just bought this 9N

[s19438]

early 9N
starter button on dash
pop out battery cover
front facing grease fittings
has i believe sherman step up tranny (at least the handle is there)
smooth hubs
Untitled URL Link

 

[William Fissell]

Pretty cool. smooth hubs and all. What's the S/N?
 

[Jim.UT]

THIEF!!

At the asking price, you bought a pair of smooth hubs and got a tractor, rear blade and tire chains for free!

It's good you didn't hesitate. What is the serial number? Is it visible? Any cracks in the block? How many freeze plugs?

Too bad he ditched the double rib fenders. I wonder if he still has them?
 

[Sean in PA]

I agree with the others. You got yourself a bargain. Zieglersville is only about 10 miles from my house. Do you live nearby?
 

[s19438]

harleysville. stop in when nearby.
coffee is always on.
 

[s19438]

gave him full price. didn't want to risk losing it. he said he had four calls within 30 min of posting ad. poor guy had no idea what the sherman is. lotsa paint to clean before ser no is readable.
 

[s19438]

What is the serial number? Is it visible?
i need better eyes than mine to read it.
Any cracks in the block?
none that i can see

How many freeze plugs?
how many should it have? is it possible to have three???

i am thinking it may not have original engine. this engine has two places where the engine oil dip stick could have gone. one is behind the oil filter the other is to the rear of filter.
 

[Jim.UT]

Here's a pic I robbed of John Smith's site. It looks like a dipstick location under the oil filter. Is that what yours looks like? The one in John's pic has no freeze plugs on the left side of the engine. It's a very early 9N engine. Later engines had one plug on the left side. I don't know when they started putting more than one plug in the engine.

If it's a replacement engine, that might explain why you can't see a s/n, but that extra dipstick hole makes me think you have an early (original?) engine.

You might want to read through the N-series history on Smith's site and compare what you read there with what you see on your tractor.

John Smiths history page

 

[HCooke]

Would love to see pictures. The link no longer works. I have four '39s. Congrats and have fun.
 

[s19438]

looks similar to me.

 

[Royse]

Very similar indeed!
I think I can see a "freeze" plug in the block behind the oil filter, which if memory
serves would make it just a bit newer than the picture Jim.UT showed.
I saw an early '39 on CL here a couple weeks ago for double that price.
Ad didn't last an hour!
Congratulations! Keep us posted on your progress!
 

[Stumpy(NH)]

Hey Jim,

That's not a dipstick hole below the oil filter. The early ones drained the filter back to the block right there. Later the oil line was routed to the govenor due to a lack of lubrication. Some of the govenors were drilled for a fitting and the oil line added.

Hope that helps

Stumpy
 

[Doug (OH)]

I'd like to see it when you get more pics. I had an early 9n too. Since I can't see the ad, what did you pay? Doug