Year? Model?

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

I m sorry is this question has been worn out but I ve tried my best to research all I can and I m still coming up empty handed. All I ve managed to gather is the year is mid to late 40s, it s a VA series, no tag on instrument panel for year, block is stamped VT 328 and that s about it. The tractor came with a farm that my fiance and I recently purchased. The owner had passed away and no one had any useful information on the tractor. It took a little work but I got her running and did a little brush hoggin yesterday. I d really like to get it back into shape but it s tough when I m not sure what model or year I should be looking at for parts. Plugs and plug wires are all that I ve changed so far. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

Sorry, was having trouble uploading pics.

 

[connor9988]

Looks like a 1948-ish Case VA.

 

[John Achmann]

Is there a flat spot where I circled with a number stamped in
it? My VAIW has a number stamped here. You might have to
get some sandpaper and clean it up a little to read the
number. If so that?ll be a good start for the year. Hopefully
someone will correct me if I?m wrong!! Nice little tractor by the
way!

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

(quoted from post at 05:52:19 06/17/19) Is there a flat spot where I circled with a number stamped in
it? My VAIW has a number stamped here. You might have to
get some sandpaper and clean it up a little to read the
number. If so that?ll be a good start for the year. Hopefully
someone will correct me if I?m wrong!! Nice little tractor by the
way!
<img src="https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto26643.jpg">

I ll check next time I m at the farm which should be in the next day or 2. I ha e a few more pics of stamped numbers I forgot to post last night It did cross my mind a couple times whether or not it was a VAI. Not sure if it ll help any but it doesn t have any type of hitch 3pt or eagle. The pics are of the "side clutch pto sickle bar fast spinny pants ripper offer thing". Yeah I m not at all this obviously. Another stamp on block and one on what I think was transmission. Which I couldn t really make out other than VT 1, maybe 68? Anyway I appreciate the help so far. I almost let it go with the brush hog for $400 the week before last before I finally got it to turn over and start! Definitely ain t lettin it go now! I ve quickly fallin in love with this thing!

Ok I don t know what I m doing wrong but I m having the hardest time getting pics to load on here.

 

[John Achmann]

Your pants ripper offer is where the belt pulls goes. It?s
obviously missing but can be had with some looking. That unit
also has the hydraulic pump and reservoir built in to it. Can?t
lift much but was used for mowers and cultivators. Being it
don?t have an eagle hitch makes it older then 1949. I believe
that was the first year of the eagle hitch.

 

[John Achmann]

That should say belt pulley!

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

I ll have to research and see if I can find more about it. I m sure at some point it had a cover or something and that s what I d like so I could at least cover it or something. I was standing right next to it the first time I finally got it started and it scared the crap out of me, hence "pants ripper offer"! As far as the hydraulic and being able to lift what exactly would that be? Are we talking belly mower or like a front loader bucket? I d like to find the missing body panels for it is another reason I m hoping to figure out exact year and model. Only thing I have is the hood right now.

 

[Joe (Wa)]

Looks like 1946-1948 VA or VAI. The engine serial nr should be stamped into the block just under the head gasket below #4 spark plug. S/N will be like VAB + 5 digit, VAC + 5 digits, etc. The top tank aft side of radiator may have a small brass plate with date. Carb if MS like the 2nd pic may still have the tag with date. None of this is going to give you the exact year, you don't need it anyway for most parts just after WWII and prior early 1949.

The link is a prior 1949 Case VA operator manual, applies to all VA series tractors.

There is a VAI parts manual on-line, if it proves to be a VAI I'll find and post a link if you want it.

Joe

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer &httpsredir 1&article 1443&context tractormuseumlit

 

[kevinthefixer]

Got a kick out of the milk crate stuck on the front--with oil and antifreeze jugs in it!

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

Yep it s an eye sore. He s got a big piece of grating for the grill as well. The radiator is in pretty bad shape too. That s one of my goals is to replace the radiator, and find the appropriate grill for it.

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

Thanks Joe, I m gonna run out to the farm tomorrow and look more closely at it and see if I can find some more number stamps. As far as parts though you re saying I would probably be safe buying parts between 46-48?

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

Joe, I couldn t find anything under any of the plugs or for that matter anything on that side of the block. I cleaned up the carb plate and took a pic of it and I also found a tag on the radiator. I took pics of stamped numbers on top of block as well.

 

[Joe (Wa)]

I've had a long day, haven't had a chance to do any research on this. Just some thoughts and I'll try to get on this tomorrow night

You engine castings block VT328 and cylinder head VT148 the same for all VA series gas burning tractors from mid 40's to end of production 1955. The only difference I am aware of off the top is the flyball governor on up to sometime in 1949 and flyweight assembly thereafter. In any event any changes will be listed in the parts manuals.

The factory Marvel Schebler carburetors for all VA series tractors is TSX114, TSX253, & TSX597. There were also 2 factory Zenith carbs but no TSX42. As long as the TSX42 runs the engine ok then not an issue, things like that can get substituted over 70 years.

The shifter cover VT161, like the engine block and head is that same for all the VA series except for some VAC mower tractors after 1951.

No date on radiator tag?

The engine serial nr is just hiding from you. It will be hand stamped about 1/4" characters. It may be lightly stamped. Just look above the starter an area about 6" wide from the back of the block. Most of them are on the block a hair below the cyl head gasket.

I haven't studied your tractor pics all that well, I did note that the hand throttle lever is prior 1949 and the front axle appears like the VA pic early axle configuration and also VAI axle. I would like a pic of the front end showing the axle and the left side of the tractor. Also the rear tire size. VAI had 24" rear wheels and VA, as well as, most of the other VA series were 28" and larger.

Joe

 

[John Achmann]

I had to stop and look at my tractor as I wasn?t sure if I had the location correct. Joe is correct as I was thinking of the farmalls. The numbers should be stamped in a raised area just behind the oil filter.

You can kinda see it there with some numbers stamped.

Here?s what the VAIW looks like. It?s the warehouse version of your tractor. It?s a 1945 but the engine serial number indicates that is a 1949.

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

(quoted from post at 22:04:58 06/18/19) I've had a long day, haven't had a chance to do any research on this. Just some thoughts and I'll try to get on this tomorrow night

You engine castings block VT328 and cylinder head VT148 the same for all VA series gas burning tractors from mid 40's to end of production 1955. The only difference I am aware of off the top is the flyball governor on up to sometime in 1949 and flyweight assembly thereafter. In any event any changes will be listed in the parts manuals.

The factory Marvel Schebler carburetors for all VA series tractors is TSX114, TSX253, & TSX597. There were also 2 factory Zenith carbs but no TSX42. As long as the TSX42 runs the engine ok then not an issue, things like that can get substituted over 70 years.

The shifter cover VT161, like the engine block and head is that same for all the VA series except for some VAC mower tractors after 1951.

No date on radiator tag?

The engine serial nr is just hiding from you. It will be hand stamped about 1/4" characters. It may be lightly stamped. Just look above the starter an area about 6" wide from the back of the block. Most of them are on the block a hair below the cyl head gasket.

I haven't studied your tractor pics all that well, I did note that the hand throttle lever is prior 1949 and the front axle appears like the VA pic early axle configuration and also VAI axle. I would like a pic of the front end showing the axle and the left side of the tractor. Also the rear tire size. VAI had 24" rear wheels and VA, as well as, most of the other VA series were 28" and larger.

Joe

<img src="https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto26846.jpg">

Joe the first thing I did when I got to the farm was take a pic of the radiator stamp but I guess I deleted the pic. I ll take another and look again for engine stamp as well as check tire size and pic of front. Another thing I was wondering about and looking for is what I m possibly missing for the PTO switch. It s a bit of a reach now so I assumed there was something else that s attached to it?

 

[Joe (Wa)]

Pic1 is the PTO engage/disengage lever.

Pic2 is a page from VAI parts manual, serial nr groups apply to all VA series tractors. A4700001 started sometime in the 1949 model year with the addition of the Eagle hitch and engine mounted gear driven hydraulic pump. I understand the vertical stamping of the engine s/n started that year or just later. Prior to 1949 back to 1946 the s/n was stamped horizontally on the block up near the cylinder gasket just about where the temp gauge cap tube runs in that pic. I don't know where it was located prior 1946, no experience on that.

Joe

 

[WVBOWHUNTER79]

Hey Joe, I went out to my farm this evening and took a few more pics and looked for the S/N but cam up empty handed again. I don t have electric so this was all done by flashlight this evening. Here s a pic of the radiator tag and a pic of where it looks like you told me to check for S/N

 

[Joe (Wa)]

Doesn't look like we are going to find anything to definitely date this tractor.

From what I can see of the front axle it is either a VAI or a VA. If the rear wheels are 24 " it is probably a VAI or if 28" or larger a VA. Overall the tractor looks a bit high to be VAI but it is hard to tell unless it is next to another model in the VA series.

My money is on model years 46 - 48. Factory distributor is Autolite IAD 6003, if so you can use VAC tune up parts and 0.020" point gap. Valve lash 0.014" set cold both intake and exhaust. For the carb basic kit for small bowl TSX carbs will work, for an intermediate and full kit you should try to match you carb model nr although some kits are generic with parts left over that you don't need.

I already posted a link to the operators manual for VA series tractors built prior to 1949, if you missed it let me know. All that information applies to your tractor. Check the pics in the front for period sheet metal.

At this link you can view pics of many of the models in the VA series.

Joe
https://photos.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi bin/gallery/gallery_view.cgi?w tphotos