AR/AO serial numbers

[Joshua H.]

I have a JD AO serial no# 272164. I believe it to be a late 1949. My question is an AO and an AR the same tractor in this late year except for the sheetmetal? Please would someone give me the whole AO/AR story!!!!

 

[Jake Winn]

You have a very early late styled AO. They started styling them at SN 272000. They are the same tractor except the AO has side exhaust and a small cover on the hood where the AR intake would stick up. If it was equipped with lights, it would have the front lights mounted on the front casting down near the front axle pivot.

 

[Harvey Brinker]

If I am not mistaken all of the AO tractors had turning brakes,,and on the AR's they were optional. Turning brakes really make these tractors a lot more practical for all sorts of fieldwork.

To get the "whole story" you need to look around and find copies of articles that appeared in Two-Cylinder Magazine,,and Green Magazine over the years. All in all there are probably 10 pages of stuff that has been printed,,maybe more.

Good luck, Harvey

 

[Harvey Brinker]

Having had a few minutes here are the issues that may be of special interest to you.

Two-Cylinder Magazine, Jan-Feb 1986 AO Streamlined, Nov-Dec 1993 Unstyled AO, Jan-Feb Styled AO 1949-53,

Green Magazine, Dec 1996 Styled AR-AO, March 1997 Unstyled AR-AO, October 1997 AOS, October 2001 Grove & Orchard Pt.1, November 2001 Grove & Orchard Pt.2

You can learn something from every one of these articles, prices, tire sizes, turning radius, and various midifications. Best wishes with your tractor, Harvey