741 What?

[stevob671]

Was at the Sott-Carver Threshing show today and saw this Ford tractor. Wonder what the story is behind it. Note the Transmission photo, then the serial number closeup.

 

[shaun wallace]

Dont quite get the curly Q on the 5. The 5 is code for wide front axle but the other part is quality control at factory screwup

 

[grandpa Love]

Looks like a 5 speed gear shift??

 

[old]

Either been modified at some point or someone made a mistake when that stamped the model number on it

 

[Ford9000puller]

Its not a screw up. Ive been told There were a handful of 5 speed 701s ordered by the City of Dearborn. For some reason the kept them stamped as 741 even though it should of technically been a 761. I guess since a 761 was not officially offered they didnt stamp them as one.

 

[Sean in PA]

Could have been a 741 when it left the factory and then had the transmission replaced at some point and whoever replaced the transmission stamped the original model number and serial number into the new transmission.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

I agree with Ford9000puller on this one. Since the 761 wasn't offered, it makes sense for a custom modification at the dealership. Those are original factory stamps on the original surface.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I have also heard this story.
Don't know the origin of it but it seems plausible enough.

 

[Andy Wickiser]

This old post by Tony Jacobs tells the story.
Tony Jacobs on 741 5 to 761 5

 

[SyOh]

I actually have an old ford row crop stamped 741-5 bt had ford 4000 decals on the original hoods. It is a pogo 5 speed with live PTO.

Years ago i posted here asking about it and was told it was basically a 741 tractor converted from a 4speed non live PTO to a 5 speed live PTO. I gave all the serial numbers they asked me about that i could find and it was something like the front half was 1958 and the rear was around 1962 i think.

Something about a ford engineer took them and converted them for county/city work.

 

[Sean in PA]

(quoted from post at 09:07:51 08/06/22) This old post by Tony Jacobs tells the story.
Tony Jacobs on 741 5 to 761 5

So it appears to be a combination of being ordered from the factory, but the conversion was done by a contracted shop who stamped the original 741 numbers into the 5 speed transmissions when they were converted.