radara4077
Member
Yesterday, I traveled to my long-deceased grandfather's farm to pick up his old gasoline Ford tractor that was given to me.
I am very excited to begin working on it. I've been around tractors all my life (mostly Deeres), but I've never restored one before.
According the family, this tractor is an 801 series Powermaster, and Papaw bought it used sometime in the 1960s. I obviously questioned some of that at the time, as "Ford 4000" is emblazoned boldly on the hood.
However, after some preliminary research and upon finding the serial number (11136) and model ID number (841) on the block near the starter, I am now thinking that the family is right.
There's clear evidence that the blue paint job is covering up a red and white paint job.
According to the serial number, if it's a 4000, then it was made in 1962. If it's an 801 series, then it was made in 1957. I'm inclined to think it's an 841, since that's the model number stamped above the serial number (as best I can make out). Also, the hood and grille match the 801 series, not the 4000 series, in the pictures I've seen online.
Then there's also this:
Right below and behind the air filter, near the steering assembly, just in front of the clutch pedal, is a lever (see the two pics above). It comes out of the transmission and is bent up and back towards the operator station. I can't find any pictures of an 801 series or a 4000 with this lever on it.
What is this?
Is it a "high-low gear" selector, like you find on the newer Fords (the 6610 comes to mind, as my family used to farm with one)? I don't think it's the PTO controller. Whatever it is, it shifts pretty easily between what feels like two different "settings".
I'm eager to see if this thing will run. Right now, it doesn't have a generator or a battery, and I'm told the starter doesn't work. The 801s are wired for 6 volts, right? If it's a 4000, would it also be 6 volts? If it is 6 volts, I'll probably do a conversion to 12 volts.
According to the odometer (or whatever you call the hour read-out), the tractor only has 1200 hours on it. Are those usually accurate on tractors this old? I don't think it has 11200 hours on it, because all Papaw did with it was bale hay and work a small tobacco patch.
Any help or advice anyone could offer would be most appreciated. I'm sure I'll be back on here soon!
I am very excited to begin working on it. I've been around tractors all my life (mostly Deeres), but I've never restored one before.
According the family, this tractor is an 801 series Powermaster, and Papaw bought it used sometime in the 1960s. I obviously questioned some of that at the time, as "Ford 4000" is emblazoned boldly on the hood.
However, after some preliminary research and upon finding the serial number (11136) and model ID number (841) on the block near the starter, I am now thinking that the family is right.
There's clear evidence that the blue paint job is covering up a red and white paint job.
According to the serial number, if it's a 4000, then it was made in 1962. If it's an 801 series, then it was made in 1957. I'm inclined to think it's an 841, since that's the model number stamped above the serial number (as best I can make out). Also, the hood and grille match the 801 series, not the 4000 series, in the pictures I've seen online.
Then there's also this:
Right below and behind the air filter, near the steering assembly, just in front of the clutch pedal, is a lever (see the two pics above). It comes out of the transmission and is bent up and back towards the operator station. I can't find any pictures of an 801 series or a 4000 with this lever on it.
What is this?
Is it a "high-low gear" selector, like you find on the newer Fords (the 6610 comes to mind, as my family used to farm with one)? I don't think it's the PTO controller. Whatever it is, it shifts pretty easily between what feels like two different "settings".
I'm eager to see if this thing will run. Right now, it doesn't have a generator or a battery, and I'm told the starter doesn't work. The 801s are wired for 6 volts, right? If it's a 4000, would it also be 6 volts? If it is 6 volts, I'll probably do a conversion to 12 volts.
According to the odometer (or whatever you call the hour read-out), the tractor only has 1200 hours on it. Are those usually accurate on tractors this old? I don't think it has 11200 hours on it, because all Papaw did with it was bale hay and work a small tobacco patch.
Any help or advice anyone could offer would be most appreciated. I'm sure I'll be back on here soon!