[AT] A vs. Super A engine internals To swap or not to swap

[Al Jones]

So I just got this 1950 Super A white demo. And I also have a late '39 Farmall A (some books call it an early '40) 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 has 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 on it. Either way, the engine is 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 according to the caseIH website. I haven't had time to check my first edition Super A parts book against that to see if the early Super A's might be the same. 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 all the A/B/C series tractors. Only 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, (assuming it won't work in the Super A)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 and won't need overhauling more than maybe rings.  Usually that's not how my luck runs though!

thanks,
Al