[AT] Tractor collecting question - wishing

Sat Dec 19 08:50:01 PST 2009

I'll have to start paying attention.  It's possible I've seen one here or 
there and didn't know what I was looking at.
Now I know to look and see if the Super A has a water pump.  If it does look 
to see if the hood is higher and there is more gap between the fuel tank and 
hydaulics.  I'm not sure I'd notice the difference in the steering wheel 
since I'm not around Super A's all the time like I used to be.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Al Jones" <farmallsupera at earthlink.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Tractor collecting question - wishing


> Well what I posted was pretty redundant...  :)  But I agree with Terry, I
> think there are others around, scattered throughout tobacco country, 
> people
> just don't know what they have.  And I have seen some people ask some
> pretty insane prices for them.  There was one on Tractorhouse.com back in
> the spring priced at 10,000.  The tractor is not there now, I wonder if
> someone actually paid that????
>
> If I was to ever run across a Super A-1, I would restore it like my Super
> A--as near like factory as I could.  What I really want is a later model
> Super A.  I would add a fast hitch, IH deluxe seat, bigger pistons, 
> etc.and
> then a nice--but not museum-quality--paint job to make it like the Super
> A's looked in later years---with some farmer updates.  This is essentially
> what happened to my tractor (except for the fast hitch) between 1948 and
> when I restored it.
>
> Al
>
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: charliehill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> Date: 12/19/2009 11:09:13 AM
>> Subject: Re: [AT] Tractor collecting question - wishing
>>
>> Ok, I found this over on Smokstak.  Now I know.
>>
>> Charlie
>>
>> The Super A-1 is a cross-over between the Letter Series and 100 Series
>> tractors. It is made of parts from three different tractors. The
>> undercarriage and drive train are the same as a 100, with all having the
> "Z"
>> casting date and an FCM (123 ci) engine. The radiator, with water pump --
>
>> which the Super A does not have, is from a Super C. The sheet metal is
> from
>> a Super A. The noticeable difference between the Super A and A-1 is the
>> distance between the fuel tank and the hydrualic reservoir... the Super A
>> has about a 3/4" space between the two, while the A-1 has about a 2"
> space.
>> This is due to the taller radiator and grill, and the need to raise the
> fuel
>> tank to keep the 'body lines' on the same level. From what I have been
> able
>> to gather, the Super A-1 is a rare find. Some folks I have talked to, who
>> have been involved with the IH letter series for a number (more than 40
>> years) have never seen one. Supposedly, the McCormick Farmall folks were
>> trying to rush the 100 series to the farmers to compete with some other
>> tractor manufacturers and didn't quite have the 100 series tractor
> complete
>> in 1954, so they 'fashioned' the A-1 to get it out faster. As well, there
>> may have been less a desire on the part of farmers to accept the 'new'
> 100
>> series tractor, since it still sported the Super A decals, and were very
>> reluctant to buy the A-1. From what I know, the completed 100 was first
> sold
>> in the latter part of 1954 (about 1200 tractors) thru 1956. As a result
> of
>> slow sales of the A-1 in 1954, it has been suggested by some folks in IH
>> circles, that the vast majority of the approximately 1957 A-1s produced
> were
>> shipped / sold overseas (Australia, New Zealand, South America, Europe).
>> With all that said, there may have been less than 200 A-1s that saw
> action
>> in the USA. Again, I don't have factual / first-hand proof of what all I
> am
>> saying, but I have spoken with IH collectors and enthusiasts, and that is
>> what they say. I do have an A-1 and am near completion of restoring the
>> tractor. I have done a lot of research and talked to a lot of folks and I
>> know of only 7 A-1s that exist, for sure. I believe there are plenty
> others,
>> but folks don't know what they have, because they don't know -- what they
>> don't know. If anyone is looking for an A-1, I believe the best bets are
>> wherever tobacco wass raised during that period (KY, TN, NC, VA, SC).
> Please
>> let me know if you have any questions about the A-1 that I can help with.
>> Terry
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "charliehill" <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
>> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 10:56 AM
>> Subject: Re: [AT] Tractor collecting question - wishing
>>
>>
>> > Don and Al,  you guys have got me now.  What is a Farmall A-1?
>> >
>> > Charlie
>> > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> > From: "Don Bowen" <don.bowen at earthlink.net>
>> > To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
>> > <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> > Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 10:46 AM
>> > Subject: Re: [AT] Tractor collecting question - wishing
>> >
>> >
>> >> More than than for collecting I want a work tractor.  I have a Ford
> 3000
>> >> that is used on a brush hog and a box blade.  I am looking for a
> Farmall
>> >> A, A-1, 140, etc with a good belly mounted finish mower.  Both will be
>> >> used to maintain some property in Missouri.
>> >>
>> >> Now if a really good Ferguson 30 showed up I would be hard pressed to
>> >> turn it down.
>> >>
>> >> -- 
>> >> Don Bowen           KI6DIU
>> >> http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html
>> >>
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