Farmall H

[crow1ss]

Hello to all I just got a Farmall H from my great uncle serial# FBH191317 which I think is a 1941. I have two questions that I'm sure you kind folks can answer for me. It is duel fuel still has small gas tank and the shutters on it. It was barn kept for the 38 years that he has owned it and only used to cut fire wood as it has a front mounted saw on it. It runs and has no dents in any of the sheet metal a little new paint and will good as new.
1. I think that this tractor should have a mag on it but it has a IH dist. on it that I think someone put on it before he got it.
2. Where can I find a heat shield for the exhaust manifold he had it but now can't find it or is that something I just need to make.

Thanks Mike

 

[DeltaRed]

That tractor was available with either mag or dist when new. Either is 'right'.Don't worry about being "factory correct".No one really cares. just enjoy it.If the paint is good.just leave as/is.Maybe 'polish'.A nice well preserved tractor in it's working clothes is always more interesting than the fresh painted ones. Post a pic,please.

 

[gene bender]

If the serial# is correct it is a 45 model and came with a mag dists from factory werent avail till around 49. Finding that sheild will not be easy better just make one but if you are just using gas you dont need it. Those were used to keep manifold warm to burn the kero type fuesl that were available in those yrs.

 

[DeltaRed]

Gene,I didn't know distributors wern't available till '49. I thought you could get either/or almost from the start of the letter series.I learned something today.LOL Thanks for setting me straight! Steve

 

[pete 23]

My dad bought a 45 H with magneto and converted it to IH battery ignition in about 47. For some reason, he had problems with the magneto right off the bat and had the IH service man out there before he even used it.

 

[gene bender]

Yes and mags were available till in the 50s along with dual fuel. WW11 ended in 45 but it took a long time for things to get going again price ceilings and the list goes on. Farmers held hogs to get ceiling prices removed it was quite an time still had to wait to get a new tractor in as late as 47

 

[Old weldor]

My dad bought a new B in 1945, and it came with a distributor. I know a lot were converted but ours was not.

 

[CNKS]

Guy Fay's book say that the distributer on the A and C were released on April 15,1949, meaning the B's did not get one, except that maybe IH played with some of them. I remember the day that Dad bought a new B either in 1945 or 1946, my brother drove it home. Not sure anyone knew the difference between magneto or distributer, until it was sold. I am 78, and did not drive a tractor until I was 12 in 1950, and never heard the word distributer used. Of course cars had them, I guess.

 

[Goose]

I have a '41 H that had a distributor when I bought it on an auction a couple of years ago. Never gave it a thought.

 

[Jim Becker]

The first battery ignition units from IH came out in 1948. They were installed on some of the larger tractors. I'd have to look them up to see if it was 6-series or 9-series. Later on they were installed on smaller tractors. The change on the C was in '49. The Super A and Cub, not until 1950. If Guy Fay's book says '49 for both the C and Super A, it is an error (rare thing in Guy's books).

Battery ignition on any tractor built before those dates was a conversion. If an IH distributor, it would have been done after '48 or so. A conversion done earlier would have had to use a Delco or other unit.

 

[CNKS]

No one is perfect--perhaps that Guy found the C listed and assumed that the Super A with the same engine also had the distributer. Maybe IH did not have enough for both tractors and delayed the Super A, no one knows.