#1974 ford tractor serial number guide serial numbers#
#1974 ford tractor serial number guide code#
#1974 ford tractor serial number guide series#

Few 2N tractors found today will look any different from the 9N tractors. The Model 2N was born but production of the stripped-down tractors did not start until October 1942. Roger Kyes (president of the Ferguson-Sherman Corporation) came up with the idea of producing a tractor without rubber tires, battery, or starter. The WPB was replaced by the Civilian Production Administration shortly after the defeat of Japan in 1945. The WPB rationed products such as gasoline, oils, metals, rubber, plastics, and paper. industrial production capability and raw materials from peacetime products to miliraty products. The WPB consolidated federal agencies to more efficiently direct the conversion of U.S. President Roosevelt established the WPB in January 1942 by Executive Order 9024. Tractor production was halted on by order of the US War Production Board (WPB). All numbers start and end with a star and have the prefix '9N' to indicate 1939 model.

#1974 ford tractor serial number guide serial numbers#

Serial numbers were stamped on the upper/left/rear corner of the engine block above the starter. Other items included parts borrowed from Ford cars and trucks. A cast aluminum hood was used because the stamped steel hood could not be manufactured in time. The very aggressive schedule resulted in some differences between the first models and later models. The Ford 9N Tractor went from handhake to production in just a few months. Refer to to find photos and information about other years, makes, and models of farm and industrial tractors not covered here. My Ford 3000 was a 3-cylinder version built after 1965.

#1974 ford tractor serial number guide series#

This has been expanded to include four cylinder tractors thru the early thousand series and 3-cylinder models thru 1975. FORD TRACTOR SERIAL NUMBERS AND MODEL IDENTIFICATION I have no idea exactly when the hand-stamped serial numbers became 'tractor' rather than just 'engine identification.

#1974 ford tractor serial number guide code#

Serial numbers were stamped in sequential order after passing QC, but they were not maintained in any particular sequential order for final assembly.įor later model Ford tractors (especially after the model/serial numbers were moved to the transmission housing) the hand-stamped model/serial number code was added as the tractors were assembled, so the model/serial numbers for those tractors do indicate the actual date the tractor was assembled. The backlog in holding areas for different parts could vary significantly.Įngines were pulled for final assembly on the line. It is very common for one of these tractors to have parts with casting date codes that don't exactly match. Tractor assembly would probably have been several days or longer after the engine passed QC and was stamped with a serial number. In the case of an engine block, final assembly and testing had to take place before the hand-stamped serial number was added. What all that means is the casting date code on any part must be at least 30 days prior to the part being machined. Wnen each engine passed QC Inspection/Testing, the hand stamped serial number was applied, and the engine was placed in another holding area. Machined blocks were then taken to the engine assembly area where they were fully assembled and then placed in another holding area.Īssembled engines then went to the QC Test Area. The date code F262 indicates June 26,1959.Īgain, the fresh 'green' castings are too brittle for machine work, so they were placed in a holding area for at least 30 days.Įngine blocks were then pulled from the holding area to be fully machined, cleaned, and then set in another holding area.

The next two numbers indicate day of the month, a final number indicates year. Date codes varied but the most common code found on the 9N, 2N, 8N tractors is a letter indicating the month A=Jan, B=Feb, C=MAR.

The tag and screws are visible on the casting. Casting date codes will have raised or recessed numbers and letters on a tag that was attached to the mold with screws. Fresh 'green' castings are brittle and will break tools or the casting if machine work is attempted too soon. There are no identifying marks to indicate the exact date a tractor was assembled.Ĭast parts were have date codes that the factory used to make sure parts were properly cured before being machined. These hand-stamped numbers were the last identifying mark added before final assembly of a tractor. The hand-stamped engine serial numbers for 9N,2N,8N tractors only indicate approximately when a tractor was built. The N-Tractors used an odd font with lowercase 'b' substuted for '6', flipped upside down for '9' and the capital 'I' substituted for '1'. Hand-stamped means the numbers may be difficult to read if the hammer didn't get a really good whack on each character. The exact location changed and is described below for each model. Model and serial numbers for all Ford tractors were hand-stamped into the cast iron engine or transmission housing. FORD N-TRACTOR SERIAL NUMBERS AND CASTING DATE CODES