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Why was AC 310 made only 1year?


fishnwiz

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I was looking at tractor facts and see that AC 310 was only made in 1973...is that correct?

Does that make for a somewhat rare tractor with a low production numbers?

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Hi,

The whole AC deal came from the government starting a restraint of trade action against AC when they bought Simplicity and stopped selling to Wards. The govt. thought that AC would monopolize the industry. AC then went to the south and opened a plant, buying cross drives and transmissions from Simplicity and building the 300 and 400 families. The attachments for the most part weren't directly compatible with Simplicity. The mower decks used new stamping dies and were RH discharge. This deck is a carry forward to the new vertical shaft family of Simplicity tractors of the 80s. The govt. dropped the action after a couple of years and the AC operation was discontinued.

Al Eden

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I don't, but I remember when they came out, my local dealer was both a Simplicity and AC dealer, plus AC Agricultural dealer. That is who I bought my second Simplicity from. My first was a Wards Squire 1.

Al Eden

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My nickels worth is the 300s were made in 1971 and 1972 and the 400s in 1973, and the 700s started in 1974.

I also heard that the late 400s (probably after the gov. dropped the suit) use the same attachment centers and sizes as simplicity., so the rear attachments are the same.

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quote:Originally posted by MikeES

My nickels worth is the 300s were made in 1971 and 1972 and the 400s in 1973, and the 700s started in 1974.I also heard that the late 400s (probably after the gov. dropped the suit) use the same attachment centers and sizes as simplicity., so the rear attachments are the same.


id="quote">
id="quote">Interesting about the attachments fitting both - first I have heard of that.I was surprised to find this in the X-REF section, since the 300-400's did not have a Simp equivalent to cross to. However;According to:http://www.simpletractors.com/X-reference/ac_s_pg1.htmthe 400's were 1972-73andall the 300's were 1971BUT the "HomeSteader" models, which, according to some AC-brochures I read on simpletrax, were designed for smaller (1/4 acre) properties, were all made 1971-74. Those were the economy models also, for folks who didn't need a beastly large frame. 8)The other area I was watching was the conclusion of the 3400's as the 700's and 7000's were rolling out. Also said the early "system" 7000's had Kohlers.I had a fun tour in simpletractors brochures. :D Just like time travel. One of the brochures had a gogo-girl, of sorts. 8) But really I was looking for facts - honest. 8D And there's so much there.Myst.
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I won't part with my 310 Allis, especially since It's hydrostatic now with electric lift and a CH18 command :) Mainly though It was my uncle's tractor who has passed now, and it's dedicated for rototilling. Also Built in 71' and in the Lexington SC plant, the serial # will probably mean nothing to a simplicity dealer. (at least my dealer had no clue about it)

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The rear hookup is not an exact fit between the Simplicity and the AC

300 and 400 series one is a little wider than the other and requires a slight bending of the lower brackets to work.I forget which way is which.Mower and snowblower drives are totally different as the AC 300

and 400 drive off the front shaft of the engine while the Simplicity used the mid PTO to drive them so the mowers ended up discharging on opposite sides.

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quote:Originally posted by acfarmer

The rear hookup is not an exact fit between the Simplicity and the AC 300 and 400 series one is a little wider than the other and requires a slight bending of the lower brackets to work.I forget which way is which......


id="quote">
id="quote">the functional difference between simplicity and AC rear hitches lower 2 points (not to address the fender support function), is that the drawbar on the simplicity is narrower... the solution, however, is simple. if you use a simplicity drawbar and put it on the 3/4's, swap the spacer to the other side... you are done in the world of making the lower 2 points universally functional to 3/4 implements and simplicity implements... (pay mind to manual vs. hydro config as the drawbars are interchangeable but specific.)the additional (or narrower, depending on your perspective) space amounts to exactly the thickness of the steel used for the drawbar...I dont believe you could easily bend the ac drawbar narrower as there is steel there... you could however (at least more easily, bend the simplicity rear implement hitch out wider)nicely, the ac top link is also larger than the simplicity link (sleeve) therefore (for example) to put a simplicity tiller on a 3/4 all that is necessary it to swap the drawbar only (not the outer steel that goes all the way up to the fenders or the top sleeve) albeit, the AC sleeve will leave 1/8" slop
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