Just bought a Super A

[BullDAWG]

I just bought a Super A w/ cult. and planters. Seems to run good, no slack in steering and lift seems good. Was told it was a later engine in it because it has a water pump. Is this true and how do I find what year it is? Almost every part on it I can see has the letter T at the end of it and if I'm not mistaken that was the year those parts were made but I have no clue what year "T" is.
I'll be posting pics soon...
The only thing that scares me on her is the tires. Was told they hold air good but I see lots of dry-rot on em... also the lights all work but someone added a household light switch (the kind you have in your bedroom) as the switch for em. where can I get a real switch?

[Daniel H.]

T is 1950. The numbers before are the month and day the part was cast. TM tractor parts should have the switch.

[Matt Kirsch]

There's weather checking and then there's dry rot. Weather checking is only in the surface rubber, and does not affect the integrity of the tire. Dry rot goes right through to the inner casing.

As long as the cracking is only superficial, you are fine to continue running the tires. You will have plenty of warning if the tires are really dry rotted, as they will start to tear, usually in the sidewalls. Catastrophic failures are typically anti-climactic; the tire won't explode into pieces so it is not a danger to you or bystanders. What usually happens is the casing tears, the tube pokes through and gets pinched, and the air comes out.

Most farmers will continue to run tires as long as the tubes aren't sticking out through the sidewall.

[Super A]

If the casting code on the engine block ends in T, someone added the water pump.

Al

[BullDAWG]

from my understanding Super A's had either the 113 or the 123 engines and the 113 has no water pump while the 123 did. Am I right on this and was told it was the factory pump not an add on. But how do I tell?

[havoc1482]

from my understanding Super A's had either the 113 or the 123 engines and the 113 has no water pump while the 123 did. Am I right on this and was told it was the factory pump not an add on. But how do I tell?

The 123 was only on the Super A-1 which was a holdover for the transition from the Super A to the 100 tractor. The A-1 was only made in 1954. A bonafide A-1 will have the prefix FAA-1 on the serial tag instead of just FAA

[BullDAWG]

how/where do I look to see if its a c123 or a c113. What tag and is there other clues to tell the difference. Would a 54 have many 1950 parts on it originally or is it probably a 1950 or 51 w/ a 54 engine added as a replacement.

[Super A]

how/where do I look to see if its a c123 or a c113. What tag and is there other clues to tell the difference. Would a 54 have many 1950 parts on it originally or is it probably a 1950 or 51 w/ a 54 engine added as a replacement.

The tractor serial number tag is under the seat, on the left hand seat bracket. (It has two big holes, 4-5" diameter.) A Super A serial number will be from 250001 to around 350000. A Super A-1 will have a serial number above 356001. The engine serial number is on a little square boss on the corner of the block, just above the engine coil and below where the head meets the block. A Super A engine will have the prefix FAAM and then the six digit serial number. A Super A-1 will say FCM and the number. If it is a replacement engine it may not even have a serial number.

If you can post some pictures that'll help nail things down as well. As far as changes, the majority of parts will be the same between the various model years.

Al

[Jim Becker]

If there is a "T" date code on the block, it is a 113 from 1950. It could have been fitted with oversize sleeves/pistons that would bump it to 123 ci but doesn't make it a C-123. If it is a 113 with a water pump, it got added, even if it is the factory type pump.