[AJD] Unusual 430 "W"?? on ebay

[Ronald L. Cook]

Don,
         I agree it is not a "U".  It appears to be a "W".  Seeing as how 
your "U" is stamped, then there is no reason this one is not a stamped 
"W".  In which case, all is as it should be.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA
>Ron
>
> >From what I see in the photos, it's not a "U".  This tractor has the rear
>axles coming straight out from the rear end housing.  My 430U has reduction
>gears from the housing to the axle.  The serial plate on the one on ebay
>looks like mine on my 430U except for what appears to be a scratched "W".
>Mine has a deep stamped "U" in this place. The "U" is just stamped, no
>color.
>
>Don Shehi
>Camp Verde, Arizona
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
>[mailto:antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
>Ronald L. Cook
>Sent: Friday, November 25, 2005 5:43 PM
>To: Antique John Deere mailing list
>Subject: RE: [AJD] Unusual 430 "W"?? on ebay
>
>Dean,
>          I can't answer any of your questions, but I have my opinions.  The
>tractor does appear to be a 430 W.   It may have left the factory as a 430
>W.  I don't think the serial plate was intended to be a W.  Probably a
>U.  My 40 U has the "U" in black like the 40 is and the 430 is on this
>one.  It looks to me that the serial plate has been modified from a U  to
>indicate W.  More than likely at the factory as there is not much
>difference between the two and could easily have been changed on the
>assembly line.  Heck, they might have made the wrong tractor and just fixed
>the serial plate to match what they built.
>
>Ron Cook
>Salix, IA
>
> >Maybe in my medication induced stupor I have missed a clear answer to this
> >question. But I too believe this serial number tag was originally something
> >different than what it now appears to be. It appears to me that the "W" has
> >been scratched over something else. Was it a "U"?
> >
> >This probably sounds like a dumb question to those of you who are
>intimately
> >involved in the Dubuque tractors but I am not.  Was there a 40 "W" serial
> >number tag issued by the factory?
> >
> >
> >Dean A. Van Peursem
> >Snohomish, WA 98290