Gold 871???

Mach 1 Pilot

New User
Hello all-

Long time lurker here, I come by here from time to time looking for some details on a machine I'm working on.... its a great site and I thought someone might have an idea about this tractor. Some of you may remember my brother Kevin (Lanexa Speedway) who restored a 641 a few years back posting in this forum. I we grew up running Ford tractors, and still dabble with them today.

About two years ago I bought an 871, primarily for parts. The select-o-speed was bad but everything else ran well.... I wanted the power steering for another tractor, tires for something else, etc.

Well today I decided its time to tear it apart so I could keep what I wanted and sell/scrap the rest. What I found was intriguing.... gold paint on the transmission case under the red. Gold is definitely the base color on the transmission. But here is the kicker - the serial number is 116795, which would put it in the 1960 model year. So based on that number it should not be a Gold Demonstrator because its too new... or is it? I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this.

Thanks! Keith
 
Here are two photos... one showing the serial number and the other the gold paint.

24635.jpg
24637.jpg
 
If there's nothing under the gold, then that might be the original primer. Otherwise someone took it down to bare metal at some point and painted it gold trying to pass it off as a gold demonstrator.
 
I do remember Kevin. I hope he is doing well.
Unfortunately I can't help you much on your current quest.
 
During the mid sixties ford had an exchange program where you exchange your old ORC trans for the newer DDC trans and they would restamp the original
numbers, which was done on one of my gold demo's. I would think this is one of those trannys and it has been rebuilt and restamped and resold. Does it still
have the original tracking # in the same spot on the opposite side of the trans? Any gold on rear? What is production code on the engine, lower left block?
 
If you are not going to keep the torque limiter and it is not completely wallowed out please do not let it be turned into a Hyundai - I would be interested in it as a spare or maybe even a replacement for my yet-to-be-determined-what-it-needs refurb.

Also, if it has the output (traction?) disconnect arm I could use one as mine has disappeared. Have the nut for it but no arm in sight which means I will find it as soon as I source a replacement.
 
Thanks guys!

Kirk- I suspect that the transmission was part of the exchange program mentioned, as I didn't see any other gold on other castings. The layers of paint are these: red oxide primer, followed by gold, then red. The exchange program would make sense, as the serial number is out of the normal range for the Demonstrator program. I'll look for those other numbers...

NC - As for parts, when I get it pulled apart and can see what's there I'll let you know... but I thinking right now I'd prefer to sell the entire transmission depending on what it looks like inside. My suspicion is that that input shaft is the culprit, but I should know in a day or so. :)

I appreciate all the replies!
 

I agree with it most likely being part of the exchange program, my 62 model 881 has one part that has gold paint under to original red.

Having issues uploading photos today. keeps saying returning to upload another photo.
 
Got a couple of more details.... most notably the other castings on this tractor do not show gold paint. Also the casting date on the transmission is A159. If I recall correctly, that would be January 15, 1959 and
would be in the proper range to be originally installed in a gold tractor?? But of course the serial number stamped into that same casting does not match. I scraped around the serial number area and it does not
appear that there was any spot where an old number was ground off, but I think do think that this transmission was part of the exchange program out at some point and time.

Also I was able to split the trans and engine tonight, and found the probable cause of the lack of drive for the last owner. I was expecting to see the splines destroyed on the input shaft but that was not the case.
The center of the hub from the clutch was still on the input shaft while the rivets sheared from the rest of the clutch assembly. Perhaps that would have been an easy fix, if it was taken care of in a timely manner.
But the crack I found in the bottom of the SOS case would be harder to fix... sigh. I'm assuming maybe water got in it and froze, causing the crack but I do not know for sure. There is light condensation inside the
case but overall it does not look too bad through the sheet metal cover at the top of the case. Oh well, it was a parts tractor for me anyway and I didn't pick it up for the SOS. If anyone wants it for parts and is
close to Central PA, contact me and we can get you some more details.

As a side note, where is the drain plug on these early SOS cases? I may be dumb, but I could not find one anywhere!
 
(quoted from post at 01:28:19 10/04/18) I do remember Kevin. I hope he is doing well.
Unfortunately I can't help you much on your current quest.

I see my brother was on here last fall, lol.

I am doing well, just as busy as ever. Going to mess around with my tractor again a little bit here before long. May end up restoring that rest-o-ride seat, and clean up a 19-80 blade setup I just picked up. So I may surface from time to time on here again... ????

Kevin
 
(quoted from post at 01:28:19 10/04/18) I do remember Kevin. I hope he is doing well.
Unfortunately I can't help you much on your current quest.

I see my brother was on here last fall, lol.

I am doing well, just as busy as ever. Going to mess around with my tractor again a little bit here before long. May end up restoring that rest-o-ride seat, and clean up a 19-80 blade setup I just picked up. So I may surface from time to time on here again... ????

Kevin
 
(reply to post at 01:22:02 10/05/18)
As a side note, where is the drain plug on these early SOS cases? I may be dumb, but I could not find one anywhere!

You drain them by removing the inlet screen assembly down at the bottom of the left side. You're supposed to clean the screen every time that you change the fluid so I guess the engineers that designed it thought that not having any other way to drain it would force people into cleaning the screen every time.
 

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