Petrol Dexta Register

This forum is about the Fordson Dexta, Super Dexta and Petrol Dexta.
Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Petrol Dexta Register

Post by Brian »

Chaps,

One of the enigmas in Fordson History is this tractor. When Mark Pugh first got his and started to ask for information, no one in Fords would even acknowledge there was such a tractor. I have seen a claim in a recent magazine that there was only one or two built and they never went into full scale production but we know that is incorrect.

The dates of production are also a little obscure. All the ones I have come across seem to have been built after November 1960 and all seem to have similar casting codes. One turned up at Meddo this year that got us quite excited as it had 1958/1959 codes but then turned out to have a 957E number not a 959E one so that meant it was a "bitsa".

What I would like to do is record as many as we can find and use the casting codes and serial numbers to get a more in depth look into this "hidden" part of the Dexta history.

I have details of three tractors so far, Dotty, Marks Dexta and Dotty's travelling companion (who is still for sale). Please help me collect a few more. We think that there are only a few thousand out there.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

Oscar
Site Governance Team
Site Governance Team
Posts: 810
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:26 am
Location: Holland

Post by Oscar »

And while we're at it, we need to update the info about the petrol Dexta that is currently on the main site. You can find it HERE (< click that :) ). Some of that info is incorrect and I plan to correct the mistakes. Help is appreciated :) .

Regards,
Oscar

BarryT
True Blue
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Wales

Post by BarryT »

Brian,

What is the gen on Dotty's travelling companion e.g. condition, location and the expected price, could be interested!!

Get back to me on my personal e-mail if you prefer.

Regards,

Barry

Lesfen
True Blue
Posts: 254
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:26 pm
Location: Alberta Canada

Post by Lesfen »

Brian,

I jotted down some of the codes from a '63 Gas (Petrol) Dexta that I was drooling over about 18 months ago. It sold before I could raise the funds or enough interest within the family. It had only 2800 hours on it and had been shedded all it's life and it seemed a crime when the seller (2nd owner) freshened up the paint on the hood.

Enough whinning... here are the numbers that I did get>>

Serial #>09C 906428 (the 0 between the 9 and 6 is triangular)
Gearbox>> B21J
Left Axle>> B27J
Right Axle>> C19J
Hydraulic cover>>C19J

The serial number may date it near the end of March/63 but it had the New Performance paint scheme with blue and white/grey?

Very sorry that I did not get all the numbers.

I have been jotting down most of the numbers (casting, serial and part) that I have come across relating to Dextas.

The highest petrol engine serial number I have seen was just under 4500, (from about Aug/64) which might indicate about how many were built if the numbers were consecutive.

Hope this helps,

Les

Meanderer
True Blue
Posts: 163
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:46 pm
Location: Elora Ontario, Canada (transplanted from Crookwell, NSW, Australia)

Post by Meanderer »

Brian,
I don't think this would escape your eyes, but just to make sure, here is another one.
http://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/phpbb ... =3189#3189

Regards,
Rick
'
Regards,
Rick

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Post by Brian »

Thanks Les,
That has thrown my theory out of the window! :oops: All the petrol Dextas I have found so far have been built in 1960 to 1961 so I thought there was possibly only one batch built. Your information shows that they were still being built at the end of the production of that range. Numbers won't help because they started around 959E 7.... and ran concurrent with the Diesel ones except for the prefix.

Thanks Rick,
I had missed it. Must have come in when I was away in Holland without a computer.
Last edited by Brian on Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

Lesfen
True Blue
Posts: 254
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:26 pm
Location: Alberta Canada

Post by Lesfen »

Hi Brian,

I meant using the engine serial numbers for estimating the number of petrol Dextas.
One source stated that the first petrol Dexta (7Nov/60) had FPL27E for the engine # with 68751 for the serial number.
Now when I checked my notes, I found I had recorded one with FPL4427E as an engine number and 09D923849 (~Aug/64)as the serial number.
Suggests that there would not be too many more than 4500 total, if that.

Still mostly guessing,
Les

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Post by Brian »

Thats a good idea Les, I will check the engine numbers on these ones and see what we come up with.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Post by Brian »

Les,

Checked my number and she is FPL487E so that makes her the 460th engine. The casting codes put her in December 1960 and January 1961 and the serial number also puts her around this time.

This is what seems to come from the ones that I have found here. I hope we get some more numbers to help us shed mor light on this version of the Dexta.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

Lesfen
True Blue
Posts: 254
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:26 pm
Location: Alberta Canada

Post by Lesfen »

Hi Brian,

The link below was on the old forum from Feburary 5 2007 posted by Pegasus in New Zealand.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Pegasusgrey
It contains photos showing a (~Dec/60) Petrol Dexta (serial # 959E71798), clutch housing date code (F25D) and...possibly an engine date code (N8D)?? Don't know where on the block it is located though.
Would be great to see the rest of the numbers as it was assembled between the 1st Petrol and yours!
I can't see how to reach him but maybe this forum has some contact information.

Les
Just a curiousity, but I noticed that our neighbour's regular Dexta has a serial number (957E71891) between yours and this one!

BarryT
True Blue
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Wales

Post by BarryT »

Brian,

Plenty of Dexta's in Newark yesterday but unfortunately no Petrol version.

Good show, good set up by Ford/Fordson Association, some really nice Ford and Fordson tractors in the show.

Regards.

BarryT

Bensdexta
True Blue
Posts: 2666
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:59 pm
Location: N Wales

Post by Bensdexta »

BarryT wrote:Plenty of Dexta's in Newark yesterday but unfortunately no Petrol version.
Barry, How were the prices?
Thanks,
Ben

BarryT
True Blue
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Wales

Post by BarryT »

Ben,

The Newark show is an annual tractor show not an auction, although you would find a few for sale, I did not see any Dexta's for sale but there was an E27N Major with a 6 cylinder Leyland 600 diesel engine on sale for £10k, nice beast but not for me at that sort of price.

Regards,

Barry

two blue
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:30 am
Location: TRURO,NOVA SCOTIA CANADA

Post by two blue »

hi Brian


Here are my # s o9b7 3947

engine FLP 2181E

I know of two other petro dextas and heard of one other here in Nova Scotia.I also have a diesel dexta, not running. The
owner wanted it out of his yard!I'm not sure of the year but #are
957E59496 engine1459734H

clayton

Kiwi Kev
Site Governance Team & Expert Team
Site Governance Team & Expert Team
Posts: 802
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:44 am
Location: Norfolk Island. South Pacific.

Post by Kiwi Kev »

Brian
Here is another petrol for you.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 328140.htm

no numbers for you, but the petrol's are certinually out there.

Kiwi Kev
"Classic Contracting"


66 Ford 5000 6X (semi retirement)
International 784 4WD
& looking at another tractor!

kiwiland dexta
True Blue
Posts: 191
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:39 am
Location: Blenheim New Zealand

Post by kiwiland dexta »

yeah, Kev, there are plenty of Petrol Dextas popping up on Trademe, perhaps Kiwi farmers liked petrol as an option. Those are for sale where I was living until the start of the year. Mine's a diesel though. Catch you down this way some time?
you know it's a classic when people stop to watch.

Kiwi Kev
Site Governance Team & Expert Team
Site Governance Team & Expert Team
Posts: 802
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:44 am
Location: Norfolk Island. South Pacific.

Post by Kiwi Kev »

kiwiland dexta
Trade-me is a good hunting ground for things.
I've seen plenty of Select-O-Speed Fords on trade-me also. There was even a Ford County 754 SOS, recently, that ended up being exported back to England.
I don't get back to Kiwi as often as I would like. I usually only get as far south as Hamilton, or Wanganui.(family or in-laws)
Kiwi Kev
"Classic Contracting"


66 Ford 5000 6X (semi retirement)
International 784 4WD
& looking at another tractor!

jjs
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 3:31 pm
Location: Denmark

Another petrol in Denmark

Post by jjs »

Hi Brian,

Just bought a dexta petrol a few weeks ago. After cleaning the thing I can read the following numbers:

Serial Number: 09A 3159?5 N959E, the question mark may represent a 0 (zero)
Right axle: P13F / 957E4012C / T1 / D1
Left axle: M11F / 957E4013B / T3 / D2
Hydraulics casting: M19F / ??? / T2
Gearbox casting: M5F / 957E7005 / T4 / D2
Clutch casting: M17F / 957E7605 / T2

Color scheme: blue orange
Headlights: internal
Exhaust: vertical (right side)

Engine (petrol): FPL1773E


The prefix 09A to the serial number indicates that the tractor is from Nov. or Dec. 1961, but since the right axle casting indicates 13 Dec. 1961, I interpret the assembly date to be after the 13th of December;


Question: I have no idea what the T. and D. numbers stand for, neither what the type numbers 957Exxxx mean, apart from that these parts are part of the 957E tractor series. The 957E7005 gearbox number also appears on two other tractors that I have seen on the internet.


Hans.

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Post by Brian »

Thanks Hans,

I will add this one to my list.

The 957E numbers and the T1 numbers are just casting numbers and are the same on all Dexta tractors.

I would agree with your dating as late December 1961, mine as far as I can tell was built in December 1960/January 1961 and was the 410th Dexta built that year according to the serial number.

Your engine looks like 1286th after mine so at a rough estimate they built around 1600 petrol Dextas from the start of production in November 1960 to December 1961.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

MikeR
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:32 pm
Location: South Devon

Post by MikeR »

Saw this add posted on the agriline site thought it might be of interest to somebody

Vintage 1962 Fordson Dexta Petrol Tractor 4-cylinder Gas engine $5,000 plus shipping

Location North Eastern United States
Telephone: 724-253-2005 or e-mail honestbob@zoominternet.net
Mike

Laney
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 4:11 am
Location: Victoria, Australia

Petrol Dexta details

Post by Laney »

Hi Brian

Has taken a while but finally have noted some info from my old girl for your register. There were some additional numbers on the axles which I could'nt make out

Left Axle
957E4013T3
Right Axle
T4 026F
957E7005
T4
F4F

There is also a Ford Australia Vehicle Identification Plate under the engine hood:

Serial prefix 6 BM 9 61
Serial Number 5718
Model 3527

If there is anything missing/other numbers required, let me know and will go to work with a wire brush

Cheers
Cheers

Laney

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Post by Brian »

Thanks Laney,
The numbers that we need are on the left side looking from the seat. On the block, above the fuel pump should be the number FPL....E and on the flange where the fuel pipe comes over the engine/clutch housing flange to the pump should be a Ford number starting 959E. It could be that this one is missing and the Australian number is all that is on there but please check for me.

Casting codes like you found on the axle are on the gearbox, clutch housing, rear axle and lift. These will all help to place the build date as it is possible engines were stocked and not used in sequence.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

skipdow
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:54 am
Location: vancouver canada

Post by skipdow »

Been a while since I've been here(actually the old site) but I mught as well jump in.Here's my numbers for my petrol dexta.

I could swear mine started FIL..... but since everybodies is with a P...
FPL852E and 959E78048

cre8vtung
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Davison,Michigan
Contact:

Post by cre8vtung »

Hi Brian,
Like Skipdow it has been since the old board since I have logged
on but I was out in the barn working on her and thought about
collecting some numbers for you.
Serial
o9E 713093
Gear Case
957E7005
F8H
Head
301795
Hyd Cover
B21H
Left Axle
957E4013B
F17H
Right Axle
957E4012C
C29H

Laney
Not Quite Blue Yet
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 4:11 am
Location: Victoria, Australia

Re: Petrol Dexta details

Post by Laney »

Hi Brian

Located the no on the engine - FPL 1069 E,

I also found a number on the flange from the mid section where it joins the engine section - 957 83549 not far from the above number

failing that, she is due for a clean up/oil change etc so will see if anything else turns up then

cheers




quote="Laney"]Hi Brian

Has taken a while but finally have noted some info from my old girl for your register. There were some additional numbers on the axles which I could'nt make out

Left Axle
957E4013T3
Right Axle
T4 026F
957E7005
T4
F4F

There is also a Ford Australia Vehicle Identification Plate under the engine hood:

Serial prefix 6 BM 9 61
Serial Number 5718
Model 3527

If there is anything missing/other numbers required, let me know and will go to work with a wire brush

Cheers[/quote]
Cheers

Laney

Post Reply