Ford 900 (960-61)

New here, Hello!
I am looking at purchasing my second Ford tractor. The widow lady does not know much about it. I believe it is a 961 Powermaster. It is a row crop, with the red larger grill cover with both vertical and horizontal cross bars (they are wide). From all I can find without having the serial number that's all I have to go on. I am going to go look at it soon. from all the pictures and videos I can find that seems to be the most "visual" difference. The 960 has the vertical only grill and the 961 powermaster has the more cagy or boxy grill cover.
Also, does the 961 powermaster have the 2 stage clutch, with live PTO?
Thanks for any input you can give.

The sheet metal sounds like 9x1 as you noted.
Live PTO would depend on the clutch. 961 had it, 951 did not.
Same tractor otherwise. Could have narrow front or wide.
Other differences between the 9x0 and 9x1 would be a larger
manifold and carb to get a few more horsepower out of the 172
engine and a two piece front end on the 9x1 as opposed to the
one piece on all but the very late 9x0 series.

Welcome to the forum!

If you buy it you will love it!!

Look on the bell housing right behind the starter. if it has a 5 behind the 960/1 then it will have live power.

(quoted from post at 22:15:53 09/11/18) Look on the bell housing right behind the starter. if it has a 5 behind the 960/1 then it will have live power.

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What???? Not sure where this comes from, but a suffix to the model number, 960 or 961 has absolutely nothing to do with whether the unit has live PTO or not. If the middle digit is 5, as in 950 or 951, it's not a live PTO. On the other hand, if it's a 6, as in 960 or 961, then it is live PTO.


It's best not to say more than one knows on this or any other chat board.

I believe it is a 961

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Welcome to the forum - Glad to have you!!

Model and serial are stamped on boss just above and to the rear of the starter. That information will identify how the tractor was originally configured.



Courtesy of John Smith:
First number
5** - One row offset tractor with134 CID gas, LP-gas or 144 CID diesel engine
6** - Four wheel utility type with adjustable front axle, 134 CID gas, LP-gas or 144 CID diesel engine
7** - High clearance row crop with134 CID gas, LP-gas or 144 CID diesel engine
8** - Four wheel utility type with adjustable front axle, 172 CID gas, LP-gas or 172 CID diesel engine
9** - High clearance row crop type, 172 CID gas, LP-gas or 172 CID diesel engine

Second number
*1* - Select-O-Speed transmission, no PTO
*2* - Four speed transmission, no PTO or 3 point lift
*3* - Four speed transmission, no PTO
*4* - Four speed transmission with PTO and 3 point lift
*5* - Five speed transmission with 3 point lift and non-live PTO
*6* - Five speed transmission with 3 point lift and live PTO
*7* - Select-O-Speed transmission with single speed PTO and 3 point lift
*8* - Select-O-Speed transmission with dual and ground speed PTO and 3 point lift

Third number
**1 - "01" series '57 - '62

Suffixes
-1 - Tricycle with single front wheel
-4 - High clearance with wide front
-5 - Factory wide front end
-S - Sherman transmission
-L - LP gas engine
-D - Diesel engine


Serial Numbers
1957 Serial number 1001 - 11996
1958 Serial number 11997 - 58311
1959 Serial number 58312 - 105942
1960 Serial number 105943 – 131426

(quoted from post at 20:52:28 09/11/18)

(quoted from post at 22:15:53 09/11/18) Look on the bell housing right behind the starter. if it has a 5 behind the 960/1 then it will have live power.

Click to expand...

What???? Not sure where this comes from, but a suffix to the model number, 960 or 961 has absolutely nothing to do with whether the unit has live PTO or not. If the middle digit is 5, as in 950 or 951, it's not a live PTO. On the other hand, if it's a 6, as in 960 or 961, then it is live PTO.


It's best not to say more than one knows on this or any other chat board.

Click to expand...

Larry, once or twice I was pretty sure that I knew something but I turned out to be wrong. I'll bet that it has happened to other people too, LOL.

if it was a 961-5 it would have a wide front end .. that's what the dash5 is..

I checked the numbers it shows a 1955 960, BUT it has the 961 red Egg carton grill and 961 fenders. So who knows, maybe it is not original sheet metal. It also has the 1955-57 900 badge on front. So I am thoroughly confused! I will probably pull the trigger on it, but my son wants to go look at a Farmall M this weekend. After that we will buy one of them (I want the Ford)!

BTW, we are currently working on a 1963 Ford 4000 4 cylinder. This is our first project. The new one will be our second project.

Thanks for the help and welcomes.

Sounds like a mutt. Check date codes on radiator, axle housings, etc. to see what it mostly is.

Many, who don't hold my fondness for Select-O-Speeds and disdain for the five speed, have swapped in either 5 or 4 speeds in *01s and early *000s that left the factory as SOS tractors. This could be a possibility here.