John Deere Serial Numbers, which is correct?

[Joe Appelget]

Hello Everyone-

I sent away to the Two-Cylinder Club for the certificate on my JD H. It has the year, the shipping information and all that good stuff. My question is this: The certificate says it is a 1940 but the little yellow cards that everyJD collector carries in his wallet says the tractor is a 1941. The tractor's S/N is 26041. Is there a common consensus on weather to call it a 1940 or 1941?

Your Thoughts Please and Thank You!

 

[Bguy]

Joe,
There is a difference between build date and model year. For example: Your tractor may have been built in November of 1940 and but it was a 1941 model. I have also heard that some of the serial number cards and lists going around are different causing some confusion.

 

[P Browning]

Joe -- your tractor is part of production year 1941 which very likely went from August 1940 through July 1941. Just over 15,000 JD-H tractors are included in the 1941 production year (20615 through 35698), and with yours being 26041, it came along about one-third the way through the 1941 production year output.

I will assume the plant wasn't yet affected by wartime production AND that production was basically "level" over the production year. Given these two assumptions, H-26041 would have rolled out roughly at the end of the fourth month, putting its final QC & shipping date between mid November and mid December of 1940.

Joe -- what is very important for you, is to use serial numbers when procuring parts for your tractor because that is where the sensitivity is. And I want to add - this is even important for decals! Many models changed decals over the years. The JD-H in particular, changed hood decals at two points in production, all based on production year, not the calendar year of production! For the 39 & 40-H, the letters were huge and without a black border. For the 41-H, the hood decal letters remained large but carried a black border. Beginning with H-35699 (1942 production) the hood decal letters still have the black border, but are reduced in size. And so with suppliers, always specify serial number and not the year.

As relates to decals for the "H", there were other changes over the life of its production years -- this just to make you aware. Further, the letter "H" NEVER appeared on the grille on tractors leaving the factory!

You can learn more about John Deere "H" tractors at the JD-H Restoration Site (below). Enjoy! (PatB)
Restoration Site, JD-H

 

[Duane Larson]

During those years Deere's model year went from July 1 - June 30.

 

[P Browning]

Thanks Duane -- I wasn't real sure of the Deere Production year span in the 40's. The government's fiscal year influenced a number of major manufacturers as well -- John Deere as well so it seems. In fact the US Government's fiscal year was from July 1st of one calendar year through June 30 of the following calendar year. This was changed in the mid-nineteen-seventies, beginning the fiscal year on October 1st instead of July 1st.

Correspondingly, this new data would put his tractor (26041) coming out some time during the fourth calendar quarter of 1940 -- late October - early November.

Joe -- I would be interested in seeing you post back with the actual dates of production & shipping listed on your tractor's Production Record Certificate from Two-Cylinder. (PatB)

 

[Joe Appelget]

Hello Guys-

I want to thank you all foor your insights. It all makes sense now and my tractor is indeed a model year 1941. The information from my Two-Cylinder certificate is as follows:

Warehouse Date December 23, 1940
Ship Date December 27, 1940

So I should have the larg decals with the black border is that correct?

Thanks again, you guys are the best! By the way, my tractor has been in paint since early June and I got a phone call today that painting is complete except for decals. I can't wait to see it! This is the first tractor I bought and the first one I have ever finished. I bought it in 2001 as a high school graduation present to myself, and I promised my Mom I would finish it. Looks like I am almost there! I'm so excited!

 

[P Browning]

Joe -- Yes, your hood decal should be with the large letters outlined with a black border. There are some other 1941 (year-dependent) decal facts to know as well -- the decal on the rear transmission cover, on the back of the seat and on the power shaft's major shield if you have one need to be verified as to which is right.

It is time for you to go to the JD-H Restoration Site and download & print the DECALS article. Much work and research has put into that piece and it was worked out in concert with Travis Jorde, the John Deere Tractor Decal Guru!

DECALS will tell you exactly which decals you are to use and where they are to be affixed. It is so dis-heartening to work & sweat to get to the point where you now are and then have poor counsel as relates to the "icing on the cake" so to speak.

Thanks for posting back -- confirms things for all of us! (PatB)
Restortion Site, JD-H