John Deere H ORIGINAL Look! Pics

Just wanted to share some pics of my new 1939 John Deere H all ORIGINAL and all 4 tires are ORIGINAL even has rad curtain still! Its a 1939 H Runs good too!

Nice find. What is the area you found her in and her history?
Joel

Sure looks very original, so much so that it seems to me that it would be a shame to "restore" it. I notice that it has no spark plug covers, but I've heard that the earliest ones were shipped without the covers and that they were added later. Thanks for posting.

VERY nice! It's remarkable to find a tractor that has such straight tin.

I'm curious about your S/N. From the drawbar and drawbar support it will be later than H-7185.

The exhaust pipe has been replaced sometime in the past with the pipe that takes the cast iron clamping flange, and the magneto has been replaced with a Wico "X", all of which were the only things available as replacement parts from Deere due to product improvement.

Leon mentioned the spark plug covers which were not shipped from the factory until S/N H-7919. Must have been caused by a manufacturing shortage or something, because those covers were then furnished to dealers at no charge for installation onto tractors already sold.

Thanks for the info any more ? Serial # H_7204

In a more pleasant tone, I agree with leaving the oil off. It really takes away from the originality of it. If you want to clear coat it to preserve it, that is fine, just don't use a clear that is high gloss and makes it look like it just rolled out of a car wash.

Otherwise, very nice find and they get fewer as each day passes. I do hope you leave it just like it is (except the oil).

Got any pictures before the shine job?

JDChris, thanks for the S/N info. Determining what is "original" or "correct" is always a bit of a problem, especially since mother Deere, as did other manufacturers, continually improved and modified their products as time went on. And often, those improved parts caused the truly original pieces to disappear when they were replaced by the more modern, improved, service parts.

I mentioned your exhaust pipe and magneto in the previous post, but it is apparent that your muffler has been replaced (probably with a Deere replacement) also. (The one that the factory shipped with your tractor had a "short" muffler - the muffler with the extension tube was introduced at S/N 8471.) But the new muffler with the extension was assigned the same part number as the old muffler. So the identity of some of the truly original parts became lost unless one has access to the earliest parts lists and illustrations.

I'm curious about a couple of other items - is there a remnant of a serial number decal on the main case below the platform where your left foot would rest? Don't know exactly when they started applying those decals and I haven't seen any on a really early "H" yet, so I wonder if yours had such a decal?

Also, please take a close look at the grill on your air intake. The grill on the earliest models had a woven wire grill, but the later units had flat sheets with the rectangular slots punched out, exactly the same as the radiator grill material I've been trying to determine when the woven wire was discontinued in favor of the slotted grill sheets, and your tractor will help narrow that question down.

I'm always in awe of original tractors such as yours because so much can be lost when restorations are made, and it's always great to see a tractor that one has reasonable confidence that it represents what was originally manufactured. One sees so many beautiful restorations that upon close examination, simply aren't accurate. They might have genuine John Deere replacement parts installed, but they simply aren't an accurate representation of what the tractor was like when it left the factory. Not all restorers are interested in keeping things truly accurate for the period.

For example, your steering wheel is original since the hub is a large cast iron unit that disappeared sometime before 1940 or so, and was replaced with a smaller steel hub. But again, the same part number was retained although the part was actually different.

Again, you have a really neat and unique tractor there - and I think it looks GREAT.

Hi Dan
Thanks for all the info on the H! It is nice to get all the info i can on this tractor! I love the little thing! I took a couple more pics for you of the screen in the hood {looks just like the grills} and a pic of the patten sticker under the foot rest on left hand side! {I think thats what you meant?? Also after looking at it close it did have spark plug covers on it it one point i can see the outline of them! Do you have any John Deere H's? Thanks again Chris

Well, it appears Deere stopped using the woven wire air intake grill screen before they made your tractor! Thanks for the nice pictures.

I have only one "H", but it's my favorite model.

Check your email. I sent you a private message.

How long before you put it on ebay?

Staying in my collection! Thanks

Chris,
Nice H, I would like to have one just like that. I too like the nice originals but I have not been lucky enough to run into many that were available in my part of the country. Here in the south rust is really a problem. Most found around here are either rusted hulks, have been repainted or "restored" at some point. What do you put on them to keep them from rusting further after you get them? I have heard some use diesel or a thin oil but it seems like that would smell, be a mess as well as attract dirt and dust like crazy. Some also claimed to use boiled linseed oil or clear coat. Just curious.

Scott
Thanks ! It is very hard to find good clean un painted original like this H! I put linseed oil and cut it with wd40 works very well no smell drys well! I am always looking for good originals! Thanks Chris