Ford 555D

[barberdave]

I have a ford 555D back hoe serial number A421811 what year was it built

 

[Sean in PA]

The A at the beginning means that it was assembled at the plant in Antwerp, Belgium. Unfortunately, the serial numbers vs. years for that assembly plant have been lost to time. The 555D was made from 1993-1996. Since you found the Serial number, I am assuming that it was on the foil sticker under the hood. Did you also find the Unit Number? If so, post that back and we can tell you the exact date that it left the assembly line.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Interesting, I didn't know Ford made industrial machines in Europe. BarberDave, are you located overseas? If not, the shipping to the States had to be expensive.

 

[Andy Wickiser]

I have a ford 555D back hoe serial number A421811 what year was it built

My 455D was also made in Antwerp Belgium and has a serial number of of A429782 and a Unit Code of 4L08B meaning November 8 1994. The difference in serial numbers is 429782-421811=7971. Ford's World Operation was really cranking them out back then so I think we can safely say yours is a 1994.

 

[barberdave]

That number was on the console serial number on back left side was AB21811 unit number 3F18B. I bought this backhoe over the weekend 14 miles south of Okemah Oklahoma where I live and I would just like to say thanks for the quick response and I’ll be 50 years old this year I’ve worked on and restored old tractors all my life ever since I caught classic tractor fever and yesterday’s tractor forum has been a GREAT Help. Thanks again

 

[barberdave]

That number was on the console serial number on back left side was AB21811 unit number 3F18B. I bought this backhoe over the weekend 14 miles south of Okemah Oklahoma where I live and I would just like to say thanks for the quick response and I’ll be 50 years old this year I’ve worked on and restored old tractors all my life ever since I caught classic tractor fever and yesterday’s tractor forum has been a GREAT Help. Thanks again

Thanks Andy

 

[Andy Wickiser]

That number was on the console serial number on back left side was AB21811 unit number 3F18B. I bought this backhoe over the weekend 14 miles south of Okemah Oklahoma where I live and I would just like to say thanks for the quick response and I’ll be 50 years old this year I’ve worked on and restored old tractors all my life ever since I caught classic tractor fever and yesterday’s tractor forum has been a GREAT Help. Thanks again

I think the AB21811 3F18B is for some other component, maybe the backhoe but I'm not sure. 3F18B is a date code June 18 1993.

The tractor's model number, serial number, and unit code is also stamped onto a flat spot to the rear of the starter. However it's very difficult to see, at least on my 455D.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

I bet those basic tractors were sent in a crate from Antwerp and Basildon to the Troy, Michigan Industrial plant to build into TLB's. That would help satisfy the Government mandate for imports vs exports.

 

[JoeM(GA)]

Tom, Ford (or whatever the name of the week was back then) began shutting down all US assembly lines in the late 87/88 years. Those were some sad times, you could tell the change in quality in both the Ag and Industrial tractor during this time, at the dealer I was at, we felt it was more the penny pinching from the top more than less quality on the line. Still it was just more of the beginning of the end for a great tractor brand.

 

[Sean in PA]

Tom, Ford (or whatever the name of the week was back then) began shutting down all US assembly lines in the late 87/88 years. Those were some sad times, you could tell the change in quality in both the Ag and Industrial tractor during this time, at the dealer I was at, we felt it was more the penny pinching from the top more than less quality on the line. Still it was just more of the beginning of the end for a great tractor brand.

It was still Ford in 87/88. They didn't sell the rights to Fiat until 1989, with the rights for Fiat to continue using the Ford name through the mid-1990's. I thought that they consolidated the various work to the different plants in that time frame, with one plant making the engines and another making the transmissions, etc. and Basildon ended up becoming the final assembly plant for all of them eventually, but the various major sub-assemblies were still being made at all 3 of the plants until at least the mid-1990's.

 

[JoeM(GA)]

Sean, you may be closer on dates than I, It's been many years and several colors of tractors for me since then. Our dealership was in Atlanta, only a couple of miles from Ford's Atlanta depot, we sold mostly industrial, but a few blue too. We always laughed when a tractor trailer load of blue came to us as some had the blue oval still on them, and most would have what we affectionately referred to as the "Marijuana New Holland "emblem on the nose. We were told that the plants here would slowly shut down as major components ran out. I know parts and pieces of tractors were moved around to finish up orders and use up what was at locations. We heard several times that lines had totally stopped several times as needed pieces were in-route from other factories. My point was, late 80's early 90's most of what we got had "A" or "B" series serial numbers, little to nothing, especially yellow tractors was US built by then.

I had this in one of my cheat sheet files, not sure how accurate it is -

1989...........A922535 (AG)
A400217 (IND)
1990...........A925099 (AG)
A408728 (IND)
1991...........A929000 (AG)
A415050 (IND)


A side note, my 1989 345C is an Antwerp built tractor, front grille had the new emblem, most every other component and part still has the oval.