identify a dexta

[terry274]

I am trying to figure out exactly what year dexta I have. The numbers are hard to read, but I believe they are as follows:
On the right hand side of the transmission are the numbers:
957E 7005 C
T4
3L14 /
On the left hand side of the flange where the transmission meets the engine, going vertically, are the numbers:
09C93 and a squashed looking 0
On the cylinder head is the word: mon0cyl, the middle o is elongated. The head has the number 371I6140 0.
And finally, on the left hand side of the block are the numbers:
37111310.
What information can be gleaned from these numbers?
Other than engine size, what is the difference between a Dexta and a Super Dexta?

Thanks,
Terry

 

[terry274]

Cleaned the engine some more and found that the vertical number on the flange between the transmission housing and the engine should be: 09C930258.

 

[Les Fenwick]

Hi Terry,

Congratulations.

Serial number suggests late November/63.

The 3L14 is a casting date code for 1963/Oct/14.
There are also date codes on the rear of each axle, the clutch housing, the rear end, and the hydrualic cover.

There is an engine date code just above the 37111310 part number on the block. It is a bit behind the fuel pump rod and can be hard to see.
Some heads have a date code under the tappet cover.

There should also be a 7 digit engine serial number on a machined flat spot high on the front left side of the block.
I have read that Super Dextas started at 1600251. I would expect yours to be 163xxxx.

Besides some tinwork:
The older Dextas Nov/57 to Apr/62 had a pneumatic controlled govenor/pump.
When the Super Dextas came out in April/62 the Dextas also got the mechanical govenor/pump.
I think the pinion and gear ratios might be different too!

Les

 

[native]

Hi Terry, I checked two different places and could not find the serial number you have listed. It appears that you have a 1963 based on the first three digits, but the serial numbers supposedly did not go as high as what you have listed. I'm not sure what to tell you other than try checking again. Maybe someone else has some input. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people who view this site. I found the info listed below at: http://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/serial.htm
Good luck

Dexta
Year Prefix Range
1957 957E 1 - 143
1958 957E 144 - 22557
1959 957E 22558 - 44431
1960 957E 44432 - 71920
1961 (Jan-Oct) 957E 71921 - 312000
1961 (Nov-Dec) 09A 312001 - 702591
1962 09B 702592 - 732030
1963 (Jan) 09C 732031 - 900000
1963 (Feb-May) 09C 900001 - 916549
1963 (Jun-Dec) 09C 916550 - 907331 (colour change to blue/grey)
1964 (Jan - Sep) 09D 907332 - 928248 CEASED
Super Dexta
Year Prefix Range
1962 (Apr-Dec) 09B 710530 - 731453
1963 (Jan) 09B 731454 - 900000
1963 (Feb-Jun) 09C 900001 - 916555
1963 (Jun-Dec) 09C 916556 - 907331 (colour change to blue/grey)
1964 (Jan-Sep) 09D 907332 - 928248 CEASED

 

[Les Fenwick]

Hi guys,
Have wondered a bit about this serial number list before.
In 1963 (Jun-Dec) 09C 916550-907331) the numbers appear to drop.
It looks like someone just subtracted 1 from the beginning Jan 1964 number (09D 907332) to arrive at 09C 907331 (end of Dec/63).

One Ford publication shows (09C) 921984 as built the end of August 1963 serial number which is certainly higher than the 907331?
Came across another list (not Ford, mind you) that has tractor 09C 931263 produced on 1Dec/63 which would leave room for your tractor, Terry.

But even different Ford publications don't always agree on Dexta serial numbers!!.
Ah, the serial number saga continues!

Cheers,
Les

 

[Anonymous-0]

Quite often, the engineering department will issue a block of numbers to be used, but they won't necessarily all be used. Sometimes, for competitive reasons, they might skip some numbers to give the impression of more tractors produced than actually were. Sometimes a block will be set aside for a special production run, say for a sale to the Soviet Union. As you can see, they plodded along at about 22 to 27 thousand a year. This probably fell off near the end.
The 1961 serial numbers could not possibly be related to production numbers. 1962 is rational again, at about 30,000.
The 1963 09B reference to 900,000 is just a place keeper. Actual production was likely about 20,000 for the whole year, including 09C. Thus the last 09B would fall about (see 09C below) 735,550 roughly.

They started the 09C with 900,001 and produced possibly 16,555 tractors for the year.

Obviously there is some sort of transcription error in the final numbering. My educated guess is that the final three number sets should be

1963(Feb-Jun) 09C 900001 - 907331 [7,331 numbers]
1963(Jun-Dec) 09C 907332 - 916555 [9,224 No's]
1964(Jan-Sep) 09D 916556 - 928248 end [11,693 No's]

Keep in mind, that the prefix 959E was reserved for the petrol-powered Dextas, at least for the 1959 year. Not sure about later years.

 

[Anonymous-0]

To add more to the above, Gibbard's book lists

The last Dexta produced under the original number series was 957E 93371 (31 Oct 1961)

The last Dexta 09B: 09B 734567 (31 Jan 63)

The last Dexta/SuperDexta 09D 924433 (July 64 ?)

He notes that all models used the same number series, including the Petrol.

1st Petrol No 68751 (7 Nov 60).
First Petrol Engine: FPL27

(Mine is FPL661E, Ser No. 959E 75667, built in August-Sept 1961

Comment:
It seems odd that an 09B tractor would be built with a serial number higher than the last one listed for an 09D tractor?? Were some unsold tractors from 1962 re-stamped with 1964 serial numbers? Were some experimental, or special in-house units built without numbers, but later given a factory rebuild and stamped with 1964 numbers? I think there's evidence that Ford did just that with a few Model T numbers.

 

[Les Fenwick]

Hi cdmn,
Great to find another interested in the Dexta serial numbers.

To agree or not; and add to the topic:

All sources seen so far have 957E 93371 (31 Oct 1961) as the last Dexta in the original series!

[i:73a5e828ea]The last Dexta 09B: 09B 734567 (31 Jan 63)[/i:73a5e828ea]
(Ford in parts list ref:F001566/1063 has 09B 735042 as the last 09B)

[i:73a5e828ea]The last Dexta/SuperDexta 09D 924433 (July 64 ?)[/i:73a5e828ea]
(Have seen 09D 928248 listed as the last Dexta/Super Dexta # and have seen several owners post 09D 927xxx serial numbers on the net.)

[i:73a5e828ea]He notes that all models used the same number series, including the Petrol.

1st Petrol No 68751 (7 Nov 60).
First Petrol Engine: FPL27 [/i:73a5e828ea]

[i:73a5e828ea](Mine is FPL661E, Ser No. 959E 75667, built in August-Sept 1961[/i:73a5e828ea]
(Would yours be possibly built earlier as Fordson would have had to build almost another 18,000 in 2 or 3 months to get to 93371 by the end of Oct/61? Maybe Feb/61?)
[i:73a5e828ea]Comment:
It seems odd that an 09B tractor would be built with a serial number higher than the last one listed for an 09D tractor?? Were some unsold tractors from 1962 re-stamped with 1964 serial numbers? Were some experimental, or special in-house units built without numbers, but later given a factory rebuild and stamped with 1964 numbers? I think there's evidence that Ford did just that with a few Model T numbers.[/i:73a5e828ea]
Not sure why you feel the 09B is higher than 09D?

Les

 

[Mike Shere]

My late super dexta is 09D 925833, which is a later number than you list for 1964!