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

[louis at kellnet.com]

Al,

I am a Tisco dealer.  I looked up the IH A and Super A.  As far as 
interchanging the kit between the tractors depends on the serial number 
range of the two tractors.  There are three different kits available from 
Tisco for the A/Super A/Super A-1 tractors.  See if you can find some part 
number for your kit or even the part number on the boxes for the piston and 
sleeves.  Also, give me both of the serial numbers of the two tractors.  I 
will look up and see if the kit will interchange or not.

Lou

-----Original Message----- 
From: Al Jones
Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2011 9:04 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group ; 
farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: [AT] A vs. Super A engine internals To swap or not to swap


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
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