Early A Identification

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rnicholas

Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

I'm about to restore what looks to be a early A. No PTO, no starter, etc. But I can't find a serial number anywhere. I see a number on the side of the engine and one on top of the transmission cover but that's about it. I want to make sure I order the right parts--especially on the engine rebuild. Any ideas? It's probably a 1940. Could be a '39. Not sure.

 

tn terry t

Well-known Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

The engine s/n will be stamped on a flat above the distributor near the front spark plug

 

A

Adrian Billheimer

Well-known Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

The serial number plate, if still there is riveted to the inside of the left seat bracket, (as sitting in the seat), it may be painted over, there is also a small flat machined surface on the right side of the engine, above the magneto/distributor with the number stamped in, it may be hidden behind the governor control rod. the numbers you saw are cast in part numbers. Hope this helps you.

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

If is has no starter then it has to have a mag. The serial number is stamped above the mag. And also should be on the seat upright

 

tn terry t

Well-known Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

yea well OLD your right I used the wrong word but either way same spot lol

 

A

Athol Carr

Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

I thought that the very first Farmall A tractors had the serial plate attached to the cover on the front of the footplate.

 

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gene bender

Well-known Member

• Sep 24, 2018

• #1

PTO was an option has nothing to do with age/ What are the cast codes cause the block could have been changed. Does it have the 1/4 turn screws holding sheet metal? Is there a slide sw to stop the engine mounted on the mag.

 

tn terry t

Well-known Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

HE said :"I want to make sure I order the right parts--especially on the engine rebuild" I don't know nuthin better than the engine serial number to get Engine rebuild parts with

 

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kris Jensen

Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

I have a 44 A. there is a flat spot on the top front of engine just below the valve cover gasket
and above the first spark plug that has the serial number if it is the original block. The same number,
if you are lucky will be on the serial number plate on the left seat rail frame, as others have noted.
If the block has been changed you will still have(or should) a serial number but it might not be original.
engines were the same up to 1947. Super A had a little bump out on the timing gear housing to
attach the hydraulic pump. Otherwise they were the same motor.

 

OP

OP

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rnicholas

Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

Yes, it has the quarter turn screws on the hood. I'd never seen these before. I think they were used on airplanes?

 

OP

OP

R

rnicholas

Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

Yes, the parts are the issue so I'll go by the engine number. However, I would like to know the year. This thing is in rough, rough shape but no cracks in the block and no cracks in the rear housing. The front end has been welded several times in several places and I may have to change this out. I pulled the head and it had a rod out of place but I can't feel any wear inside the piston sleeves. I'm thinking I'll have the crank turned and just replace the crank seals, bearings and rings in order to save money. Resurface the head and replace valves, guides, and springs. The motor should be good to go after that. Anyone have any other suggestions? I really don't want to spend over a grand on it if I can help it. Without PTO it's not good for much other than pulling kids around in a wagon.

 

OP

OP

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rnicholas

Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

Later on I may need some help with the mag. I've never fooled with one and don't know much about them. I wish it had a starter as I'm not much on hand-cranking or rolling it down a hill. My grandfather had one that we rolled down a hill and hoped it would crank before we ran out of slope. He used it to disc and harrow and the block was cracked so badly that we'd have to fill up the radiator every day after we finished running it. "Don't pay that no mind, boy" is what he told me as a teenager when I pointed out the swath of evaporated water on the side of the engine.

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

Not all that hard to put a starter on it if you can find the flywheel and torque tube and starter. I would very likely have the tube and flywheel

 

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Curt Cooke

Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

Earliest of A's and B's, the serial # plate was on the pedal guard which has probably rotted off the tractor by now.

 

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sald

Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

I just got an A back in July. I have no plate but was able to get the Serial Number from the block. It is above the maneto and is stamped on a raised surface. Starts with FA or FAA. Rub a crayon on it or put a piece of paper over it and rub the crayon. Then go to this website:
https://www.external_link.com/farmall_tractor_serial_number.htm

 

formerly ny bill

Well-known Member

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

does it have any rivet holes on the seat support? the first A's had the serial plate on the shroud over the front of the clutch and brake pedals, so there are no holes on the seat support. the hood is fastened with the dzus fasteners, as noted below. the oil level checks on the oil pan look like bent macaroni, rather than the petcocks seen on most A, H, M, etc. my neighbor has #501, and #2616 was at RPRU this year. both are 1939 models. I couldn't find casting nos on a lot of the usual places, like the torque tube, on either tractor.

 

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rustybronco

Member

• Sep 26, 2018

• #1

Early A's had 2 spoke steering wheels. The later early A's had a 3 spoke wheel that had tapered spokes not like the later metal 3 spoke variants used late? 40 on up. Early A's had the 90 degree bent rod style oil level cocks. Early A's had little if any casting date codes. Serial plate was on the pedal guard. The mag kill switch was a pull cable instead of the later pull to run electric switch. The serial number as noted will be on a flat pad under the governor rod right by the #1 cylinder. Does fasteners for the hood and grille retention as you have noted.

Pictures of you tractor should help i.d. the year as will any part numbers and or date codes visible. (Oil gauge, front hub 6787DB DC etc.)

My A, FAA2144, does not of have any date codes that I can find other than on the engine which has been changed.

 

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rustybronco

Member

• Sep 26, 2018

• #1

DZUS not does.

 

BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member

Location

Rochester, NY

• Sep 26, 2018

• #1

With Dzus fasteners holding the hood, that makes it a 1939 or early 1940, if my knowledge of Farmall lore holds true.

Also, engine serial should match, or be very close, to the frame serial number, that early in production.

I've got a friend with a '39 B, and there are no casting date codes anywhere on it. Only thing that dates it is the serial number.