Early A vs. Super A: A "Quandary"
Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 9:35 pm
So I just got this 1950 Super A white demo. And I also have a '39 Farmall A that I have been working on. The crankshaft, sleeves, and pistons have been installed, the rods just have to be bolted to the crankshaft. Main bearings have been torqued to spec.
I never had intentions of keeping this A once it was done. Figured I would sell it. Also figured since it was just a straight A, no hydraulics, no nothin, I probably wouldn't make back what I have spent on it. It is a very late '39, no hole in the bell housing for the starter, but the bad thing is it apparently got a "service engine" from IH at some point--block is a '42 by the casting code and there is no serial number. Either way, the engine was not "original."
So I have started thinking, the white demo is a "bucket list" tractor for me. And, I'm on a serious budget these days. So why couldn't I take the overhaul kit I have for the A, and use it for the Super A? Only sticking point is the crankshaft has a totally different part number. But what in the world would be different between the crankshafts between these two tractors? Regardless, I am thinking I can use everything in the overhaul kit--provided the crankshaft journals are turned to the same measurement as in the A. The kit came from the local parts store, it's a Tisco kit but according to their website it works for the A/B/C series tractors. Onlyn thing I would need is new o-rings for the sleeves, and transfer the pistons over to the Super A rods.
If I did this, I see myself parting the A. It has a nice .20" ground crank, overhauled cylinder head, and fairly nice sheet metal. The block has been through the machine shop--cleaned and fluxed--so it would be nice. The grille is not correct for the early dzus fasteners, so I would probably keep that for my Super A. I have always heard that "the sum of the parts is worth more than the whole," and I feel like early A parts would be worth a little more, but who knows?
Am I missing something? Doing a overhaul kit swap seems way too simple. I hope I'm not talking out of turn.....I am hoping maybe to get her running this weekend, and maybe the engine will be in real good shape.
thanks,
Al
I never had intentions of keeping this A once it was done. Figured I would sell it. Also figured since it was just a straight A, no hydraulics, no nothin, I probably wouldn't make back what I have spent on it. It is a very late '39, no hole in the bell housing for the starter, but the bad thing is it apparently got a "service engine" from IH at some point--block is a '42 by the casting code and there is no serial number. Either way, the engine was not "original."
So I have started thinking, the white demo is a "bucket list" tractor for me. And, I'm on a serious budget these days. So why couldn't I take the overhaul kit I have for the A, and use it for the Super A? Only sticking point is the crankshaft has a totally different part number. But what in the world would be different between the crankshafts between these two tractors? Regardless, I am thinking I can use everything in the overhaul kit--provided the crankshaft journals are turned to the same measurement as in the A. The kit came from the local parts store, it's a Tisco kit but according to their website it works for the A/B/C series tractors. Onlyn thing I would need is new o-rings for the sleeves, and transfer the pistons over to the Super A rods.
If I did this, I see myself parting the A. It has a nice .20" ground crank, overhauled cylinder head, and fairly nice sheet metal. The block has been through the machine shop--cleaned and fluxed--so it would be nice. The grille is not correct for the early dzus fasteners, so I would probably keep that for my Super A. I have always heard that "the sum of the parts is worth more than the whole," and I feel like early A parts would be worth a little more, but who knows?
Am I missing something? Doing a overhaul kit swap seems way too simple. I hope I'm not talking out of turn.....I am hoping maybe to get her running this weekend, and maybe the engine will be in real good shape.
thanks,
Al