john deere b

[Anonymous-0]

I have a JD B which according to two cylinder serial number search was mfg in Nov 1940. It has a 6 spd and is electric start. It also has big 6 volt JD lights. How can I find out if this tractor was mfg with electric start and lights or was added on later?

 

[A GURU]

I'm not up on B's as well as A's, nor styled as well as unstyled, but according to the parts book, 7" lights ended with the beginning of the 41 model year. Yours being built in Nov 40 would be 5 months into the 41 model year. Of course the lights may have been changed to the 7" for some reason, or added later. Same is true of the electric start, but that is pretty unlikely as it would have required significantly more modification to the tractor.
I would have thought the research would have told that, but I'm also not too familiar with the details of research documents on styled tractors.
If anyone else reading this has research documents on their styled letter series tractors, chime in and say if it designates electric starting, lighting, or starting and lighting, on the documents. I would be interested in that type of info myself, just for future reference.
Hope this helps.

 

[Richard Clapp]

Thanks, I was just trying to find out just what I actually had. I have been looking for the past year or so, and had not seen another tractor like this at any shows or on line. Maybe it is worth restoring as is.

 

[A GURU]

Other than the large lights, what is unusual about the electrical setup? Is the electric starting something other than the norm, battery ahead of the dash, starter on top, cover ring around the flywheel, etc?
Is there nothing on the research document detailing any of this?
I have a very late 41 A 509931 that I recently purchased and intend on getting a research at some point. It has electric start and lights, but I don't have a clue yet what will be spelled out on the document.
Maybe you could post or e-mail what the research document says.

 

[Greenday]

I agree with A GURU that the electric start would have been an option if it was factory installed and I would think that it should have shown up on the serial number research.

 

[Richard Clapp]

The document on the B tells the warehouse date, ship date, destination, and special equipment. The only special equipment listed are the tire sizes, and wheel types. The electric start in 1940 was not normal. A tractor of this type would not be classified as rare, however there are not many electric start B's of that year around; at least I have not found them at tractor show or on the internet. If they are out there, and may very well be, they do not seem to be in plentiful supply.

 

[JD Mike]

According to my Two Cylinder production log, the 1941 production year started in November 1940. The 1939 and 1940 B's were 4 speeds. With electric starting and lighting, they had 7" lights and a slant dash. When the six speed trannys came into production with the '41 model year, the dash had to be flattened out to make room for the shift quadrant. Does yours have a slant dash still? My guess is the 7" lights were either carry-overs from the 1940 model year or someone put them on after the fact. Electric starting/lights could have easily been dealer or field installed and would not show up in the serial number research. Does it have a "fat" flywheel?

 

[A GURU]

Page 11 from the Production Log is an anomaly. The heading says "fiscal year". If you will notice the first line for A's says 985 built in Nov 40. It is the same numbers from Nov 40 on page 10, which is the correct model/production year for 1940. On page 12, July has 377 A's, same as July from page 11. Page 11 can more or less be ignored.
From 39-47 the model/production year is July-June. 48 is July-October, and from there it was back to the old Nov-Oct format. I know how damn confusing it is because I have to hash it over in my mind every time I look at it!!!
November 1940 is 5 months into 41 production. If you think that is confusing, start comparing the beginning serial numbers from the JD/T-C list, which is the bible, to the numbers built according to the Production Log, also the bible. As an example, in 1948 there are 8772 more A's built than serial number tags issued. In 1951 there are 6276 more A's built than tags issued. Think there is a problem with the list???

 

[A GURU]

I know what kind of info is on the research document. I meant what "details" are on your document. If you are hesitant to reveal the details for some reason, that is certainly your choice. I was just curious if it said anything about electric starting or lighting equipment. Your tractor is a 41 model, based on what you have said so far.
Hope this helps, rather than adding more confusion.

 

[Richard Clapp]

The special equipment on the SN document is as follows: ab2177, tires and tubes, 5.00x15, 4-ply front and 9x38, 4-ply rear, disk rear wheels; gy,Goodyear Tires. There is nothing about electric start/ electric lights. I believe that this is probably a 41 model and I believe that the electrical system is factory based on the workmanship in installation. It is much too neat to have been done in most local shops. The transmission is a 6 spd, it does have pto, and the rockshaft lift. I is missing the nose cone and when I bought one from a post war B, it does not fit. It is too wide and too long. They must have changed the front end of these in later production years. At the very least, this is providing some interesting research and question. Thanks!

 

[Richard Clapp]

This tractor does have a flat dash and a fat flywheel. It is a 6 spd.