Major or Super Major?

maddyn99 · Post by **maddyn99** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:42 am

Hello everyone. I bought this tractor a few months ago. It was my first ever tractor, I really didn't know what I was getting into. Ha !

Tractor runs fine and starts very well, but it had a lot of leaks and just looked bad. Don't know why I bought it, but it just seemed right.

So far I have had one fuel leak fixed, All the 3 point hardware replaced and all the fluids changed. I took it to my brother which teaches Auto Shop at a local High School to take a look at it.

I was originally told by the seller that this was a 1960 Super Major, but I am beginning to think that this was wrong.

As i was making the parts lists, I noticed that some of the parts dont look like whats on a Super Major, but Im not 100% sure.

Attached are some pics. I will have my brother look for the engine serial # on Monday, but I was wondering if anyone could tell by looking if its a Major, Super Major or Power Major?

Also in the 4th picture there is a blue handle that looks like it attaches to the transmission. Any clue what it does?

JC · Post by JC » Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:04 am

Hi maddyn99
It has the gauges on top of the fuel tank and drum brakes, so it looks like a Power Major to me. The serial number will be stamped on the block below the front injector.

The lever in the 4th picture engages the PTO and the hydraulics.

It looks like a fun project, especially when you have a whole shop full of high school kids helping you.

henk · Post by **henk** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:35 pm

Nice power major maddyn99,

Welcome to this board.
It has good tinwork and a flashing knob on the gear shifter.
The front axles are for the steel rims.
Please let us know which number she has.

Dandy Dave · Post by **Dandy Dave** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:35 pm

I agree, That is a Power Major with the gages on top, and drum and shoe brakes. I'm suprised that it does not have power steering with that loader on it.

Dandy Dave!

JC · Post by JC » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:05 am

henk wrote:The front axles are for the steel rims.

I think that all the New Majors in the US had steel front wheels, but I'm not 100% sure. Has anyone seen one here with cast front wheels?

Dandy Dave · Post by **Dandy Dave** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:56 pm

I looked though the parts list on the wheels, and the small hubs with the steel wheels are listed as "export only" I have never seen a Major here with the cast wheels. The parts list also has the cast wheels listed under "Hub" with an "E" after it. I would think that the "E" is for european shipped tractors. Someone correct me if I am wrong. Dandy Dave!

BearCreek Majors · Post by **BearCreek Majors** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:25 am

My apologies for hijacking someone else’s thread but the export/nonexport questions have been eating at me for quite some time.
I believe a article I had read stated that in the early years of production because of a tax or tariff on exporting new equipment, ford dealers over there in the UK would give farmers a sweet deal on updating to a new tractor every year and then exporting the like new “not for export” tractors to the US as used equipment, making a few bucks for the dealer and the farmer getting a new tractor very cheap.
With this said I’m quite sure I have one of these as it has several features that I believe were not for export or at the very least quite unusual for the US, even more so when all on one tractor.

Cast Iron front wheel, unfortunately only one still on it and it was butchered, they cut off the outer rim an had a steel rim welded to it.

Tail lights on rear fenders, “not listed in my books as UK only”

Rear taillight/connector socket behind the seat, “complete assembly not listed as UK only but the metal cover on the back is”

Hand brake.

36”two piece wheel assemblies on the back, “not a smoking gun but the 38” is for export only”

I am quite interested to hear everyone’s thoughts on this and to find out if any of these items or anything else is a dead give away to a not for export tractor. I am also looking for a good set of cast front wheels for it as I want to restore this one to “as built”.

Pat

Post by **Brian** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:20 am

j.j.Wright and Sons and Ernest Doe were exporting tractors all over the world but they were not all "original" tractors. When I first joined Wrights, I learnt my trade on Fordsons by "building" tractors from non-runners.

Tractors with faulty engines were stripped down as were ones with faulty gearboxes/rear axles. The usable parts were then coupled together to make a "runner" which was then exported.

So Power Majors went overseas with FMD parts and visa-versa.

Petrol/Kerosene E1ADKN tractors were also fitted with new Perkins L4 engines and exported but, to date, I have never found one of these for my collection.

Send me a PM Pat, I have a friend who sends containers over on a regular basis. We have many wheels here but I would not like to post them.

Supertractorman · Post by **Supertractorman** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:30 am

I had the experience of going by boat from Liverpool to Uruguay and Argentina in 1960. Amongst the cargo loaded were skid units of International tractors from Doncaster, and none had wheels. On asking where the wheels where, I was told that most importing countries supplied wheels and local tyres of manufacture to suit that country. This may give you an answer to Fordsons as well.

BarryM · Post by **BarryM** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:59 am

Dandy Dave,

The letter 'E' after a part number usually suggests that the original part has been altered or upgraded. In this case, quite a few times.
It has no bearing on where the tractor is destined for. I think the part you are referring to, is E1ADDN 1019E. It's previous number was E1ADKN1019D. It appears that the 38" rims in your country were different, as like Australia, the USA used DW rims.

E1ADKN 1015B front wheel less hub to suit 7.50x16 tyres was export only, while C5NN 1007A front wheel assembly was for use in the USA only.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Dandy Dave · Post by **Dandy Dave** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:18 pm

BarryM wrote:Dandy Dave,

The letter 'E' after a part number usually suggests that the original part has been altered or upgraded. In this case, quite a few times.
It has no bearing on where the tractor is destined for. I think the part you are referring to, is E1ADDN 1019E. It's previous number was E1ADKN1019D. It appears that the 38" rims in your country were different, as like Australia, the USA used DW rims.

E1ADKN 1015B front wheel less hub to suit 7.50x16 tyres was export only, while C5NN 1007A front wheel assembly was for use in the USA only.

Hope this is of some help to you.

With that said, They did ship these all over the World, didn't they. Thanks for the insight and education.

Dandy Dave!

maddyn99 · Post by **maddyn99** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:54 pm

Ok the # we found on the engine block was 1484862.

Going to the salvage yard this Saturday. How much is interchangeable between Majors, Super Majors and Power Majors?

Im looking for a bonnet cover, fuel filter and air filter primarily.

MAXPOWER · Post by **MAXPOWER** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:36 pm

1484862 = 1958 Power Major.

i see you're in Texas? if you ask for a bonnet they'll have no idea what you are talking about.

maddyn99 · Post by **maddyn99** » Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:33 am

Haha, Ok a hood then :p.

Are the major parts like that interchangeable? or do i need to get a Power Major hood?

I was under the assumption that it was a Super Major. Every thing I have replaced so far has fit, so either I am lucky or there is a lot of cross over.

And thanks for letting me know the breakdown on the serial #

BearCreek Majors · Post by **BearCreek Majors** » Fri Jan 22, 2010 3:46 am

A lot of the parts are interchangeable with the most notable differences in the back half, probably the hydraulics/three point and the brakes.
The hoods are interchangeable between all the majors with minor differences in holes for mounting badges, bracing on the underside and the latch handles will be of the thinner early style from the regular Majors. When getting the fuel filter just look up the correct element for that year, most of them take a standard element. The air cleaner has no replicable element as it is an oil bath, just do a good service on it, new oil, and your done.
When acquiring parts you should be concentrating on power majors. The leveling box is not the correct style for the power major, but no big deal unless you plan on using it in the field with three point attachments, even then I believe it’s more of an adjustment issue than a threat of damage to anything.
Go online to get, or print out FTP’s repair manual and the operating manual, the headaches eliminated will be worth every cent. (remember power major not super as the brakes, hyd, etc. are different)
Check out agrilineproducts.
Point out to those kids that they are looking at the model T of all modern diesel tractors. The major was by all rights the first diesel tractor that could be reliably started and operate in all weather conditions and were sold over here years before any of the US builders had anything available that was worth bragging about.

Have fun!

Pat

maddyn99 · Post by **maddyn99** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:01 pm

Thanks for the info. I just ordered a bunch of stuff from Agriline. Sadly they are out of brake lining kits for the Power Major, so thats a setback for now.

Can anyone recommend a good owners/repair manual for the Power Major? I see all different kinds and at 30 to 50 bucks a pop I want to get a good one first time around.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:37 pm

Your repair book is free at this site! Go to FordsonTractorpages.nl, New Major, repair manual. I downloaded mine long ago and it's great. Oscar and Brian and everyone here are truly wonderful in preserving information at this site.

Dandy Dave · Post by **Dandy Dave** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:20 pm

The owners manual may be a little tough, they did make one for the Power Major as I have one for mine. I got mine off of ebay a while ago and it is marked "Export Copy, Instruction Book for Fordson Power Major." Keep your eyes open, one may show up. Dandy Dave!