Ford Tractor

[RMW1030]

I purchased a Ford tractor, and the seller said it was a 1956 861 Powermaster. I don't think so. The numbers I found on the flat service left side of tractor frame reads as follows.. 4 0308 D other number is diamond 148638 diamond.
The engine is blue and under the red transmission is blue. Most of the tractor has been painted red over blue. It has a 5 speed plunger transmission. I thought that the 4 stood for a 4 speed transmission and the "D" stood for diesel. I don't know forsure but I think that this tractor is a mixture of several other tractors. I would really appreciate any help in identifying this tractor you can give me. Thank you for your time.

 

[KCTractors]

The Model and serial number is the top of the bell-housing right behind the starter. It looks like it could be a 850, 851 or 860 or 861.

 

[Steve in IL]

I purchased a Ford tractor, and the seller said it was a 1956 861 Powermaster. I don't think so. The numbers I found on the flat service left side of tractor frame reads as follows.. 4 0308 D other number is diamond 148638 diamond.
The engine is blue and under the red transmission is blue. Most of the tractor has been painted red over blue. It has a 5 speed plunger transmission. I thought that the 4 stood for a 4 speed transmission and the "D" stood for diesel. I don't know forsure but I think that this tractor is a mixture of several other tractors. I would really appreciate any help in identifying this tractor you can give me. Thank you for your time.

I believe Ford started manufacturing the 861 in 1958... So, based on the serial number, it could be a 1957 860. Does it have a two stage clutch?

I also believe that Ford stopped using the SOS sheet metal for the manual transmission XX1 tractors (Unused port, below and to the right of steering wheel).

And what does the medallion on the front of the hood look like? Also, it looks to have the embossed Ford script fenders, indicating an early tractor.

Naturally, any and all of this could have been changed in the past 60-some years.

 

[Andy Wickiser]

I purchased a Ford tractor, and the seller said it was a 1956 861 Powermaster. I don't think so. The numbers I found on the flat service left side of tractor frame reads as follows.. 4 0308 D other number is diamond 148638 diamond.
The engine is blue and under the red transmission is blue. Most of the tractor has been painted red over blue. It has a 5 speed plunger transmission. I thought that the 4 stood for a 4 speed transmission and the "D" stood for diesel. I don't know forsure but I think that this tractor is a mixture of several other tractors. I would really appreciate any help in identifying this tractor you can give me. Thank you for your time.

I think your transmission at least came from an early 4000-series light industrial. They co-produced these with the XX1-series starting approx 1961.

The model number 40308 D:

4: 4000-series w/172 engine
0: before 1963
30: Light Industrial w/heavy-duty non-adjustable front axle
8: undocumented transmission/PTO specifier. One source lists 9 as 5-speed with live PTO so maybe 8 is 5-speed with transmission PTO.
D: Diesel engine which you do not have further indicating a transmission swap.

The serial number 148638 is a 1961 serial number from the XX1-series. The early thousand-series tractors had XX1 serial numbers.

 

[Sean in PA]

I agree with Andy. That transmission most likely left the factory in a 1961 4000 light industrial that had a diesel engine. No telling what the rest of the tractor started out as, or if the the rest of the components are even from a single original tractor. Your pictures show a standard ag chassis adjustable width front axle, so the front axle and the transmission were not in the same tractor when they left the factory. It has the stronger rear axle from the 8xx/4xxx series tractors. It does look like it has a 8x1 series Workmaster egg crate grill, so the decals are probably correct for the sheet metal they are on, but as I said, who knows what other models might have contributed a component or three. I like the hydraulic top link and left side leveler on the 3 point linkage. They appear to be overkill on the bore sizes of the cylinders for the work they need to do though.

 

[RMW1030]

Thank you guys for all the information I really appreciate it. So as soon as the snow melts in the Sierra Mountains I'll be able to get it running again. It has been setting for a year. Again thank for the info that's a big help.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley RIP]

I purchased a Ford tractor, and the seller said it was a 1956 861 Powermaster. I don't think so. The numbers I found on the flat service left side of tractor frame reads as follows.. 4 0308 D other number is diamond 148638 diamond.
The engine is blue and under the red transmission is blue. Most of the tractor has been painted red over blue. It has a 5 speed plunger transmission. I thought that the 4 stood for a 4 speed transmission and the "D" stood for diesel. I don't know forsure but I think that this tractor is a mixture of several other tractors. I would really appreciate any help in identifying this tractor you can give me. Thank you for your time.

The number with the diamond prefix and suffix is the serial number.

Tim Daley (MI)