The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi, I'm over in the west of Ireland and have just bought this Fordson for what I think was a very reasonable price.
I need to find out more about it though, which is how I came across the forum. I'm not even sure what model it is as the instrument panel (or lack of it!) looks nothing like any fordson I've seen!









Any help gratefully received!!

Looks like a Power Major with the dash panel removed.

If you go to the Fordson Wiki from the home page or from the "Misc" forum, Code fordsontractorpages and dotty, you will find an article on identifying your Major. It shows pictures and location of the important numbers. Find yours and report back, we can then date it and confirm it is a Power Major and not a Fordson ASP. (All Spare Parts).

The tractor has just been delivered and has an 'S' prefix engine number Exchange Engine

The only other casting mark I have seen so far is near the clutch pivot and is N27B

The Serial plate on the bulkhead also appears to be blank.

Could it be that I have a bitsa?

Possibly but your date code is November 25th 1958 which is right in the Power Major build. Your tractor is over 50 years old so it is acceptable that it has another engine as long as it is the same as what came out. A FMD engine would fit but it would mean a drop in HP. Yours should be just over 50HP.

The easiest casting codes are on the front axle, under the seat and the one you have found, ther is also one under the exhust manifold at the front, near the generator. The more you find the more sure we will be of her history.

There is no serial number on the plate on the firewall on tractors after the end of the FMD build so again its looking good for a Power Major.

Thanks for that Brian, it gives me hope!!

I'll have a look for more codes tomorrow, while I am getting the Mrs used to being a tractor widow.

This is from behind the No. 1 injector



First job is to order a new fuel tap, and some copper washers for the banjos on the injector pump and stop her leaking diesel everywhere!!

This is still a bit away but can I ask where the tractormeter gets its drive from? (I don't have a dash panel yet!) I'm just curious....

From an angled drive just in front of the injection pump.

Hey Brian, Did you notice he has the hand parking brake lever. The throttle is in the right place for a Power Major. The timing cover also has the Breather like my Power Major. Dandy Dave!

But it appears to have a Super Major lift pump??

It does, but all blocks after 1963 had that style and we used to just fit a new pump and modify the pipework. It has not got the Super Major water trap which goes on those two holes just in front of the pump. Early Supers had the same engine as a Power Major, it was not until 1962 when they put the Minimec Pump and some time later the "FL" head.

Would the power major have ever had the trap? I take it, it should be one of these glass bottomed things?



Do you have any good photos of the sides of the engine of a Power Major that I could use as visual reference?

Thanks again for all the help!

Power Majors did not have that trap as theirs was on the fuel lift pump, a glass bowl. The trap only came in when the block and pump were changed to the type you have.





I do not seem to have an engine picture in my files so these are two I took earlier this year which are exactly the same.
They would have looked like this up to 1962 when they changed to this.

My January of 1960 Power Major has the bowl on the Pump as Brian has said. I notice that it has the earlier style intake cap. Round instead of Angled like mine. Dandy Dave!

Right!

I think I found a casting date on the side of the engine for november 1967.

So if I have the breather on the timing case which is normal for the Power Major and the lift pump of the Super Major, Should I put a sediment bowl on it? As you can see from the pictures part of the fuel line is a rubber pipe with jubilee clips, so I will be changing this along with the fuel tap which is leaking anyway.

I also found an original owners manual for the power major which should be with me in the next few days.

On a separate note. Does anyone know what size the four bolts should be which secure the seat frame to the casting? Mine are a head-welded mishmash of different hex sizes and I cant imagine getting them out without losing one or two....

Found another casting code!!

Under the rusty seat in amongst the dirt I found what looks like A28C which I would calculate to January 1959 if someone could confirm please?

January 28th 1959 as you said. Her original engine/serial number would have been between 1494448 and 1497684.