Bill VA

Well-known Member
So I've asked several questions regarding the WD45 - which is on my radar for next year, Lord and Wife willing.....

Went to the Keystone Tractor Museum near Richmond VA over the weekend and out front was a WD - as labeled. So I start looking at it and I see a newer wide front end, snap coupler hitch, no side cover on the engine - so I'm thinking WD45, but then the shifter is straight, not curved.

What is this - a WD45 or WD or something in between? Decal says WD.

Tractor was much bigger than I thought. Had never seen one up close. Looks like a very heavy duty machine. Looked pretty simple to work-on, we'll see if and when I buy one.
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My WD45 and yes checked serial number has a straight shifter on it. That is how it was when I got it. Do not know what some has done to it to have that but it works so I'll leave it that way
 
That block has a side plate on it, making it a WD engine block anyway. So, it had a wide front installed years ago and it happens to be a newer style wide front. It has a newer WD-45 manifold on it too, but that's what most replacements are. Looks like a WD carb and air cleaner. Looks like an older WC/WD mag drive for the distributor. Looks like a WD seat frame and shock/spring. Looks like just a WD tractor with a newer WD-45 wide front end to me.
 
Yes, definitely a WD engine with the side plate. It's a later one with the tall head. Magneto has been replaced with the popular Delco distributor drive. How much has been added/changed over the years is hard to tell, as there were lots of running changes during production. I think the only thing you could say for sure is there were no 4 bolt front ends on WD's.
 
I'd say those car rims on the front weren't exactly original either.I know of a certain
WD45 around somewhere that had the gearshift modified so it looked like a WD straight gearshift that used to show up at tractor pulls(LOL).If a tractor has ever been owned by an antique puller all bets are off including serial number.
 
It has the WD low fenders, small tires, shift lever; 45s head, manifold and 4-bolt wide front. A WD with some "updates".
 
(quoted from post at 01:53:23 06/30/15) It has the WD low fenders, small tires, shift lever; 45s head, manifold and 4-bolt wide front. A WD with some "updates".

All the WDs after "Engine" Ser. #WD289001 (sometime in 1951) had the "tall" head which continued with the 45s.
So....IMHO, this is a WD with the later 4-bolt WFE.
Looking at the decal, they are not even claiming that it is a WD-45.
 
Amp gauge is upside down. Just a WD with some mods. BTW- brackets on inside of finals look like #3 mower mount.
 
my wd made in 1950 was bought of the orignal owner
claimed its never been modified came with wfe
and its a 4 bolt
I'm looking at a 53 wd and it has a 4 bolt wfe
my 55 wd45 parts tractor also has 4 bolt wfe
pic is of my 50 wd the day I bought it
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That is a WD. It has a wd governor. Has been converted from magneto to distributor. The snap coupler parts are D series.
 
(quoted from post at 04:38:49 06/30/15) my wd made in 1950 was bought of the orignal owner
claimed its never been modified came with wfe
and its a 4 bolt

The '50 WD in your picture has the 3-bolt WFE.
The 3 bolts referred to are those on the pivot plate that bolts to the front of the tractor.
 
That AC made so many running production changes, not necessarily at the WD/WD45 break, makes this difficult. Some things I forget. Like the air cleaner, or especially the seat mount bracket. Or like when did they put the little extra piece on the cylinder mount brackets? I surprised someone hasn't itemized and catalogued all these changes.
 
The air cleaner was definitely a WD-45 thing, as the carb and carb hose were larger in diameter. The little triangle brace on the lift cylinder brackets were in the early WD's at s/n 24,801 and up. The wide-front axle pivot plate (3 bolt versus 4 bolt) happened in late 1954/early 1955 on the WD-45 series at a certain s/n, but many were added on years later.
 
always thought it was the four bolts on the axle
so I learned something today
but on the there hand if tats th case my 55 WD45 has the same 3 bolt plate on it as well
but that was dragged outta the back feild for a parts tractor that came on the property when the
seller bought it and no one knows its history
 

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