Model A...

Last year I purchased/saved a Model A from the
scrap yard. Don't have a lot of $$ in it (Yet)
But I cannot remember what year it is. I have
NO tag.. I am thinking 1943 or 44.. Has a Cast
Steel Frt Frame, different looking than the
angle iron frame, small radiator cap, all fuel.
6 speed, rolling draw bar. Hand Cranker.
This tractor last ran May 30 1985, on the 31st
of May it got picked up by one of the Tornado's
we had in NW Pa. It will require a ton of parts
to save it, mainly sheet metal for appearence.
& the Good Lord only knows what internal engine
parts it will need. I just hafta to decide
whether to loose my butt in this for the love
of seeing it run again. The last thing I really
need is another tractor, I haven't finished my
400.00 John Deere M yet, because I use it all
the time.. So My Question is it a 43 of 44?
Should I or Should I not? I know I know I know
I should have posted Pictures, curantly Ole John
is a embarassing sight.....

The war tractor was made mid 43 to thru 44. Pressure radiator ,cast frame. Same tractor as 41 to 46 except frame and radiator. Ron Mn.

Thank U.. Very Much..

Now I need to figure out a Tag.....

To put it in terms of serial numbers, pressure cooling is between 523600-542699 (maybe mid-May 43-end of June 44). The only other thing that I know of right off hand that would narrow that is the governor housing had a bronze bushing for the throttle shaft up until 532179 and then it was deleted. If you can see if your housing has the bushing or not, that could possibly put it in one group or the other. The trottle arm might have to come off just to see it.
Does it have a powerlift with a remaining serial number tag?
I have an old junker that belongs to someone else out in my field that is number 541990. If yours happens to fall into that latter group, then the maincase heat code might narrow it some more, based on how close the heat code is to mine.
Hope this helps. Let me know what you find and if I can help further.

rla, Where are you located? I know of a "A" that may be close in age for parts in the same area as the 85 Tornado. Close to Pymatuming Lake.

Im in the same boat your in. I bought a 48 a to save it from the scrap yards. I got it cheap and is in pretty decent shape as far as tires and sheet metal. It dont run yet because the owner sold a few parts off of it.I have just about got them replaced. I said I wouldnt buy a non running tractor again becaue you dont know what is all wrong with it.I saved one before and I guess I will do it again.She will be running again in the U S A and wont end up in China.

JD50A where are you located? I"m about twenty minutes or so north of pymatuning lake and could use quite a few parts for one that age.

I am in the Guys Mills area, There are 2 A"s
near me with some of the parts needed.. But
Frist the engine has to move.. It"s in the
soaking process now, with Bore cleaner, tranny
fluid,parts washer solution used oil filled to
the top on the intake. So far I"ve been able to
get the broked/twisted off spark plugs out &
some others screwed in so I could fill it up.
Flat tires replaced so it will roll & some
wheels on the frt. Inside the crank case looks
pretty good, I noticed the wrist pins are
loose or the rod bushings are shot. & the
Pistons are tighter than a bulls bung in fly
time!

A Guru, I will check your info out tonite &
repost back to you.. It is a Power lift & I
don"t know it the tag is readable on the lift.
It should be if it"s there.

(quoted from post at 05:57:40 04/15/13) Last year I purchased/saved a Model A from the
scrap yard. Don't have a lot of $$ in it (Yet)
But I cannot remember what year it is. I have
NO tag.. I am thinking 1943 or 44.. Has a Cast
Steel Frt Frame, different looking than the
angle iron frame, small radiator cap, all fuel.
6 speed, rolling draw bar. Hand Cranker.
This tractor last ran May 30 1985, on the 31st
of May it got picked up by one of the Tornado's
we had in NW Pa. It will require a ton of parts
to save it, mainly sheet metal for appearence.
& the Good Lord only knows what internal engine
parts it will need. I just hafta to decide
whether to loose my butt in this for the love
of seeing it run again. The last thing I really
need is another tractor, I haven't finished my
400.00 John Deere M yet, because I use it all
the time.. So My Question is it a 43 of 44?
Should I or Should I not? I know I know I know
I should have posted Pictures, curantly Ole John
is a embarassing sight.....

Click to expand...

BTW I might add I did purchase it last year,, But I finally
got it home on 4/14/13 .... I think some other own a machine
that hasn't made to Home base yet...

Powerlift tags take a beating. About half the time they're gone. Many that do survive are badly damaged. It's just one more little bit of info that might help narrow things down.

I guess I should have also added that there is no way at this point that you will ever know the serial number of your tractor unless it can be traced back through paperwork or something. Once that tag is gone it's just a serial number range or estimate that can sometimes be determined.

If it should happen to fall into the same serial number group as the one I have access to then the maincase heat code might actually narrow it down the most. Styled era heat codes are almost totally useless in determining an approximate build date range/serial number group, but this might be one time it will be helpful.

One other thing I should have added was that the time frame I gave for pressure cooling is only about the last month and a half of the 43 model year and all of the 44 model year. The cast frame came only a thousand serial number places before pressure cooling, but it was a large time span between the two because there were no A's manufactured from Nov 42 through Mar 43

Bard, send me your E'mail address.

Guru, I didn"t find out what you really needed
to know, the stamped tag on the lift housing
isn"t truely readable like I hoped.

Casting on the lift housing A1430R
Tag might read. 42 ? or maybe 142?
Rockshaft houing casting # A2424R
Main case casting A2644R
Cyl Head casting A2325R
Radiator upper casting A2906R
Govener Box, I didn"t remove the lever
from the shaft it"s rather rusted tight.
but the casting # on the box A2422R..
Another cating # I wrote down is a A2648R
& it escapes me right now of what that ]
number was on...
I spent the most of last night cleaning out the
water jackets of the block & frt of the head
since no radiator cap on it & it"s full, we have
Mice in Pa..... The core looks good on the
outside , but once I tear it all apart & back
together it might not look so Good once I see
inside. The 15 gallon Shop vac was near Full
when I got done.....

At this point I think whether it does or doesn't have the bushing in the governor housing, and the heat code, are going to be the two items that get you the closest on a serial number range. The governor housing is the same part (casting) number either way, so that won't help.
The heat code for the maincase is located right next to the maincase casting number (A2644R). It looks like a tag with two rivets but is just a raised portion of the casting. It will have 1, 2, or 3 digits, like 7 or 56 or 179. Sometimes they can be a little tough to read because the casting is frequently rough and "sandy" in this area.
Let me know if you find anything useful. Shoot me an e-mail if a little time goes by, or repost if you prefer.
Good luck and thanks for saving one more from the scrap yards.

There is NOT a brass bushing in the goverbox
...
There is However only one fly weight & someone
has welded a goober on the end of the fan shaft
to keep the rear gear on??

Uh-Oh................having second thoughts about having saved the machine?
Anyway, the lack of bushing makes it between 532180-542699.
Don't give up : )

where you at in NW PA? I'm in Grove City. I remember hearing about that tornado though I was only 3. if you need a second set of hands working on your A let me know. Elder's in Sandy Lake has a lot of NOS parts for two cylinders.