john deere model g vs model A

[swindave]

whats everyone thoughts on the differances between a model g and model a john deere, the horsepower looks the same in the literature i have, but ive never been on a g, i have used a a,

are they both 2,3 plow rated tractors?
fuel use? weight? personal experience with one of these models?

thanks!

 

[coonie minnie]

If you are looking at late model literature, then if you compare horsepower a late gasoline powered A will be about the same as a G, which was only available from the factory as distillate or "all fuel"
burner, which was a lower compression engine made to burn cheaper fuels.

If you compare a distillate burning A to a G, you will see a significant horsepower difference.

Many G's were converted to gasoline in later years with different pistons, etc to increase compression. If one put in gas pistons and changed the manifold, a G could produce 50-55 hp pretty easily. With
about 415 cubic inches of displacement, it was significantly bigger than a gas A at- I think- 321 cubes. It was also larger than a gasoline 70, which replaced the G.

A G is heavier, and built very sturdily. It will also drink a lot of gas! They were not as common as an A, and did not have some of the "finer" features of an A. G's never got a covered flywheel, and never
got the single stick 6 speed transmission the A got. It seemed to be a low priority tractor when it came to details like that.

I own both, and have 40 plus years experience on both of them.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I have my father in law's '51 A. When he got it he was told it could pull three so he got a Little Genius 3-14 but could only use it in one field that had sandy soil. It struggled in second gear in clay and we had to got to first often. He converted it to a two bottom. Plowing it didn't use any more gas than our COOP E3s and was great pulling two 8 foot discs or cultimulcher/disc in tandem. We also used it pulling the old IH 52T baler because it handled the hills better pulling all that weight.

 

[NoDakInMN]

It depends on what you plan to use them for. The G can deliver more HP when properly set up, so that is a factor if it is going to be a real working tractor. But if you are just looking for one do some light work or parade with it, then the A has more going for it. Since the G is popular with tractor pulling guys and there were less of them made, the G will cost almost twice as much as the A. Since there were more As made, parts are easier to come by and you have a wider selection of options to choose from due the many changes made during its production run.

 

[Fordy20]

I recently bought a 49 G from a retired farmer that bought it in 1961 - owned it for 55 years. He said when he first bought it he put M & W pistons and a gas manifold on and it dynoed over 70 h.p. To me, a G has "character". Also, you don't have to cut a hole in the hood to get at the bolts to replace the muffler (or remove hood, gas tank etc.).

 

[jddrawbar]

I have a '50 G & a '52 A....both stock. The A will eat it up and burn way less fuel. No comparison IMO. (this goes for the late A with single stick)