Allis Chalmers D17 4.30 star(s) (7)

Sweet Allis - An All-American Beauty
Model Year: 1959

Only a few more than 12,000 of these beauties rolled out of the West Allis Tractor Division outside of Milwaukee WI before mine. There are two other old D-17s within a mile of our farm in SW MI - a testament to American built-to-last design and production values. My D-17 is used to mow, plow, disc, grade and haul. It does all tasks equally well. Sometimes I wish it ran on diesel, then winter comes and I'm glad it will turn right over, although it doesn't use gasoline at a particularly fast rate. I paid $3,500 for it and drove it home. The transmission is good in all speeds and the after-market PTO some wise farmer installed long ago rounds out this classic, great American beauty. Can't you just imagine how sweet it is to rumble through a field of scarlet clover, blue sky and white clouds overhead - and Persian Orange below. These are worth seeking out, rebuilding and maintaining. Thanks for reading this love song to my Allis.

Pros: Reliable workhorse, easy maintenance, a pleasure to operate.
Cons: Getting difficult to locate those original parts when needed

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Great Old D-17
Model Year: 1960

1960 black bar D-17. Mine is a gas tractor that I use to run a 6' brush hog.

Pros: Power director allows good control of ground speed while the PTO speed remains constant.
Cons: Uses too much fuel for a 53 hp tractor.

Allia D-17
Model Year: 1958

Whether cold or hot this tractor will start and run. It will move big round bales of hay and can handle a 6' bush hog. Nothing fancy, plus no need to worry about scratches as it came with plenty already in place.

Pros: Fit my budget.
Cons: Like me, it is begining to feel it's age.

Passed Down to Me
Model Year: 0

I have a D-17 diesel that was passed down to me. Other than fuel problems, it runs great. It is my ol' reliable tractor.

Pros: Goes through anything.
Cons: Fuel problems.

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First D-17 Series I'II Own a 8n Ford in the 90s
Model Year: 1964

Don't much about it? Learning has 5 ft. bush hog blade, front loader, draw bar would like to get a 3-point hitch for it.

Pros: .
Cons: .

My AC D-17
Model Year: 1961

I have owned this tractor since 1988 when my father died and it was passed on to me. He bought it new in 1962. It has never been out of our family. One of the most reliable pieces of equipment I have ever owned. It is just now getting to the point I need to do some injector work on the engine. Of course, being as old as it is, it isn't easy to find parts. I was in S.E. Asia (Vietnam War) when he bought it, but I remember him talking about how great a tractor it was. I am proud it was passed on to me. It only once has failed to start and that was my fault.

Pros: It's just a great old tractor.
Cons: Hard to find parts for now.

Love This Allis, But Time To Move On
Model Year: 1958

I have a D-17 Series I 6-cylinder diesel. I purchased it in July 1980 and it had 164 hours on a major overhaul. It now has 890 after 36 years, so you can see most of its time has been spent in the barn. It has been a great tractor and has never failed me when I've needed it. I plow a large garden, brush, mow, disc, move snow, and dig potatoes with this beast. But, as I've gotten older, I'm wanting a tractor with a loader, so after 36 great years this one will be headed down the road if I can find what I want. Would I recommend a D-17? In a heartbeat.

Pros: Great tractor
Cons: The diesel is hard to start in the winter.