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nissan197
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 16 kansas
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2006-01-09          122506


I bought some land last year and there is an old tractor on it. It is in pretty bad shape, but my dad thinks he wants it to fix it up. I cannot find out what it is though. My dad thinks its a 1954 IH. The serial # is 31525-S. I have been on different antique tractor sites, but cannot locate that #. It has the two front tires close and also had hydraulics. Any help with the serial # would be appreciated. Thanks.



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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 649 Central West Virginia
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2006-01-13          122674


Nissan, give us something more to go by. The number you included may not be a serial number.

If you could tell us more details, or a picture, we could figure out the model and tell you where to look for the serial number. Does it have frame rails separate from the engine? What size rear tires?

If you see numbers that are part of the castings, they may be casting codes. All major castings have them, they are in the format of month-day-year, with the year code being a letter; it is the date the part was cast. For instance 1-28-X would be January 28, 1952. Some letters are skipped, but basically A=1931 (or 1958) and Z=1954.

Good luck,
Bill ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-01-13          122676


Bill is right I did some hunting after you posted it and did not have enough information to match it. Approximate HP would help. ....


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nissan197
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 16 kansas
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2006-01-13          122677


I will do some more checking. I noticed all the numbers on the casting plates for the motor and frame. The number I got came off a small metal plate that was attached to the left clutch plate I believe. The number was the only thing stamped into this plate, everything else has worn off. ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-01-13          122679


As was mentioned, the size of rear tire would help to identify. Bill's photo 1 is of an "A" and 15 is of a "C", does it appear something like either of these? Is the steering wheel shaft at an angle for horizontal. I take it you can't see an emblem at the side of the hood that says A,C,H,M or 200,300,400. Newer IHC tractors would have had a cream/white grille and/or side panel on the hood. Usually the paint can fade bad but some remnants remain of the color. You should see some sort of shadow where the emblems were to indicate Farmall/International Harvester, etc. Likewise across the front of the grille should be an insignia of some sort. ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2006-01-13          122680


Glad to see the # do hickey was changed. I started another thread with a link to Farmalls.

The thread is still there with the link.

The serial # comes up as a 1040 H or a 1941 M the S at the end of the number relates to the type of transmission, I believe. At least that is how my old M comes up. ....


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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 649 Central West Virginia
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2006-01-13          122691


If I recall, S suffix is TA with 540 PTO provision. But not sure if that is attached to the serial number.

Bill ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-01-13          122694


TA transmissions with Torque Amplifier would be a vertical lever about 2 ft. tall on the left side of the seat. In forward position it would give you the direct gear speed that you are in. When pulled back you would shift back about 1 1/2 gear ratio. The TA worked great if the tractor was beginning to get bogged down and engine overloaded. The shift increased torque/power while also reducing speed. I believe these were only on the 300 and 400's. I don't think the "M" or "H" models had this. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-01-13          122698


Yooperpete; The TA was used in the Super M TA for a couple years before the 400's came out. They bring big money today from collectors. the Super M TA and a 400 were basicly identical except for the tinwork. There are a ton of stories about Super H TA's being built and a few were sold. I've saw a couple, but the IH archives claim that a few were built but none were sold. Acording to them all of the H TA's are fakes built from a 300 center section put in a Super H chassis. Go to an IH collector club meeting and I gurantee you can start a lively discussion between belivers on both sides of the issue. Frank. ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-01-13          122701


Hardwood:
Thanks for the insight about the M's, learn something new everyday. I was too young when my dad sold the "M" and got the 400, so I don't remember much about the "M". I started driving at about 7 or 8 but that was 50 years ago. My memory isn't so good no more. We had wide front ends on both. I thought there were quite a few more differences between them. More power, stirring linkage at the tie rods ends, quick-hitch, refined hydraulics as well as the tin. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-01-13          122702


Yooperpete; You are correct, when I said "basicly identical". There were changes between the SuperM TA and the 400. The engine, TA, transmission and rear end were the same. The wide fronts were different, the older ones had the tie rods out front and the 400's had the tie rods behind the front axle. The hydraulics were changed to a differet reservor, steel pipes were used instead of hoses. To make the gas tank fit the inside of the hood the size was reduced to 18 gal from 21 gal. the fast hitch did'nt change much till the 460's and 560's came along. I don't mean to put on the "Mr. know it all hat", but just this past summer I sold most of my IH collection except for a couple restored H's, a Cub and a 656 that I bought new in 1965. Frank. ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-01-13          122704


Hardwood:
I always thought the 400 had more horsepower. If I remember correctly we went from a 3 x 14" trailer plow to 3 x 16" with fast hitch. I still have the old Super "C" that I grew up with, but hasn't run in more than 5 years. Haven't had time to work on it and am worried it may be too late. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-01-13          122707


Yooperpete; I just checked my "Farmall cheat sheet" to be sure. The bore and stroke and high idle remained the same for the Super M's thru the 400 series. then went to a 4 1/8 bore in the 450's. The compression was raised a bit and I think a bigger carburetor jet size in the 400's. My Dad thought his 400 was a fuel hog compared to the M he had before. At one time the M and W co. sold a dual throat carburetor and intake manifold along with the "Fire Crater pistons" to boost them up some. Unless your Dad bought the 400 new it may have had oversize pistons when he got it, that was a real popular thing to do back then. I grew up with those tractors and even tho in later years I jumped the fence to Deere I still enjoy them. Enough out of me. Frank. ....


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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 649 Central West Virginia
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2006-01-13          122709


Yooper, it's never too late!

Ever seen a Super C with the "Hydra Creeper"? I guess it is the same thing as a TA. That would be a good score.

I'm all for saving a bit of history by fixing up these old tractors. And they are still usable.

Good luck,
Bill ....


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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2006-01-16          122830


Hardwood:
I was quite young when my dad purchased the 400 and it was new. Now that you mentioned it, shortly, after that, I remember something about fire-crater pistions being installed. I really liked that tractor. ....


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