Ford 500 Series

I had never heard of a 500 series Ford tractor. I had bought a kit to rebuild my 861 top plate. Looking at it, it said for 500 to 4000 series tractors. I googled the 500 and got a few hits. But none really explained the 500 series. Best I got was:
"The British "Fordson Major" series and "Ford 5000 Diesel." In Great Britain, a separate design team was responding to European market pressures by building larger diesel tractors. From 1951-58, they built the "Fordson New Major" with 45 HP. That was succeeded by the "Power Major" from '58-60 with 52 HP, and the "Super Major" from '60-63. The Super had the same horsepower but with better draft control hydraulics, disk brakes and a manual differential lock. The "Super Major" was imported back to the U.S. and sold as the "Ford 500."
So the 500 is bigger than the 600 series tractor? It is really a Fordson?
I'd like to hear more about this tractor. Any one here own one?
Sound like a very interesting and maybe little known part of Ford Tractor history.

not rare by any means. uncommon at best.

541 come in a few variants with diesel engines.. hicrops..e tc. and about anything else you could pressure ford into changing on it by waving a checkbook.

here's my 541 gasser.

same 134ci engine as a 600 etc. It's an offset, and as you can see shares the bull gear type of axle as a row crop.

I think that link that you found was a typographical error, as I am pretty sure that the "Super Major" was sold here in the US as the 5000, not the 500.

I don't think that there ever was a 500 series, but there was a 501 series, which was the offset row crop series. But lots of parts places say "500 through 4000" to mean any and every Ford 4 cylinder series made from 1955 through 1964 even though there was only a 501 series, not a 500 series.

I am attempting to respond to an older post related to the history of Ford's 501 Workmaster tractor. There is very very little info on the net about this series. My dad had one that he left to me when he passed away. I would like to sell it but have no idea what it's worth. My brother has been maintaining it for the last 3 years and says it runs but sounds ragged, whatever that means. Anyone out there have any suggestions about where I should advertise it and how much I should ask for it?

The 501 series was the offset variant of the 701 row crop series. They are less common than the 601, 701, 801 and 901 series tractors, but not extremely rare, but some folks love them. They continued the offset line into the 4 cylinder thousand series with the 2000 offset models, which were basically the same as the 501 series that came before them.

As to the value, it really depends on location and condition plus what options and attachments it might come with. The additional value of the tires needs to be considered as well, on a sliding scale new or nearly new tires could add $1000.00 to the value vs. $0 added for tires that need to be replaced.

What area of the country will you be looking to sell it in?

What condition are he tires in?

Is it a 4 speed transmission (541) or a Select-O-Speed transmission (571)?

Are there any attachments/implements that you would be selling with the tractor?

Attachments will add value to the tractor with a sale, but usually not as much as they might bring if you sold them separately. Standard 3 point hitch attachments that would fit any other tractor would probably bring more when sold separate from the tractor. If you have any offset specific attachments, like the cultivator, those could add quite a bit to the sale price of the tractor and may be worth it to the buyer to pay a premium for if they really want/need them, as those attachments are more rare than the tractors themselves.

Thanks for responding. It is located in Eastern NC, tires are bad and has a 4 speed transmission. There are no attachments.