Gas Caps

The tank cap we are all familiar with is AD709(later with a suffix R), and it was used from the git-go on all A, B, G, and H until partway into the 50,60,70 series when it changed to AF2914R. Often, the parts books said AD709R (2 used).

The Master Parts Index lists AD709R as OB(solete) and subs two units which are both for combines, so not much help there.

So, the question is if one ordered an AD709R cap would it be green or red (or galvanized, or unpainted)?

One possibility is what the branch houses did with the caps. Some may have had procedures which called for repainting the gasoline caps (although I have a pretty good collection of bulletins from various branch houses and don't recall this being addressed). Or, maybe the dealers painted them?

I'll look into this a bit further as time permits. And a big Thanks to Frank for posting the 60 pix - that is a very good reference.

Brandon

If you want me to trust your memory over mine, then I would say that is indeed a stretch.

I'm sure many of you have seen this "virgin 60' that has been on display at many Expos to date. I won't bore you with all of the details, but the story goes that this tractor, complete with paper tages on the tires, wire on the Pow-R-Trol cylinder, and other shipment/pre-delivery details, was taken to a prospective customer, who for whatever reason, never closed the deal, and did not drive the tractor. Time passed, the dealer and customer dies, the tractor was lost on the inventory, and so today, it represents an as delivered to the dealer, brand-new '60'. While this is not a '50 "B", for you numbered series buffs, this is as close to time travel as you will ever get. Note the fuel cap color.

I remember buying a new fuel cap for a gas only "A" in '58 or '59, and it was red right out of the sack. I will say that I don't remember our 45 combine having an other than green cap.

Stan may have some facts to back up his statement. It is a possibility that he is not as long winded as yourself.

I beleive I have seen times on this forum that you have made statments that are not accurate(opinion based), more than once. It almost seems that you want to answer some posts to just ramble and promote your book.

Think about it the next time...

It takes only a small bit of thinking to further understand the transfer of this idea to later tractors as a matter of standard practice, not something in writing. And I believe this to be the case. So -- at this stage of the process, I believe (my opinion) that it is CONVENTION and not something in writing that tells us to paint the gasoline cap RED and the fuel cap GREEN. If true, that's good enough for me.

Now as for your personal dig, it would appear you have a personal problem for which this forum can offer no help. So lay off! (PatB)

• Restoration Site, JD-H

That being said, the literature is totally inconclusive. There are three pictures showing red gas caps on the gas-only tractors. There are two pictures showing red gas caps on the all-fuel tractors.

There are four pictures that show green caps all the way around on both all-fuel and gas-only tractors.

When I restored my '41 "B", I used IH Red paint for the gasoline tank, mostly because that's what I think I remember from our '43 "B". On the other hand, that tractor was repainted once, in the late '40s, so who knows what is right?

I do agree with Pat that the question has not been resolved with conclusive data, however.

It's like the yellow fan blades...I don't remember our '43 "B" having them, but several people have told me I should have painted them yellow on my restoration project.

Go with whatever you think is right, and plan on receiving both favorable and unfavorable comments from the "correct police"

Stan

Will P

Stan

H-m-m-m-m-m.

This kind of response plus the personal digs you toss in every now and then indicate you have some personal problems for which this forum has no solution!

And in another response you show a picture of a JD-60 at the Expo or something like that -- as a sort of proof to a point of view that you hold. My response is SO WHAT! Did you look at the 1939 JD-H while you were there? If you consider that tractor a dead-sure image of what it looked like back in the last half of 1938, you will take pictures as proof of anything -- just don't use them to try to convince others. (PatB)

I probably won't do mine red -- the reason is that I do not think it's worth the cost of a can of red paint just to paint one cap! Now if we can pull this thing out of the folklore category, I may change my mind.

At least with painting of fan blades yellow, there is some notes here and there as well as rationale to back it up - SAFETY! Actually in the earlier days, many were painted white!

As my Dad would say, that if you don't know gasoline goes in the smaller tank and distillate in the other, stay away from the tractor!

You surely wouldn't have need to rely on the color of the cap to tell you which is which. And if you were to place such reliance on cap color, what if someone switched them? Would you follow suit? Of course not. You still followed the owner's manual.

I am still searching for some written word on cap color and don't have it yet! (PatB)

• Restoration Site, JD-H

Stan