A few questions

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essex pete
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A few questions

Post by essex pete »

Hi all
I have not posted on here for ages but have a friend with a recent purchase.
We have checked over the machine and we think it is a very original April 1956 with casting codes from late sept '55 and Oct '55. Obviously a slight delay from raw metal to finish. Were the numbers allocated on the end of assembly? Unfortunately we cannot read the engine number, for some reason that area is dead smooth, unless re-paint has filled it entirely. The block casting code fits however.
We think all the tin work is original as it is reasonably well repaired but clearly filled here and there. The engine has the throttle linkage through the block.
What would be the correct badge for nose cone? It has a rather plain silver repro at the moment?
The seat looks like a modern replacement /copy pan style seat with a rubber bump stop. It is a poor set up at the moment. Fixed with 4 bolts to the top cover on basic slotted holes, it tips forward to much and is a job to even stay on the seat. What type of cushion would they have had when new?
It was fitted with lights but all missing. Is it possible to buy looms or part looms or just best to make up as you go? What were the original conduits like?
Friend is also hoping to register for road use. Have many on here had experience of getting an age related number? (UK)

On a slightly different note I was thumbing through a Weatherill shovel hand book the other day. The Machine was specced with a Perkins engine which leads me to conclude it was a later version of this particular machine. The Drive axle is listed as a DDN-4005-AA. Would this be a Major axle and did Ford carry on any component manufacture for the Majors after 1964?

I guess that is enough for now

Thanks

Peter

shepp
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Re: A few questions

Post by shepp »

Hi Peter

Up to tractor serial number 1380938 March 1956 the serial numbers were stamped on the top of the flywheel housing flange immediately behind the starter motor.

The original seat pan did not have any cushion fitted.

Lights and complete wiring looms are available from various outlets e.g. Agriline, Silver Fox, Railswood Tractors etc. Replacement conduit is also available.

You will need to locate a serial number to have any chance of getting an age related registration number.

Ford did continue to produce some spares for the Major range after 1964, the standard parts obsolescence period at the time was 10 years, but a lot of the factory tooling was sold off to Spanish firm Motor Iberica (who produced Ebro tractors under licence from Ford from 1955) after Dagenham ceased tractor production. However, the 592E engines continued to be made for industrial uses at Dagenham until 1970 and were available from the industrial services department of Ford. They were also made for Ford by Motor Iberica from 1970 to 1974, and engines and some compatible spares were also available from Motor Iberica after 1974.
1946 E27N, 1952 Major Diesel, 1959 Power Major, 1962 Dexta, 1962 Super Dexta, 1963 Super Dexta NP, 1964 Super Major NP, 1965 Super Dexta 3000, 1966 Major 4000, 1967 3000 PF, 1994 5640,plus Basildon built NH.

Brian
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Re: A few questions

Post by Brian »

Hi Peter, will try and answer some of your questions.

1. There was a very short time between casting and assembly, sometimes it was only a few days so there was little time for the castings to settle. Your tractor could be November/December 1955.

2. Where are you looking for the serial number? On that tractor it will be behind the starter on the flange.

Image

There is an article on identifying your Major on the fordsontractorpages wiki. codes when asked are "fordsontractorpages", password "dotty". It may be some help.

3. Nose cone badge would be a work of art for that year. :D :D Multi-coloured blue, orange, yellow and, on my tractor original, white.

Image

4. Seat sounds like the original, just a rubber bump stop. Cushion would have been a folded corn sack at best. (My bum remembers it well). :D :D

5. Looms are available but make sure it is a Major loom with the control box behind the dash panel not up near the air cleaner. The only conduit used was from the dash panel to the rear light then around the axle housings to the bottom of the rear wings. The rest of the loom was just covered with loom binding tape. Conduits were plastic covered wire but the modern nylon or plastic ones are a good match.

6. Get intouch with Pat Pawsey at the Ford and Fordson Club to get registration. Sometimes it goes straight through but at other times it can be a right pain. Depends a bit on how they feel at Swansea.

7. The axle number looks like a Major as the later tractors would have possibly a C5NN prefix. A picture would be good, if you cannot post one, send it to me at bhe at btconnect.com and I will put it up for you.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

essex pete
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Re: A few questions

Post by essex pete »

Thank you both very much for your informative posts. We were a right pair of anoraks looking for the casting codes. We have a number on the firewall/bulkhead albeit a little difficult to read. I did not realise about the earlier machine/engine no location. We will have to investigate. After seeing so many bitzers over the years it is pleasing to find something (and it was bought unseen as well) that does give all the indications of being original. Certainly the pedals look like they have had some use. The hour meter is obscured by poor glass and friend was wondering if it would be just a case of removing the little screw to gain access?

Thanks again

Peter

shepp
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Re: A few questions

Post by shepp »

Hi Peter

If you find a serial number on the engine flywheel housing behind the starter it should be the same as the one on the serial number plate on the bulkhead.

Armed with a serial number you should contact Pat Pawsey as Brian says and he will help you out with getting an age related number.

Unbolt the 2 retaining bolts for the hour counter and lift it off the tractor. Unscrew the 2 small screws retaining the window and it's frame and remove it carefully with the gasket - take care as the rubber gasket might be a bit fragile. You can then clean up the interior of the unit using a WD40 spray, give it a good wash out, the WD40 will clean, lubricate and displace any water. Clean up the glass (it comes out of the frame) and the frame, and re-assemble. Re-fit to tractor ensuring the paper gasket is good - you might need to make a new one out of gasket paper if it is broken. Try a thin coat of Blue Hylomar on each side of the paper gasket - it does a good job and any edges of the sealant blend in with the tractor colour, it's the best gasket cement in my opinion.

The axle number DDN4005AA does sound very much like a Ford part number, possibly a complete rear axle with trumpet housings, bull gears and differential, but there is no such item listed in the parts book. However, for example the trumpet housings are
DKN4010A for agricultural and DKN4010B for heavy duty, the rear axle centre housing is DKN4032A and so on similarly for the other axle parts, so it is a good bet that the part number you quoted is for a complete assembly.
1946 E27N, 1952 Major Diesel, 1959 Power Major, 1962 Dexta, 1962 Super Dexta, 1963 Super Dexta NP, 1964 Super Major NP, 1965 Super Dexta 3000, 1966 Major 4000, 1967 3000 PF, 1994 5640,plus Basildon built NH.

henk
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Re: A few questions

Post by henk »

Peter,

Painted mine with this kind of paint:
https://www.zamro.nl/product/D3B42/9468 ... uFEALw_wcB
Used special primer that will hold on chrome first
Here's the result
Image
Still shines after 12 years
Kind regards, Henk

Fordson New Major February 1957 Mark I

essex pete
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Re: A few questions

Post by essex pete »

Thanks again Guys

Much excitement today as my Friend received the original buff log book in the post. Incidentally I made a mistake in my original post, the casting codes were late Aug 55 and early Sept 55 the number on the logbook gives Sept 1955. The first date of reg was 6th Oct 1955 with Lanark CC. It just goes to endorse how quickly these tractor were pushed out at Dagenham.
I guess having an original log book should ease re-registration.

Peter

oehrick
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Re: A few questions

Post by oehrick »

Look up on the DVLA licence site for the registration No., mine had not been registered recently but it had made it onto the computer so required no great effort to reclaim*, even with the buff logbook folk have had problems due to there being no way of getting confirmation of year of manufacture from Ford, in which case Mr Pawsey may be a very sensible first step.

* try as she could the DVLA lady could not make the issue of being registered to my late father go away, so I had to go back with a death certificate!, this in the last heady month of local offices........
Best regards
Rick - Bogside on Bure


1958 Diesel E1A Mk2 s/n 1470165 - still in working clothes

shepp
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Re: A few questions

Post by shepp »

As oehrick says you should check the number in the old log book on the DVLA site - search "Gov.motoring", and on the site go to "vehicle and driver data". Then select "get vehicle information" and follow the instructions to use the vehicle check service. If it comes up that there is no record of the number with DVLA, it will give you a phone number to call for further information. Call this number and ask them to do a check on the registration number, because sometime in the 1980's the DVLA took a large number of registrations off the main computer where vehicles had not been taxed for over 6 years to free up space - obviously many tractors were not taxed for years at a time, I have had such tractors in the past where they did not appear on an online check but a phone call to DVLA revealed that details were on memory sticks and not on the main computer system. The details of these affected numbers and vehicles were placed on memory sticks, and if your number is one of them the registration can simply be resurrected by using the correct form to apply for a V5c - the assistant will tell you what to do.

If it is confirmed that DVLA have no record at all of the registration number, then you will have to contact Pat Pawsey at Ford and Fordson Association. . You will have to apply to retain the original registration number, this will be possible as you now have the old RF60 log book, but you will need certain forms and photographs and a certifying letter from Pat who deals with the tractor registration issues for the Ford and Fordson Association. Keep hold of your RF60 and send a clear photocopy of it off to Pat for certification together with everything else he needs - you should not chance getting the original RF60 lost in the post, and in NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you send the original RF60 to the DVLA as it is likely to "disappear"!
1946 E27N, 1952 Major Diesel, 1959 Power Major, 1962 Dexta, 1962 Super Dexta, 1963 Super Dexta NP, 1964 Super Major NP, 1965 Super Dexta 3000, 1966 Major 4000, 1967 3000 PF, 1994 5640,plus Basildon built NH.

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