French built TEA 20 serial number

I have just purchased a French built TEA 20. The serial number stamped on the plate is 28035 and this coincides with a stamp on the gearbox flange. The registration documents say it is a 1956 model. My question is did the French-built tractors have their own serial numbers and if so can anyone confirm that this serial number is correct for 1956? The serial number plate says MASSEY-HARRIS-FERGUSON which I guess could only have been true after 1953 when they merged.

I can't answer your question other than I have always heard the TE means Tractor England. I do know that France did make some FF30 tractors so to me that makes sense that France would use a F letter. What does the serial tag show as far as where the tractor is built? It should give a town and country.

(quoted from post at 23:37:00 03/04/15) I can't answer your question other than I have always heard the TE means Tractor England. I do know that France did make some FF30 tractors so to me that makes sense that France would use a F letter. What does the serial tag show as far as where the tractor is built? It should give a town and country.

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The serial tag (see attached photo) reads as follows:
Construit par la societe STANDARD HOTCHKISS A St. Denis-Seine pour la Cie MASSEY-HARRIS-FERGUSON
FRANCE
Brevette S.G.D.G - Made in France
Type TEA20
Serial 28035
Poids total autorise en charge tracteur isole 2400kg

Roughly translated that says:
Built by the company STANDARD HOTCHKISS A-Seine St. Denis Co. MASSEY-HARRIS-FERGUSON
FRANCE
S.G.D.G patented - Made in France
Type TEA20
Serial 28035
Total weight authorized laden tractor isolated 2400kg

ballabunch thank you for that information. I hope someone else will be able to answer your question as that just confused me more. LOL

With the engine being a Standard Motor (TEA) and the serial number tag being a MHF I would guess that the serial number of the tractor would be in line with those made in the UK. The MHF tag would have been from 54-to 58. From what I understood the tractors were for the most part built in England then sent over to France then assembled in France with elctrical part, etc.

Here is some French Ferguson history.

In 1947 Ferguson was set to import 5000 TEA's to France, however the French Gov. limited it to 1000. In May 1953 Standard Motor co. set up a production facility at St. Denis. That is when Societe' Standard Hotchkiss was formed.

The tractors parts were build at the usual suppliers, kitted in Coventry and shipped to St. Denis for assembly. The TEA was built until 1956 in St. Denis The FF30 was introduced in September of 1956.

From 1953 to 1957 total production of Ferguson tractors at St. Denis rose from 2007 to 18,767.

(The following data is from Neufeld's definitive work on Ferguson/Massey Ferguson "a Global Corporation")
With production by year as follows:
1953: 2007
1954: 4496
1955: 7910
1956: 9286
1957: 3145

Assuming production at St. Denis starts at SN-1 on their name plate. The SN fall as follows.

1953: 1 to 2007
1954: 2008 to 6503
1955: 6504 to 14413
1956: 14413 to 23,699
1957: 23,700 to 26,844

Thus, with your SN being 28,035 they may not have started with SN 1. If they started at SN 10,000 then your SN would squarely fall in 1956.

Hope that helps. It would be interesting to learn any part/component differences in your TEA compared to the Coventry TEA's.

Jeff

A thorough explanation , thanks Jeff .

Thanks, Jeff. I could not have expected a more thorough explanation. As I go through the restoration process I will make a note of any differences I find.

For clarification, The production numbers are for what Nuefeld labels "TO20" tractor built at the St. Denis for those years. The FF30 had it's own line in the table. The TO-20's here are really TEA's error by Nuefled here. From other references I have read, the reason for the kitting and assembly at St. Denis is to get around the French Gov. limits on tractor imports. Bring in parts and providing a few French jobs was enough to get around the limits. FYI the diesel motors used in France were of French built parts, but the gas motors are the Standard Motor Co. engines.

Thank you for plow back through my reference books. It was fun.

Jeff,
thanks for clearing up my mistake. I did not look close enough on the serial number and thought that it was 2xx,xxx.
I did not know that the French had their own set of serial numbers.

(quoted from post at 17:36:40 03/06/15) For clarification, The production numbers are for what Nuefeld labels "TO20" tractor built at the St. Denis for those years. The FF30 had it's own line in the table. The TO-20's here are really TEA's error by Nuefled here. From other references I have read, the reason for the kitting and assembly at St. Denis is to get around the French Gov. limits on tractor imports. Bring in parts and providing a few French jobs was enough to get around the limits. FYI the diesel motors used in France were of French built parts, but the gas motors are the Standard Motor Co. engines.

Thank you for plow back through my reference books. It was fun.

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So now that I know a whole lot more about T*20s assembled in France, I now have to figure out the color schemes they used. Fortunately this tractor is very original, and from what I can see:
[list:97d78694e3]The gearbox was red
The engine, radiator, rocker cover, axle beam, inside hood were light blue
The drag links appear to have been grey
The outside hood has lost all its paint, but there is a vague trace of red, but not certain
The rear axle and differential appear to be grey
Inside the fenders (wheel side) are light blue
Outside the fenders and seat are grey
All paint has gone from the dashboard and steering box
[/list:u:97d78694e3]

This sounds a bit like Jacob and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, however none of the paint seems to have been added in the last 50 years or so - all paint appears to be original, it is very thin with nothing beneath it, so I don't think someone has been sloshing all his leftover paint over it. I suppose some of it (like the red) may have been some sort of primer.

So what do I do - go fergie grey all over or try to discover what on earth the original color scheme was?

Where are you? I don't think there were many French 'petrol' fergies shipped to the US or Canada. Diesel 25 and 35's yeah, not your model. So we need more pictures!!!