881 Select-O-Speed

[Frmldon]

I am working on a Ford 881 Select-O-Speed tractor and use this site frequently for insight and assistance. Is there any way to identify one of these tractor as a Gold Demonstrator model? I have scraped a couple layers of paint back and see what I believe is gold underneath. The gold is on the cast pieces, though I have not found any on the tin work. Is there anything stamped anywhere that identifies such? The serial number of the tractor is 73541, and on the left side tranny casting is 312259, GWC, and L248. Anything else I can look for?

Thanks for the assistance,
Don

 

[GlenIdaho]

Here's a post from the archives. The author is Tony Jacobs who has a great deal of knowledge and experience with old Fords. From the info he provides you'll see, unfortuantely, that yours is not a Gold Demonstrator.

"Hello Mark, The GOLD DEMO TRACTORS introduced the new SELECT-O-SPEED Transmission in Jan. of 1959 the FIRST TRACTOR being serial number 60,692 approx. At the time there were 2200 / 2300 Ford Tractor Dealers in the country all were REQUIRED to purchase one tractor at STANDARD COST ( some dealers sold 2 or 3 if they were big volume dealers ) there were no DISCOUNT PROGRAMS in fact it was not a program at all it was an ENTIRE LINE OF NEW TRACTORS . EVERY Ford Tractor was AVAILABLE with the new transmission so EVERY MODEL was AVAILABLE as a GOLD DEMO wether it be a 501 , 601 , 701 , 801 , 901 , or an 1801 INDUSTRIAL of which I have 2 and have only seen 6 of them . The last GOLD DEMO will have SERIAL NUMBER PRIOR TO 72,000 . I have been researching these tractors for many years now if you look in the ARCHIVES YOU WILL SEE many related posts I have posted and responded with quite a fews guys here that have Gold Demo's . The rarest S-O-S tractor I have ever seen is the 501 OFFSETS , I have seen 6 gas offsets and 1 diesel offset but no Gold Demo yet . I have a 1871 gas H.D.Industrial and a 1881 diesel H.D.Industrial both with 4 wheel drive . There is also another H.D.Industrial Gold Demo with Four wheel drive in ILLINOIS , the only onther one I know of . I have seen both 601's and 701's but the 801's and 901's are the most common as they were the best sellers . Look in the ARCHIVES and if you need more info email me or post here . As John in LA. said many Diesels have the serial number corroded away from Battery acid this is very common on all early tractors , also many do even have a serial number if the trans case was replaced under warranty and the dealer did not restamp the serial number into the new case . As John also said the parts can be dated from the casting codes of which I can tell you about if you are looking at a tractor . These tractors can be FAKED because many did not have serial numbers , the best way to prove you have real one is to find one that has not been restored so that you can see original Gold Paint on all the components as the FIRST coat of paint then repainted repainted Red and Gray as required by Ford which many Dearlers did not do before they Sold them . All of my INFO comes from Ford , Ford Dealers that were there , Ford Distributors that were there , Ford Mechanics that were there and all info collaberates quite well when you speak with these guys from all over the country over the years . Thanks Tony Jacobs"

 

[Frmldon]

Great, thanks for the information! That helps greatly and confirms it is not a gold demo. I will do some more research using the archives as it is interesting.