H versus Super H

[bwillett]

A friend just bought a 49 McCormick Farmall H with Super H decals on it.....What are the differences between the 2 models? The former owner said they did some engine work to the tractor, therefore the different decals. Thanks in advance

 

[tractorguy2]

That's not uncommon for a Farmall M or H to be redecaled as a Super. What they have done is put in larger sleeves or crater pistons to get the hp up to that of the Super.

The Super H would also have a larger carburetor, different manifold and head, disc brakes, I think heavier axle and transmission bearings and a few other improvements. The frame and grill was modified for mounting a cultivator easier. The last year of production the Super H had live PTO and hydraulics. The battery was moved under the seat.

I have watched a few youtube videos on the differences. I think the one video listed 21 differences.

 

[Charlie M]

Putting an larger engine in a regular H doesn't make it a super H - its just a H with more horsepower. A tractor has to be born a super H to be a super H. I don't know if guys put the super H decals on because they think they made a super H or if they are trying to deceive somebody.

 

[redforlife]

Well, I think the former owner should of just said (we put the wrong decals on it). That's what I think. Doing a little engine work on it, isn't going to change this 49 into a Super H.

There were a number of differences. You can probably Google or YouTube it, and find out what all the differences were. Maybe those differences or having the right decals on this tractor is of no concern to your friend. I don't know. But if one of my H's was decaled wrong, I'd be questioned about it all the time, and wouldn't want that.

For what it's worth, a 49 can be engine overhauled and thinner sleeves and larger pistons put in which would make it close to (or perhaps same as) what was factory engine measurements on the Supers. But that only addresses the issue of cubic inch difference in the engine, between the two. It doesn't address the brakes, hood emblem, and the list goes on to many more minor changes.

As for the engine, many of both tractors were overhauled to larger pistons. The Supers I believe could be overhauled to even larger pistons and sleeves than the straight H block would accommodate. That makes a straight H capable of being overhauled to roughly the equivalent of a factory Super. But not the equivalent of what a Super H is capable of being overhauled out to.

Wrong decals is kind of a minor thing. Kind of a peice of mind thing. It might not be a big deal to some. But, it'd probably be a bigger deal to me than most. And I don't even consider myself a correct police. But if it were mine, I think I'd have to be a correct police, atleast on the wrong Super H decal. I think I'd have to atleast take some magic markers to that Super H decal. LOL. Well, ... I'm not sure how I'd go about fixing it. Just saying, I'd hate to buy a whole new set, to change the one decal.

 

[used red MN]

The speeds of gears 2-4 were faster in the Supers. Second and 3rd were only slightly faster. Fourth gear was a fair bit faster at 6.6 mph vs 5.1 of the regular H and reverse gear was also faster. One bit of information given here about the differences is that of a live PTO. There were no Super Hs with a live PTO, live hydraulics, yes. The last variation of the Farmall M did have a live PTO, the Super MTA. The first tractor in the lineage of the H with a live PTO available was the 300.

Edit to add: We all went on and on but no one gave what is probably the most pertinent information, that of when Super Hs were build, which was in 53 and 54. See link:
https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/snlookup.cgi?mf=FARMALL&md=Super+H+and+HV

This post was edited by used red MN on 10/12/2022 at 10:00 pm.

 

[rustred]

the differences are the improvements as ih went along. lots of internal and external things are different from front to back including going to sealed beam lights from bulb lights. more horse power equals faster gearing to get more work done was the name of the game.

 

[DR. EVIL]

Ewwww Tractor Guy2. I have a Super H made in January '54 out in my shop. Has ALL the stage 2 features, but NO live PTO. That required a completely different lower transmission gear shaft and all the gears. And would need a second pto clutch installed somewhere, like in the new larger pto housing IH put on SM-TA's outside the rearend tub like on the SMTA & 300/350/400/450. And actually the 460/560 too.
Had somebody post a week ago that the last few FARMALL 350 Diesels had actual IH built engines.

Some guys need to add more books to their IH Library, so they can look up what actually was available on these tractors! Live Hydraulics YES, live pto NO. To be perfectly honest, I've NEVER missed having a live pto on my Super H in the 54 years I've owned it.

 

[bwillett]

I don't believe there was any malicious intent in putting the wrong decals on the tractor....My friend told me that the man he bought it from said that his grandson and he had done the restoration a few years ago....It was the grandson's tractor. He passed in a car accident last spring and the man could not bear to keep it....That was the only reason for the sale....I have no idea what my friend is going to do about the decals....He just is going to enjoy the tractor as is for a while, would be my guess....Since he knows the history, I doubt he would try to pass it off as a Super H, seeing as the original serial number tag is still on it....