Twin City 17-28
Verified
The Twin City 17-28 was Minneapolis Steel & Machinery’s best-selling Twin City tractor — about 11,589 built between 1926 and 1935 — and a direct predecessor of Minneapolis-Moline.
Identification & configuration
Per the compiled Twin City record, the 17-28 was a re-rated development of the 12-20, sharing its twin-cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine. The oldest documented example is serial 19220, the Nebraska test tractor.
See the Twin City tractors overview and how the predecessors became MM.
Factory paint
Per the MMCI paint records, Twin City tractors of this era were Battleship Gray with red lettering on the top radiator tank; MMCI notes some late-1934 and 1935 tractors may have been a darker gray. See the full paint reference.
What to verify
- Serial: the 17-28 ran serials 19220–30808 with a documented year-by-year breakdown; decode yours (ranges below).
- Engine: confirm the 16-valve twin-cam four, shared with the 12-20.
Sources & Verification Notes
Engine, production figure, and serials per Tony Thompson’s compiled Twin City record (hosted by MMCI); paint per the MMCI Paint Committee. No horsepower or production-count figures are asserted until confirmed against factory literature.
Serial Number Ranges
| Year | Serial range | Number type | Source confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 19220 – 21405 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1927 | 21406 – 24028 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1928 | 24029 – 27686 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1929 | 27687 – 30103 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1930 | 30104 – 30281 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1931 | 30282 – 30298 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1932 | 30299 – 30309 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1933 | 30310 – 30333 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1934 | 30334 – 30762 | tractor plate | Verified High |
| 1935 | 30763 – 30808 | tractor plate | Verified High |
Specifications
| Nebraska Test | No. 121 (1926) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Co., Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Brake HP (rated) | 28.40 hp @ 1007 rpm |
| Brake HP (max) | 30.91 hp @ 1005 rpm |
| Drawbar HP (rated) | 17.30 hp @ 2927 lb pull |
| Drawbar HP (max) | 22.51 hp @ 3777.5 lb pull |
| Engine | Own make, 4-cylinder vertical, valve-in-head |
| Bore x Stroke | 4 1/4" x 6" |
| Rated RPM | 1000 |
| Magneto | American Bosch ZR4 ED26 |
| Carburetor | Holley 257 |
| Fuel | Kerosene |
| Total Weight | 5895 lb (as tested with operator) |
| Speeds | Low 2.2 mph, High 2.9 mph (advertised) |
| Tested fuel economy | 9.58 hp·hr/gal |
| Test remark | During the drawbar tests it was necessary to place two small bolts in the gear shift lock in order to keep the gears in mesh. |
Specifications per the cited source below. Manufacturer-advertised figures can differ from tested values — confirm restoration-critical specs against factory literature.
Source: Nebraska Tractor Test No. 121 (1926) — Twin City 17-28
Factory Paint Colors
Body, wheel, and powertrain colors documented for this model's era by the MMCI Paint Committee. The exact part-by-part configuration, year breaks, and footnotes are in the full paint reference. Individual tractors vary — special orders and regional exceptions were common, so confirm against your own machine.
- Battleship Gray (body)
Finding Parts
We don't publish part numbers we can't verify against factory literature. The authority for this model's part numbers is its factory parts catalog; interchange is serial- and configuration-dependent, so always confirm against the parts book before buying.
Documented parts
Cataloged Minneapolis-Moline part numbers documented for this model. Applications vary by serial, year, and configuration — confirm against your parts book before ordering.
Carburetor
Surviving Examples (collector-reported census)
No tractors registered for this model yet. The MinnieMo registry is owner-submitted and moderator-reviewed — help start the census.
15,000 built (per Production total source — Twin City 17-28) — none registered yet. Be the first to put one on the map.
Sources & Verification Notes
Status: Verified
Primary source: Twin City Tractor Serial Numbers — Tony Thompson (MMCI) tier 2
Last checked: 2026-05-31
Where this model fits in the Minneapolis-Moline history & timeline →
Videos
How I Crank Start the 1926 Twin City 17 28 Tractor Russ Hamm
minneapolis moline 17-28 KTA twin city stimulater7Curated third-party videos — MinnieMo is not affiliated; links open on YouTube.
Owner Notes & Questions
Own one, restored one, or have a question about this model? Share it below. Notes are moderated before they appear, and owner-reported details are not treated as verified facts until cited.
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