Fordson F Dating with rebuilt block

[Bryant Besse]

Restoring a 1920? Fordson F. Have Disassembled completely and still confused as to date as it has a replacement block with no serial #. It has single fill gas tank. No patent dating on dash or holes drilled for fenders. Wood steering wheel. Two lead worm drive with shallow spline with single ball bearing instead of the double that shows in the parts manual. Also 30 tooth worm wheel. Engine was free but needs valve job and connecting rods. Has a Zenith carb set up for now. Also 7 spoke wheels. All else is pretty much there and restorable. Any ideas on original date appreciated. Will need some parts and would drive to pick up in the Northeast. Bryant on Cape Cod.
 

[Butch Howe]

Hi Bryant, If it is an earlier tractor most have dates cast into various parts which will give you a start on nailing down the year. Examine the axle housings right up next to the differential flange. By the way, very early tractors had no grooves on the wheel end of the axle housings where fenders would normally clamp on.
If the engine has been changed it may have been a short block which might still have the original front cover, head and pan. These may have dates on them also.
look on the front side of your dash for a date.

I have many Fordson parts.
 

[Bryant Besse]

Butch,
Thank you for your advice. I did find a date on the dash of 7/6/20. I guesstimate the tractor would have been built easily before the end of the year, which confirms what the 1924 parts book indicates with regard to the transmission and final drive. So I am going to call it a late 1920. I would still like to add fenders to it some day. Now that it is all disassembled I can continue with my parts search. Wheels are on the list as well as some other castings and eventually the proper manifold and fuel delivery system.