Ford 9700 Serial Number Anomaly

[benterryfarm]

I purchased a Ford 9700 a couple days ago. The previous owner didn't know what year it was so I looked up the serial number and amazingly the serial number does not fall in the published range of Ford 9700 serial numbers.

Maybe there is a more complete serial number range but from what I could find the 9700s started at:

C527300 in 1977 and ended at
C595800 in 1979

The serial number of my tractor is C526389
This IS the serial number stamped above the top link as well as on the little metal tag under the hood. I looked at it over and over again making sure I wasn't missing something.

I figured maybe someone on this forum could shed some light on this for me.

 

[Bern]

Ford didn't use sequential serial numbers for each individual model like Deere does. So, if your serial number 526389 was a
9700, 526390 might have been a 3600, and 526391 might have been an 8700, and so on. Stated another way, Ford did not build
some 68,000 plus 9700s between 1977 and 1979. Instead, that total includes all the USA (Romeo) tractors they built during that
time span, including the industrial models.

 

[Destroked 450]

Have you checked the production date code

 

[shaun wallace]

According to a Official Guide 1987 I have says falls in 1977 year.

 

[benterryfarm]

(quoted from post at 10:45:48 08/26/23) Ford didn't use sequential serial numbers for each individual model like Deere does. So, if your serial number 526389 was a
9700, 526390 might have been a 3600, and 526391 might have been an 8700, and so on. Stated another way, Ford did not build
some 68,000 plus 9700s between 1977 and 1979. Instead, that total includes all the USA (Romeo) tractors they built during that
time span, including the industrial models.

Thanks for the clarification. Also, even though this is my first post I've read countless posts of yours over the years, very impressive knowledge you have of the old Fords.

I suspected the serial numbers worked this way however, when I went to multiple websites and used the search function of all the serial numbers of Ford Tractors manufactured, nothing came up for the starting digits C526. All the serial numbers for 1977 were listed as starting at C527, I guess their serial number database is incomplete.

 

[benterryfarm]

"According to a Official Guide 1987 I have says falls in 1977 year."

Thanks for the response! Anyway you could post a picture of the page?

This post was edited by benterryfarm on 08/26/2023 at 07:54 am.

 

[benterryfarm]

"Have you checked the production date code"

How do I do this?

This post was edited by benterryfarm on 08/26/2023 at 07:54 am.

 

[Andy Wickiser]

Production of the 9700 started in late
1976 and C526389 is a 1976 serial number.
It most likely was considered a 1977 model
however. A look at the CNH parts site
shows production of the 9700 08/86-12/78,
link below.
CNH 9700

 

[Andy Wickiser]

Oops, typo should be 08/76-12/78. Darned smartphone virtual keyboard!

 

[Sean in PA]

As the others have said, Ford used sequential serial numbers for all tractors coming off the assembly line, regardless of the model. The serial numbers you are finding on the internet are the starting numbers for each year, like this:

1976 C490300
1977 C527300

So your serial number, C526389, was made after the beginning of 1976 and before the beginning 1977.

 

[benterryfarm]

(quoted from post at 12:53:43 08/26/23) Oops, typo should be 08/76-12/78. Darned smartphone virtual keyboard!

Thanks for this Sir! That clears things up