1952 Super A Grille Availability

johnnyyork

New User
Hi everyone. New to the forum. I've seen other post on this, but not one in a while.

I'm restoring my grandfather's 1952 Super A. The front grille is a beat up to the point of non-repair. I have been looking for a replacement part no. 58139DAX.

Yesterday's Tractor is out, so is Steiner and external_link

Farmall parts still has the item listed with a picture, but it is out of stock. I called them and they said the company that was manufacturing these new ones stopped doing so. Is this the case?

Should I keep looking for a new one or try to find one in good shape and have it repaired?

Thanks!
 
I'm not 100% sure, and another poster can either confirm it or correct me, but I think that a 1941 - '47 Farmall A grille would be the same as a Super A grille. I think that the Super A uses the "IH" aluminum emblem instead of the "Farmall" emblem, but those are available aftermarket and could be swapped out with little or no problem.
 
So you dont like the price correct good used ones can be found and piced according. But a used one mite have some dents bent bars and grille cloth needs replacing so you could end up with as much money as getting a new one. Keep looking on ebay they do appear.
 

I think you are correct. I've heard you could also use an AV with a little adjustment fitting. A-1 will not work due to water pump space.

I cannot find the one for the A-1 new, but not for an A or Super A.

Hoping someone on here has a lead for me, before I buy a used one.

Thanks!!
 
(quoted from post at 11:43:24 08/07/16) So you dont like the price correct good used ones can be found and piced according. But a used one mite have some dents bent bars and grille cloth needs replacing so you could end up with as much money as getting a new one. Keep looking on ebay they do appear.

I would like to see if any has a lead on new ones or at least confirm no one makes anymore.

Don't mind buying a used one, but want to exhaust all effort to find new.
 
Super A-1 had a taller radiator like the Super C.

Super A had the shorter thermosyphon radiator like the A and C.

I don't think the grilles are the same for the Super C because of the steering box difference.

Go with a used one. I don't know of anyone making a new grille for the Super A anymore.
 
Yes, the bottom sections are different between a C/Super C and a Super A.

When the owner of OEM Tractor Parts passed away in an accident, the source for new reproduction grilles was lost. I have no idea why someone didn't buy the tooling and keep making them when they sold the shop out. You couldn't tell the difference between the new ones and the original IH. I keep hoping someone will start re-making them again. Really good original grilles are getting harder and harder to find.

A set of body hammers/dollies really can work wonders on a bent grille, even with a dummy like me working. Also, this company makes a set of tools for straightening/re-forming the ribs of the grille. They work very well: http://sunsdahltooling.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=83&vmcchk=1&Itemid=83
 
I did not know about OEM going out of business, so sorry. I don't buy a lot of parts but I have an 2008 Steiner catalog that shows grills for the farmall A. external_link Hope this helps. Pembroke
 
They're gone. I think they all came from OEM, just sold by different companies.

I had heard a little scuttlebutt a year or so ago that Steiner MIGHT start making them again. I certainly hope so. I think they'd sell well even at $5-700 a piece as in the past---sounds expensive until you hire a body man to fix a bent one.

Al
 
OEM didnt make them just look at the tooling you would have to have no way could you afford to own it. There would be several steps to even make the center section,
 
(quoted from post at 01:43:23 08/10/16) OEM didnt make them just look at the tooling you would have to have no way could you afford to own it. There would be several steps to even make the center section,

A company like Steiner could have bought the tooling.
 
I was kicking myself when I was working on my Super A. Like you I couldn't buy a new grill, but found a Farmall C grill on eBay that was the same height. However, the bottom of the Super A and the C are
different. I saw in Steiner's catalog that they had the bottom section for a Super A for sale, so thought I would just replace the bottom. I procrastinated buying the bottom section until I was ready to do
my grill. By that time they were permanently out of stock for that part. So, I decided to just use the C grill (good shape and easily restored with the grill tools). So if you are at a tractor show and you
see my Super A you will notice that the bottom is the wrong one. I suppose I will be fined by the correct police or at least strongly reprimanded.
 
The tooling to make those grilles cant be cheap then to have a press to make the tooling work is another story. You have top then middle then bottom then fasten all together.
 
HI there,

Elizabeth from STP here. We own the tooling for the Farmall Letter series grilles and always did. They were manufactured for us here in Michigan for quite a few years. We last sold them in 2011 and last
purchased them in 2008. When we went to do another run, the costs more than doubled and they were already a high priced item. We couldn't get it to make economic sense to do another run, particularly with
the relatively slow sales on an item that takes up considerable space. We made correct ones for several letter series tractors which required building more pieces (and paying for more tooling!) than you might
imagine. :) As far as we know, the only place to get one now is to find a good used one. I will definitely note this thread and the demand listed here with our purchasing department. Thank you!

Elizabeth
 

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