The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi,

Not too long ago my Father and I bought this 1953 Fordson Major Diesel. In our opinion it is an nice original tractor.

Some details:

• original engine no

• valve lifter on back of engine

• 4 bolt injection pump

• pump upright instead of inclined

• louvres in front of radiator

• wide fan belt

• wire mesh grills

• pull type cold start on injection pump

• under bonnet air pre cleaner

It is fitted with an original MIL loader, piped onto the same hydraulic valve as the lift. Unfortunately not a 2 valve version.

The rear lighting is fitted quite neatly and I suspect it is dealer fitted when the tractor was new or nearly new. The single rear light as original English was not allowed in the Netherlands back then I think.

The tractor is produced according to serial no mid may 1953. Only a couple of days older then my dad.

Please find some pictures below.

Lovely Major there. You have the original negative lead too, but yours is in one piece, Billy's battery connector needs fixing as it's in bits, and Davie doesn't have the original connector. Do you have a pic of the solenoid end?
If you can find a battery clamp (like billy's one, see this thread: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8376) and a Major size battery you'll have a superb original Major that few will be able to fail for anything much (not including the Dutch modification).
You also seem to have spring washers holding the spindle arms on (like Billy) rather than the usual castellated nut and split pin in this period (later ones have self locking nuts).
Sandy

What a beauty, and original too!
John

It's had a paint job at some time but original build, original radiator too with the brass neck. Are the sidelights the type with the anti-glare ring on the rim or the plain type with plain rims? They changed around that time in 1953.

Billy26F5 wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 28, 2021 11:38 pm

Lovely Major there. You have the original negative lead too, but yours is in one piece, Billy's battery connector needs fixing as it's in bits, and Davie doesn't have the original connector. Do you have a pic of the solenoid end?
If you can find a battery clamp (like billy's one, see this thread: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8376) and a Major size battery you'll have a superb original Major that few will be able to fail for anything much (not including the Dutch modification).
You also seem to have spring washers holding the spindle arms on (like Billy) rather than the usual castellated nut and split pin in this period (later ones have self locking nuts).
Sandy

Hi,

I’ll take a look on the spindle arms and how original it still is or not.

Will make a picture of the solenoid and cable end.

This battery clamp is still listed on the new hollands part website with an part no and it seems to be available still.

I must admit me and my spine prefer the smaller car size batteries

shepp wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:24 pm

It's had a paint job at some time but original build, original radiator too with the brass neck. Are the sidelights the type with the anti-glare ring on the rim or the plain type with plain rims? They changed around that time in 1953.

Hi,

Will make a detail picture. Can’t remember having a major with these original lights before. So am not familiar with their details.

Rgds

Nice catch Emiel.
Seems very original to me.

shepp wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 29, 2021 2:24 pm

original radiator too with the brass neck. Are the sidelights the type with the anti-glare ring on the rim or the plain type with plain rims?

Billy has the solid filler and the Ebro side lights have the anti-glare ring, the rain hole being next to the screw hole, rather than two at opposite positions with the screw hole in between.

Emiel wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:30 pm

This battery clamp is still listed on the new hollands part website with an part no and it seems to be available still.

I must admit me and my spine prefer the smaller car size batteries

The big battery is quite heavy, and the bonnet really needs to come off for it to get in. Are you sure it's the right clamp (part no. E1ADDN-5165A, not E1ADDN-5163C, the twin battery type)? For anyone interested there's a twin batterry clamp on eBay listed as a Dexta one.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233885288797 ... Sw41xgHUyj
Sandy

Hi

Have a look at the radiator front cowl as well, they changed over from the type with soldered joints to the type with spot welded joints around that time, also the change from rear wings with a seam to a single piece stamping with 3 ridges occurred around April 1953.

This one seems to have the later mudguards and the early front cowling.
Sandy

Hi,




The edge between the bottom and top part of the nose seems to be quite smooth, the amount of paint on it makes it difficult to judge the way of manufacturing. It's parked up a bit crowdy, will check the parts being weld or soldered when I have it out of the shed.

This picture is an ad for the MIL loader. here fitted on a newer tractor.


rgds

Emiel

Nice to see original leads! Sorry to dissappoint you, but your solenoid isn't original (it's the post 62 version with a welded bracket instead of the original cast one). I would guess you have the early cowling, but it's not very easy to see that.
Sandy

Hi,

Some pictures out of the workshop:

Lovely pics Emiel, looks like that engine was overhauled by Ford after Fordson production. Nice repair of the broken aluminium! Everything looks really good and clean.
Sandy

Billy26F5 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 01, 2024 2:31 am

looks like that engine was overhauled by Ford after Fordson production.

Hi Sandy, you make me curious. Why do you think that? Based upon the ford logos printed on the gasket? The part no E1ADDN-6K000C seems to be right according to a parts list on this site, but the info is a bit confusing. It at least is a fordson era no.

My idea was it hadn’t been opened up since may ‘53, but now I’m thinking about it and can’t be sure. It also might have been opened by a ford dealer off course instead of ford themselves?
What I find strange is that the lock tabs on the main bearing bolts are not fitted. The lock tabs in the distribution cover did not show any signs of being used before.

The gaskets that were fitted new would probably have EnFo on them, and I think the front mounting plate one in the pic might even have FoMoCo. The part no. you have is from a kit, it's not the one for an assembly part and it's a late one, as in 53 this would be a DKN code. Odd there are no main bearing lock tabs, they might have done like on Super Billy, and missed them, for Super Billy hasn't got any either, and Billy has thick locking wire (saw that through the sump drain hole during the last oil change). Ford might well have replaced the tabs on the front mounting plate, which could explain this. I would say this engine was given an overhaul in the mid sixties, perhaps the then owner forgot something making that happen or he wanted Ford to check it as Fordson production came to an end. We'll never know for sure.
Sandy

Hi,

Engine completely torn down and the block is cleaned. I found E1ADDN part no's in the main and big end shells and together with the Ford stamps and part no on the distribution gasket it is quite sure the engine has been opened somewhere in (I think) the sixties. Strange enough the old type piston with central combustion chambers were fitted together with non-spigotted liners and the composite head gasket (aftermarket possibly, no Ford stamp/part no's)
Anyway, all castings etc are period correct for a 53, so it is an original engine, not a bitsa.

Measured up the crank, that needs a regrind at least.

Nice bearing, Super Billy had some small end bushes like that. That FoMoCo is post Fordson, so definitely a mid sixties rebuild. The head gasket could be much newer, it wouldn't probably have affected much else if someone just decided to replace it. The fact you still have the original pistons suggests that they were in good condition back then. If you can keep the original crank (assuming you do have it, should be the cast one at this time I think) that would be a great extra thing to keep this engine as original as possible.
Sandy