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Aha, another Slant Dash B owner. I have one ser # 89xxx which is also a 1940 model year tractor. These are interesting tractors and when it comes to finding parts for controls that go through the dash can be a little difficult. The 7" Flat lens lights and associated brackets are a rather unique part of this tractor and the cable choke and pull button starter are also unique. In my search for parts I stumbled on to some NOS parts for this version tractor. Beleive it or not an original NOS wiring set and a NOS cable choke set-up. The 3 position light switch is produced in reproduction form. The generator, to maintain originality ,is a 6 V with the unique non-regulator type device (I'm having a senior moment and can't come up with the right words) with charging rates determined by the positon of the light switch. The 3 way fuel valve rod that goes through the dash is also unique to this tractor. The three piece battery covers (different size than others) are available in reproduction form but not often advertised. Duane Larsen makes a good comment about Herb Nielsen that is very appropriate. At the last GOG in 2002, Herb was asking those of us who owned a Slant dash B to register them with him and it was my understanding he was going to publish that but i've not seen it. Out of the 1250 registered attendees at the 2002 GOG I beleive the count that herb got was in the 15 neighborhood and i think Herb himself owns 2 or 3 himself. I have been told that JD sold an upgrade kit for the 1939 and 1940 hand start B's to convert them to the Slant Dash version. I've not seen any published evidence to verify that but I beleive it to be true. There were actually three versions of this Slant Dash B tractor, Electric Start only, Electric Lights only and both. There is also some evidence that JD didn't offer this version in the 1939 model until about mid model year. Duane has some manuals that show before and after dates as to when the option was included. If my memeory serves it was somewhere in the March/April time frame of 1939. The Slant Dash B is often confused with the Slant Dash A which was made from 1939 to mid 1947 and many more of those are still around. I have only seen one other Slant Dash B at a show here in the NW. Another I saw for sale that was a BN version and I beleive resides in the state of Washington and the third was on display at the Collector Center in Moline in 2002. I took several pictures of the one on display at the CC and you can see them at the reference below: Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, this tractor did not get restored fully back to original condition, especially in the dash area. JD did not keep records of these options on the B so an archive search will not provide this kind of configuration information. Hope this helps a bit. If you happen to talk to Herb I would appreciate a report on what he tells you. I'm hoping to talk to him myself at GOG 2004 this coming March.
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