Neat video of a AC D-21 promotional film.

JD Seller · Jan 10, 2016

Here is a link to a neat video of an AC promotional film for the D-21. It is two parts and there is a little skip but it is still interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vV0SFojs5w
D 21 promotional video

Eldon (WA) · Jan 10, 2016

(quoted from post at 00:16:38 01/10/16) Here is a link to a neat video of an AC promotional film for the D-21. It is two parts and there is a little skip but it is still interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vV0SFojs5w
D 21 promotional video

Pic of my Series I Palouse special....ready for someone to restore. They are a beast and sound like it too!

Dick2 · Jan 10, 2016

Good tractor for the times. Too many guys figured out how to turn up the HP above the factory rating, so they would pitch a connecting rod through the side of the block pulling a constant overload.

Dick2 · Jan 10, 2016

The branch sent me on a tour of the county fairs in the area to supervise setting the HP of AC tractors before the local tractor pull. I would put the D21 on the dyno and make sure that they didn't turn the HP above 220HP for the pull. The D21 outpulled anything else on the tracks. I set the 190XT's at 125HP for the pull. After the pulls were over, I supervised putting the tractor back on the dyno and turning the HP back down to just 2 HP over it's advertised ratings. Always had the feeling that after I left, somebody turned the HP back up again - which resulted in more warranty claims for me to sign!

Lazy WP · Jan 10, 2016

That was our first big tractor. Running 18.4-38 duals, you still had way to many ponies for the tires. The biggest downfall for the 21 was 1000 only PTO and the straight pipe. I still hear it running in my ears!!!!!!!!!

f2355j · Jan 10, 2016

The D21 is still one of the nicest tractors ever made.

f2355j · Jan 10, 2016

Oops meant to say one of the nicest"looking" tractors ever made.

casecollectorsc · Jan 10, 2016

You don't see many with the nice aftermarket additions!!

centash · Jan 10, 2016

You mean the dual pre-cleaners, right??

Ben

JimB2 · Jan 10, 2016

Hi Everyone, there were no AC in the area that I grew up in, only IH, JD, Massey and an occasional Cockshutt.
So never had a chance to drive an AC. My question is how did the AC D21 compare to the equivalent IH or JD?

I don't want to start a brand war here but just the pluses and minuses of the D21 as I never had the opportunity to operate one or never knew anyone that had one but do agree the D21 was defiantly an eye catcher style wise.

Thanks
JimB

JD Seller · Jan 10, 2016

I was thinking the nice ladies myself!!! LOL

Eldon (WA) · Jan 10, 2016

(quoted from post at 06:04:35 01/10/16) The branch sent me on a tour of the county fairs in the area to supervise setting the HP of AC tractors before the local tractor pull. I would put the D21 on the dyno and make sure that they didn't turn the HP above 220HP for the pull. The D21 outpulled anything else on the tracks. I set the 190XT's at 125HP for the pull. After the pulls were over, I supervised putting the tractor back on the dyno and turning the HP back down to just 2 HP over it's advertised ratings. Always had the feeling that after I left, somebody turned the HP back up again - which resulted in more warranty claims for me to sign!

My uncle had a 190 and told stories about the guys that came out before the county fair and turned up the HP on his tractor. They told him not to worry if something broke....this was in Nebraska. I was just a kid, but remember seeing the smoke roll whenever he pulled...of course the MM, IH, Olivers and JD all poured smoke too. The good old days....probably never see a Kubota smoke like that LOL!

JD Seller · Jan 10, 2016

They had rear end issues and then later cylinder head issues. I also never saw one that was not turned up way beyond the factory setting too. So was it a bad tractor, or a tractor that was easy to abuse???? I think at factory setting they would last well.

They where updated in 1965 too. They came out in 1963 as a 103 PTO HP. and then went to 127 PTO HP. in 1965. I would bet that most were turning 175-200 horse power in the field.

I know a mechanic that was working at an AC dealership when the D-21 was new. He told me that they had 4 of the 9 they had sold in the shop at the same time with rear end failures. He also bragged about how they would out pull all the other tractors around at that time too. So that tells me they were turning them up at the dealership.

Another interesting thing. They where dogs on resale for 20 years. Then about 10-15 years ago the collectors started wanting them and the values skyrocketed. I can remember them not bringing $3500 in the mid o late 1980s. Now they will break $20K at times.

JimB2 · Jan 10, 2016

JD, thanks for your info on D21.
JimB

Neat video of a AC D-21 promotional film.

JD Seller

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