DGK

Member
I just save H from scrap yard. Has elect start, hyd, and PTO. Motor turns over and all parts are there. Just looked up serial # and they only made 596 of them that year. Will that make it worth any more? Thanks Doug
 
Doug, according to the production numbers shown in the Production Register,there were 2147 "H's" built in the 1944 model year (July 1943 through June 1944). And there were 2091 "H's" built in the 1944 calendar year.
 
DGK,

Is it your intention to keep and restore this H? or is it looking for a new home?
I have ALWAYS wanted an H... E-mail open if you might be interested in discussing.
best, Bob
 


DGK, Because of the tire shortage during the war "H" production was halted on Sept 29th, 1943 and resumed production on Oct. 9th, 1944. It was at this time they went to the front steel wheel (JD 1262R) so your tractor should have the pressed steel wheel.
Rich
 
Doug - Yes, the "Antique Tractor Serial Numbers" list on this website is wrong, at least for the model "H" tractor. I haven't done any checking about accuracy for other models. And the rest of this comment is only about the model "H".

Some history: The first list of years and beginning serial numbers was in a booklet entitled "John Deere Tractors - 1918-1976, published by Deere and Company, known as the "brown" booklet. A preface to the list in the booklet stated, "The number opposite each year designation is the beginning serial number for that year for the model designated in the headline. Years are product years (usually 1 August of the preceding calendar year to the following 31 July) unless noted as follows: *Calendar Year; ** Fiscal Year (1 November to 31 October)."

The list showed the 1958 "320" and "420" tractors noted as "Calendar Year", and all "1020", "2020" and "1520" tractors noted as "Fiscal Year". All others were "product years".

But the list (at least for the "H") was wrong for several reasons. First, the numbers on that list (at least for the model "H") are serial numbers that started with the Fiscal Year, even though the booklet stated those serial numbers were for the Product Year. Secondly, the production years during the era of the "H" ran from July 1 through June 30 of the following year, which corresponded with the normal summer shutdown. And these numbers from the "brown" booklet are the same as those shown in the YTMag "Antique Tractor Serial Numbers" - again, at least for the "H".

So right away things get confusing - we have calendar years, product years, production years, and fiscal years, all of which might indicate the "model year" of your tractor.

Later, Deere published another booklet, this one entitled "John Deere Tractors - 1918-1994" known as the "gray booklet". The preface of this booklet stated, "...In addition, some corrections have been made to the information contained in the previous versions of this book. A John Deere tractor aficionado will want to pay close attention to the many changes in tractor serial numbers listed in the back pages of this book, especially to serial numbers for tractors built between 1935 and 1950. Handwritten record books from the Waterloo and Dubuque Tractor factories were reviewed carefully to determine the serial number of the first tractor models built each new production year."

"A tractor production year is not the same as Deere & Company's fiscal year or a calendar year. In fact, a production year may be shorter or longer than 12 months. Deere and Company's fiscal year always begins on November 1 and ends the following October 31. There is no set date for the start or end of a production year. It often began in late July or August after a tractor factory was closed for a few weeks for inventory, for an extended factory-wide employee vacation period, or for extensive changes to the assembly line. Significant improvements or model changes are normally made at the beginning of the new production year, but not always. Therefore, it is important for a tractor buff to know the serial number of the first tractor built each new production year. Previous editions of this book listed serial numbers of some of the first tractors built after the start of the new fiscal year; these are the serial number that have been changed."

So, with this later book, the beginning serial numbers changed significantly since the original list started with tractors built November 1, and the revised list started with tractors built July 1. And it can be really confusing when someone states the year of their tractor because of all the above. It's much better if the serial number is used instead because that really tells much more about the tractor. For example, considering the dozens of changes made to the model "H" only a few actually coincided with a product year change. Most of the changes were mid-year improvements. So if something needed fixed or improved, and the changes were ready, they put them into production and didn't wait for the next model year.

The revised list that everyone seems to agree is the “correct” beginning serial number list is as follows:
1939 - 1000
1940 - 10000
1941 - 20615
1942 - 35699
1943 - 44754
1944 - 45642
1945 - 47796
1946 - 53327
1947 - 58614
 
Thanks So mine #48031 is 1945. It has steel fronts which are rusted bad, shoot both back are bad to. Plan on getting it running though. Thanks for the INFO. Doug
 
I have some good usable parts left over from a restoration I did on a 1945 H. Let me know if you're interested. I have a good set of front wheels, rear hubs, engine parts, and others. E-Mail is open. My phone number is 614-561-9454. Bill.
 

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