Tractor Serial # on a M

[Tejon]

Hi,
The serial plate on the 1947-1948 Farmall M is missing. Is there other places on the tractor where it might be? Did the engine and the rest of the tractor have the same serial number?

 

[tn terry t]

Flat spot on the block below the head is the engine serial number second picture is the month day and the letter is the year the part was cast

 

[tn terry t]

didnt we have a delete button for a day or two?

 

[J.Wondergem]

didnt we have a delete button for a day or two?

I think you had a edit button for a limit time after you posted it.

 

[Tejon]

Flat spot on the block below the head is the engine serial number second picture is the month day andView attachment 1949View attachment 1950 the letter is the year the part was cast

thank you : tn Terry t

I guess I haven't cleaned enough grime off the engine to see the areas you point out. I am a newbee at this tractor stuff and have lots to learn.

 

[tn terry t]

thank you : tn Terry t

I guess I haven't cleaned enough grime off the engine to see the areas you point out. I am a newbee at this tractor stuff and have lots to learn.

well as you can see mine has plenty grease also too cold to be washin a tractor right now

 

[rustred]

Hi,
The serial plate on the 1947-1948 Farmall M is missing. Is there other places on the tractor where it might be? Did the engine and the rest of the tractor have the same serial number?

there is date codes, and engine serial numbers. ihc does not match the engine serial number to the unit number. in the 1930's they did match them both with the w12 and w14 as there was so few made. approximate numbers of 3300 w-12's and 1100 w-14's.

 

[D Slater]

Hi,
The serial plate on the 1947-1948 Farmall M is missing. Is there other places on the tractor where it might be? Did the engine and the rest of the tractor have the same serial number?

Didn't match on a 47 or 48. Engine number would be lower that tractor serial Can tell the month tractor was built with the engine serial if you find it.

 

[used red MN]

In another YT post some time back there was discussion that the tractor serial number is 10,000 or 11,000 higher than the original engine serial number. Whether the difference is 10 or 11 is determined by a break somewhere near SN 246366. I am linking the post. If the engine casting codes match the other codes on the rest of the tractor the engine is probably the original but never anyway of knowing one way or the other for sure.
Past YT post on Farmall serial numbers

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

In another YT post some time back there was discussion that the tractor serial number is 10,000 or 11,000 higher than the original engine serial number. Whether the difference is 10 or 11 is determined by a break somewhere near SN 246366. I am linking the post. If the engine casting codes match the other codes on the rest of the tractor the engine is probably the original but never anyway of knowing one way or the other for sure.
Past YT post on Farmall serial numbers

It's approximately 10,000 or 11,000, not exactly. The exact difference can fluctuate because diesel tractors were built on the same line using the same serial numbering system. My understanding is that IH did not skip serial numbers on engine blocks just to accommodate the production line. If they did, then why not keep the serial numbers in sync?

In reality, the answer to the original question is NO. There is nowhere else on the tractor that contains the original serial tag serial number. You can estimate and get close buy you can never be 100% sure you have the original serial number.

 

[Tejon]

Thanks for the homework. This is what I found on the head.

If I understood correctly the engine is April 8th and I don't know what the Letter is. Engine serial number came out really clear. What is the X1?

 

[D Slater]

Thanks for the homework. This is what I found on the head. View attachment 2015View attachment 2017

If I understood correctly the engine is April 8th and I don't know what the Letter is. Engine serial number came out really clear. What is the X1?

X1 stands for built to use gasoline only. They used that casting quick. It went into a tractor built in late April of 47. First engine number of May was 131807.

 

[used red MN]

Thanks for the homework. This is what I found on the head. View attachment 2015View attachment 2017

If I understood correctly the engine is April 8th and I don't know what the Letter is. Engine serial number came out really clear. What is the X1?

These are the years the letters stand for.
Year codes
Look for other date codes on the clutch housing and rear end see if they match. Outside of a few minor changes which will mostly be told by the finding out the year the serial number really means nothing other then you “know” the serial number.