1957 800 and 801??

[GT65]

I've noticed there's both 1957 800's and 801's.The same for 1957 600's and 601's
Was this a "mid-year model change" or did Ford just produce both that year as it was changing over?
Thanks in advance! GT65

 

[john in la]

Some would call it a mid-year model change and others would say there is no such thing as a 1957 601/801.

Think about cars and pickups and that may help. The new 2013 cars will be out in Aug or Sept of 2012.
Would you consider that a mid year change??

Same thing with tractors.
1957 is the last year for 600/800
So in Sept 1957 they started building 1958 601/801.
Some call them 1957 tractors because they were built in 1957. Some call them 1958 tractors because they are 1958 models.
What one is right??????????
Does it really matter!!!!!!

 

[old]

As John said the true year of a 801 is 1958 but as with cars they started building and selling them in 57 as the new model tractor that was a 1958

 

[awhtx]

As most of the oldtimers on this forum know I own an 851, SN 1002 which makes it the second tractor built in the X01 series. Fortunately Ford started keeping records of the first SN assembled on the first day of each month beginning Oct 1, 1957 and SN 1147 was the first tractor assembled that day which was a Tuesday. We assume that the first 146 X01 tractors were assembled Monday, Sep 30.
When Ford switched from the X00 to X01 series they made a defined change-over and there was no continued installation of X00 specific parts until they were all used up. My 851 has all of the 801 features- Fuel Gauge, Charge Indicator Light instead of ammeter, kidney shaped indention in rear fenders, no Ford script embossed into the hood side panels, egg crate grille, properly dated TSX-662 carb (larger than the 800 carb), etc.
A lot of the parts were common to both the X00 series and the X01 series such as engine blocks, transmission housings, rear end center sections and hydraulic lift covers. All of these parts have a casting date code molded into them. Another forum member, Andy Wickiser owns a very late 840. He and I have compared casting date codes and some of his tractor's components were actually cast after my tractor's components. In addition, his 840 which may have been assembled on the last day of X00 assembly (Friday, Sep 27, 1957?) has all X00 specific parts and none of the "new" X01 parts.

 

[GT65]

awhtx,
Thank you(and the other guys too!) for taking the time to explain this to me.I love the history and intricate details of stuff like this.
Is there some sort of National Registry for Ford tractors.It would be hard to guess how many are left because there were so many produced and they have lasted so long that they are still turning up in barns across America.
I just "googled" Ford tractor history and there are a lot of books out there on Ford tractors.I'm not patronizing you or trying to blow smoke up your butt,but that was an interesting read on your tractor and serial#. Your written word reads well,you put your thoughts onto paper well, you have an eye for detail and you have some interesting stories and info to share.If you haven't written a book yet,you should!.If you don't think you have enough material, collaberate with one or more of the other experts here.I'm serious!I certainly hope you're documenting your findings in some way.
I don't know how old you are but you and the other experts should leave some sort of record of your facts,findings and opinions for future persons who might be interested in Ford Tractors.Hell,they've already lasted 50-100 years.As long as there are people with a passion for them and spare parts why couldn't they last 500-1000 years or forever!!!
Sincerely Gary Thompson(GT65)

 

[Tony Jacobs]

Hello John , This topic has been gone over too many times also and OLD IS WRONG and so are you . FORD CALLED IT RUNNING PRODUCTION CHANGES NOT MID YEAR OR ANYTHING ELSE it is right on the cover of manual # SE6086-4 PRINTED IN MAY OF 1957 . Your Sept. 1957 example is wrong also , in Sept. 1957 the new FORDS and CHEVY'S were already sitting on the showroom floor waitng for the BIG 1958 NEW MODEL RELEASE which was usually Oct. Every Auto maker usually built cars and Trucks from about AUG. TO AUG. every year . Cars and trucks were not sold years ago like they are today VERY VERY FEW TIMES did anything come out in midyear . It was a VERY BIG DEAL years ago when the new cars came out in the FALL they usually sat in the showroom covered up with sheets or the showroom window were covered up so you could not see in to see the New Models until the release date . WHEN FORD BOUGHT OUT A NEW CAR MIDYEAR LIKE THE MUSTANG IT WAS CALLED 1964 1/2 NOT 1965 OR THE NEW 1963 1/2 GALAXIE 500 NOT THE 1964 GALAXIE , TractorS were the same way the NEW 1954 600 / 800 were serialed numbered and SOLD AS 1954 ALL 12,000 OR SO OF THEM , 1957 was the same they were 1957 601 / 801 tractors and then there was 1958 601 / 801 . It was SIMPLE FORD'S PLAN WAS TO BE THE FIRST TO THE MARKET WITH A NEW PRODUCT IN THE SAME YEAR AFTER EVERYBODY ELSE released their products because FORD could afford to tool up to do so EVERYBODY HAD TO PLAY CATCH UP . Once everybody released all of the NEW 1954 or 1957 or whatever year tractors FORD THEN BROUGHT OUT THEIR NEW 1954 OR 1957 TRACTORS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOW FIRST TO THE MARKET everybody else had to wait and bring theirs out as a 1955 or 1958 because they did not have the CASH RESOUCES to tool up mid year like FORD COULD . If every tractor maker made cars like Ford and had Millions in profits it may have been a different story . As it was Ford became one step behind the other Tractor Makers later on when the bigger tractors were introduced and they lost market share to the point of not being any competiton at all just as they are today behind the BIG TWO and will never gain enough sales to be a threat . Thanks Tony

 

[awhtx]

Gary,
Thanks for the comments. I'm 58 and not getting any younger. John in LA made a post on this forum many years ago about the date codes on his 841D and that got me started. A group including myself, John, Jim.UT, Glen ID, Tony Jacobs and possibly others started comparing date codes and serial numbers and we finally cracked the code system Ford used from 1954 through the early '60's. In my work life I'm an airline pilot and I'm on the road right now. When I get home tonight I will respond to the post up above concerning date codes. I don't want to try it from memory or I will post erroneous information.
Alan