1943 A RADIATOR CAP

oldcartech

New User
GREETINGS FROM S.E MISSOURI!
My saga in trying to restore this 1943 "SLANT DASH A" continues! I have never owned a "A" before and bought this one disassembled. I can't find anyone in the area
that has one that I can use as a reference. I'm just about ready to start this beast but have now ran into another dilemma. The top of the radiator does not have a
place to put on a radiator cap. There is a "sleeve" that comes out of the top tank of the radiator that is threaded inside. It looks like a 2 3/8" X 12 threads per
inch. Inside this "sleeve" is the over flow tube that comes out of the top tank. Since the overflow tube goes up inside the "sleeve" I am assuming that this "sleeve"
should be on the radiator. Everything I have read says that the radiator should have a twist on radiator cap but how does it connect to the "sleeve"? Is there
supposed to be an adapter that screws into this "sleeve" or is the "sleeve" incorrect? If the "sleeve" is not correct does it screw out of the top tank or is it a
press fit?

I tried to include a photo but not sure it it's going to be included in the posting or not.

ANY help will be greatly appreciated!

Mike
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That looks like somebody modified it with a 2" pipe coupling to use a pipe plug. How is it attached to the upper tank? Brazed or soldered on? Scrape a little paint off and see how it was attached.
 
S.E. MO is a big area. I'm up here at the lake of the Ozarks my self.

As far as that add on it looks like some one some how install a piece of pipe so you would then use a pipe plug in it. Not sure there the same but I have a60 parts tractor that still has the radiator on it
 

I agree with others that state threaded pipe isn't factory rad neck. Factory rad neck iis pictured below & can be purchased from this discussion forum(YT parts) accessed at the top of this page.

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In 43 & some early 44 J/D used a different radiator cap. They used a smaller cap & steel cores. Yours has been modified to a fix
that will work but won't look correct.. I rebuilt a late 1943 or early 44 & had all kinds of trouble finding the correct filler
neck & cap that would fit my wallet. I wasn't concerned about the correct parts for the year because my tractor has turned into a
Johnny Cash Special, as it ended up I needed a Top tank also since my tractor when through a F4 Tornado, then a lower tank & a New
core. The tanks I used came from a donor tractor that required the same fill & cap asy as most John Deere A's.. I am guessing your
tractor has the one piece cast steel front frame rather than the steel angle iron frame?
 
I have a hand start no lights 1943 with the cast frame, a steel serial number tag and a hood with an original hood which had a small (smaller than usual) radiator cap hole in it. Its original radiator was the steel cored beast with the small pressure style cap like would be on a mid 60's auto. That was gone decades ago and a large cap style radiator was put in as a replacement.

The neck of the earlier and later radiators however won't let the hood come down around them because the hole is just a bit too small for that big filler neck. Somebody fixed THAT with a ball peen hammer! My tractor has a VERY ugly hood on it! So ugly it's one of those things you almost don't want to fix!
 
I'm located in "S.E.Mo" and have a JD salvage yard. I may be able to help you out . If you want contact me by phone at 573 535 8952 . Tom
 

Yes that sounds like the A I have.. 6sp,power lift hand crank.. Like I said the one I have did go through a Twister, so there wasn't a whole lot
left.. As to why I decided to save it, is beyond me? The twister took the tractor in May of 1985. I bought the tractor 5 or 6 years ago, last fall
it started & I drove it under it's own power for the 1st time since 1985, ran rather well & had good power for a A model. It was a rather sweet sound
as I drove it up out of the valley I live. Finally made it full circle a sense of pride & accomplishment.
But now it's electric start, a power troll, power steering, live hydraulics , a distributor, lights & 15 amp generator. A different block, head,
.90 over Pistons new valves & seats, hood, grills, radiator tanks & core, air intake, shift tower, has a square float ride seat & batteries under the
seat, 801 3point & a power angle 8' western snow plow & a winter front.
I don't have it painted as of yet. But every part I have had off has been sand blasted painted be for it got reinstalled so it looks like it's been
painted. I have the paint, just not the time. Every seal/ gasket in the trans, rear end & bearings have been replaced. I've also upgraded the clutch
& 1st reduction gear to a later model 1952 A which slows the transmission. Along with the 52 A draw bar & frame for the draw bar. About all I intended for this tractor to do was plow snow. But it hauls some
wood in the fall runs a Number 5 mower we use to mow pasture & trim up the fields. Pulls hay wagons & silage wagons has raked hay & moved round bales if needed. We have 10 other John Deere's on the farm it can fill
in when needed & if I have a extra driver, But it's main duty is plowing snow. It is a true Johnny Cash Model A.
 
(quoted from post at 06:07:36 04/17/18)
Yes that sounds like the A I have.. 6sp,power lift hand crank.. Like I said the one I have did go through a Twister, so there wasn't a whole lot
left...It is a true Johnny Cash Model A.

Reminds me of the old joke about the fellow who was proud to own his great-grandfather's axe. "It's had three new handles and one new head, but it still works as good as when it was new".
 
I bought mine from a guy who said it was on the place when he bought it & it had set for 8 years out in the woods. It had actually been rather well "mothballed" by the previous owner. It was missing the seat, had an orchard muffler and an 801 hitch on it with Power Lift. Had the breather stack sawed off & about 35 layers of plastic wrap over the opening so it never got water in the air cleaner. The hood was all beat up 'round the radiator cap and it still is. It had an antique style governor case on it & they drilled a tappet oiler tube hole in the valve cover. The rear of the hood was too high because of the wrong governor so they chiseled the channel under the steering rod backwards until the steering shaft could be installed. It still rubbed on the hood squeaking & grinding away. The sides of the hood had so many mouse nests between it & the fuel tank, holes rusted through the hood. They had opened the fuel bowl drain so no water (or fuel) made any mess of the carburetor, they had drained the cooling system and wasps had filled the muffler. I checked the oil for level and for water. All good there. It wasn't stuck and happened to stop between 1 & 2 so all 4 valves were closed. A tree had grown up just ahead of the belt pulley and it was about 5" in diameter and just behind the orchard style muffler outlet. I cleaned the points & the mag came to life. The wasps got a bit testy as I was cranking it but it soon started on about the 6th turn just like any A with a good healthy bark, bark, bark & it was running. As it did so it splattered the wasps against the tree & they were no longer concerned with my tinkering. It ran terrible but I knew why. The Idle circuit was completely clogged so it kept hunting for the right speed. Bark, bark, coast, coast, bark, coast, coast, coast, bark, bark and that's how we drove out of the woods & onto the trailer. His name is Woody. He's reliable but gosh awful ugly! Oh one more thing... It has a mid series (early styled) B carburetor on it and once disassembled & drilled out it now runs quite nicely idling respectably. It's hi range reverse interlock had been removed so it goes solidly into reverse in both the HI and LOW ranges. It will in reverse outrun an H! It has a LOT of character even if it was not a war tractor!
 
First of all my apologies to everyone for not responding sooner to your comments. In the past I got a email whenever someone responded to my questions and this time I
never received a email. I ASSUMED that no one had a answer for me. When I just checked to see if maybe my question did not get posted I saw all the responses.

I'm not sure how the "adapter" is fastened to the upper tank but it is NOT soldered or brazed. I've tried tapping it side to side and using a pipe wrench to unscrew and
neither method moved a adapter any. Is the original upper tank threaded for the adapter shown in the catalogs or is it just a press fit?

And for "Tom" I've actually bought parts from you several times in the past, once I figure out what I need I'll be in touch because I'm missing several other items also!

THANKS!
Mike
 
One other thing I'd like to mention is that if this is not a factory "adapter" then someone used a metal lathe to cut the shoulder where the "adapter" meets the upper tank. The air gap between the upper tank and the "adapter" is PERFECT all around the "adapter". Looking down through the "adapter" all you see the inside of the "adapter".

Mike
 

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