didn't fit most of the North American's needs.

Just a Deutz air-cooled history in an orange 8000's Series would have been a big enough marketing job, but possible.  Especially with a 3-speed range shift and an 8095/9025 topping the line.  The 3 speed range would have put the middle range from about 3.5 mph to 10+ mph.  This would have allowed an operator to choose the middle range for virtually all field operations and never have to make a range shift except getting on or off the highway.

Oh well, just crying over spilled-milk.

I believe swinfords book had the 8095 with a 673 kamatsu in it? That would have been interesting to see.

Dave in il wrote: Don't forget their "cost efficient" replacement for the too expensive new tractor design was to have Allied shove the Deuts engines into the outdated White chassis and cab. So they offered a tractor that the majority of farmers didn't want when White sold them, with an engine most farmers didn't want either, and to top it off they painted them that awful shade of green. Who would have guessed it would be an epic failure? LOL

Exactly!!

Carl(NWWI) wrote: I believe swinfords book had the 8095 with a 673 kamatsu in it? That would have been interesting to see.

Actually, the engine was at 643 cu. in. at the time.

Carl(NWWI) wrote: So did they have any with the 673 in it or were they never going to use it?

I think the 673 is a later engine----perhaps an enlarged 643.  It might also be a totally different engine as a lot has happened since the 80's.

ILGLEANER wrote: Mark .It dont take much to make a 4w220 look sick in the field.....LOL I have one. There a nice tractor to drive. But they aint much for power. Absolutley no bottom end, lugging power.  And since we are talking about the 8000 series. I love to hear you talk about them,You know more about them then anyone. Why didnt they have a foot throttle? And why was the throtle clear up in the front dash in the 82's. The throtle is actually worse then the 7000 series.                                                      IG

The foot throttle wasn't on the list of things marketing was willing to pay for. 

I'm to blame for the throttle on the dash.  I wanted the throttle in a position that that was the only thing you would find if reaching for it in a hurry (emergency).  Putting it on the side console, I felt, was going to make things too crowded.

The consol on the 190 series was the best set up of all.  :Everything at your  finger tips.   The latter seeries is just a mess.  I have them, I know.

427435 The engine (Komatsu) is in the Hunley 8095 and we are finishing it up. That sure does sound SWEET.

Kevin in WA wrote: The 426 should have gotten larger rod and mains in 1973, along with an inline injection pump, and a larger head like Dr. Allis said. Did they actually think that the 426 was going to be reliable in the 7080 and 7580?

I rejoined AC in 1977 after leaving them in 1969 when they closed the La Crosse plant (I wasn't interested in moving to LaPorte), so I don't know what "they" thought when the 7080 or 7580 were brought out.  By the late 70's, the warranty and field reports were not good----------thus the re-rating and rpm reductions of the 8070 and 4w-220.

Seems like AC always had good ideas just never - built on - or followed thru , it was said the Engine plant was after the big truck market with diesel engines ; why didnt this happen ?? They had the BIG AL in the 70,s , why wasnt that model improved , problems fixed and really shown to be a winner ?? But no it was dropped ; you would have thought a company like ALLIS was back then coulda redigned a whole new engine and actually made money with them instead of playin around and then just forgetting about the project ; this isnt the only thing they invested a ton in and just forgot about , what kinda management was in charge !!???