Smithsonian Institution Fordson

[HistMuseum]

Greetings all,

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is in the process of preparing its Fordson tractor for display in a new US business history exhibition, American Enterprise (visit http://americanenterprise.si.edu/ for more information). We plan on using the Fordson to explore a couple of different stories, including the mechanization of American farms, mass production, and competition in the tractor market.

Thus far we have a great deal of information about the Fordson’s development, production, impact on agriculture, and its impact on the tractor industry as a whole. Where we still have questions centers on identifying the exact type of Fordson Model F tractor that we have in our possession, and that’s where I’m hoping the Fordson forum can help.

I'm hoping Fordson fenders can help answer the question. Our donor file says that our tractor was purchased in 1918, and that its rear fenders were added later by the owner. The fenders are in the style of those introduced beginning, I think, with the 1924 F. But does adding fenders to an earlier model sound plausible to anyone? Were these fenders ever sold as separate attachments? If not, does this suggest our tractor is at least a 1924? What do you think?

Beyond fenders, are there other unique features that make it easy to distinguish between early (1918 to 1928) Fordson models? Unfortunately, the serial number on the engine has been painted over.

Any expertise you can offer would be greatly appreciated by the Museum.

Thanks!

National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Institution

[CalGG]

Serial number painted over does not seem enough of a difficulty to determine the serial number.

It will be worth the effort What if all other guesses are wrong?

[Dandy Dave]

Look, These's tractors were know to "Climb the gears" and roll over on the driver killing him/her. Adding fenders is %100 percent plausible as it helped to stop the tractors short from the turn over point and save the operator. Dandy Dave!

[Bensdexta]

You've probably seen this
http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi ... n&th=20048

[HistMuseum]

CalGG,

You're right, a serial number would make an answer more certain, but the engine block had been painted over repeatedly by the former owner. There isn't even a hint of the serial number where various sources said to look on the right side of the engine block.

Dandy Dave,

I agree with you, and I've seen some sources that suggest one of the main reasons Ford began installing fenders was to prevent a tractor from flipping so easily. But what I don't know is if these fenders, when they started appearing on tractors, were available as an accessory that a person could add to an earlier Fordson model.

Bensdexta,

Thanks for the link, this website has a lot of great material.

[Bensdexta]

You're right, a serial number would make an answer more certain, but the engine block had been painted over repeatedly by the former owner. There isn't even a hint of the serial number where various sources said to look on the right side of the engine block.

Have you stripped the paint off for a closer look?

[Aussie Frank]

Hello,

From my understanding a 1918 Fordson would have many differences to a 1924 model. Things that would give the age away will be things like the radiator sides the earlier ones had ladder sides, the type of vaporiser fitted, patent dates on the dash panel, the stamping in the end of the fuel tank, the nimber of spokes on the wheels and so on.

The mud guards are probably not a good indicator apart from how the mounting brackets were fitted to the tractor. Later tractors had provision in the castings for mounting the brackets. Close inspection in this area would possibly shed some light on the age of the tractor if there were no obvious bosses in the tractor castings.

We must remember that these were working machines and they would have had numerous upgrades through the years if the owner saw value in it. The Ford dealer would have been happy to sell the parts and no doubt would have actively pushed for the sale when ever the tractor came in for service or repairs. The mud guards were an option and would have been easily purchased as spare parts.

Photos of the tractor will help identify early and late parts. I am no expert on the early Fordsons, but I am sure there will be a few people who will be able to identify the age of various parts if they saw a photo or two.

Regards, Frank.

[HistMuseum]

Bensdexta,

We haven't removed any paint off of the engine block. Do you think a serial number would provide a definitive date of manufacture? Several people have mentioned the frequency with which Fordson owners cannibalized other tractors, even for entire engines, because parts were so interchangeable. What do you think?


CalGG,

It's good to know fenders confirm very little about the tractor's date of manufacture.

Here are a few basic images of the Smithsonian's Fordson, including a few recent color shots. Acknowledging that parts were replaced during the tractor's life, do identifying features you mentioned suggest this Fordson was manufactured within a particular timeframe?

[CalGG]

Thanks for all the credit, but the suggestions came from others mostly.

I'm not much up on N model history. Though I do have a stack of literature about 4 inches thick from the Fordson club here in the USA)

I might include, the repaint does not make the rig any more attractive to me....nothing like the patina of time, use and neglect

cheers

Cal

[Aussie Frank]

Hi,
From the quick bit of research I have done the wheels and the radiator dates do not match. I may be wrong, but the 14 cleat 6 spoke wheels are late 1918 to 1919. The radiator is 1920 onwards. 1918 to 1919 should be lader side radiators. The 3 hole drawbar is an early type, but I don't know when they changed. The seat with the slots if it is fixed with 1 bolt was introduced in mid 1918.

The fuel tank is consistant with late 1918 through to 1920 as far as I can tell. The tractor is missing it's starting tank though. A 1924 should have a twin chamber tank with two caps and say Detroit rather than Dearborn as far as I know.

Apart from the radiator there is nothing to sugest that it is not a late 1918 tractor from my very limited knowledge, The lack of patent dates on the dash panel seems to support this too, but during my searches on these early tractors I have found lots of references to casting dates being all over parts on the earlier pre 1920 machines. It would be worth looking for them if you can.

Regards, Frank.

P.S. As I have said I am no expert, all the information I have stated is purely from searching the net out of curiosity. It would all need to be verified before I would trust it completely.

[Dandy Dave]

These tractors were originally Gray with red wheels. The fenders should be gray as well as the radiator, transmission, and seat. The winch attachment could have been red as it is an aftermarket attachment. Much of it is early as it has the 6 spoke wheels and an early vaporizor. Not sure what year they dropped the latter side radiator. That may have been replaced as it is the latter version. Looks like your hitch had some rough use. Dandy Dave!

[CalGG]

That is something I would like to add to my E27n.

But the standard belt pulley, at engine speed, seems like it might make for some lively action on the business end of the rope.

[HistMuseum]

Cal,

I agree that evidence of use makes an object all the more powerful. Today, many curators would agree with you too, but when the Smithsonian’s Fordson was donated a half-century ago, the convention for all most museums was to restore an artifact to like-new condition.

Frank,

You’re thoughts align with what other have had to say. Thanks for the help. If I get the chance, I will try and look for casting dates.

Dave,

Thanks for your input on color scheme. My understanding is that the perforated radiator was replaced beginning in 1919, which still makes plausible, like you said, that the tractor is probably an early model.


I have a few new questions to add to the discussion of color and manufacture date:

1) What do forum users know about the retail systems used to sell Fordsons? If a farmer wanted a Fordson, was he going to only a Ford auto dealer, or could it have been other dealers as well? Did the system change over time?
2) How did farmers finance their purchases? Did they get credit from Ford Motor Co., from dealers, from banks, or from a combination of these sources?

[Dandy Dave]

So I have been told, you could go to your local Ford car dealer and buy a new Fordson. Not sure on the financing, but I would be willing to bet that you had to go though a bank. I have been told that the dealers were told to take Horses in part trade. And also told send the horses to the glue factory right after the farmer left. After the tractor was delivered, if he did not like it, there was no way he would beable to return the tractor and get his Horses back. Another done deal for Henery Ford. Dandy Dave!