Help Identifying a Ferguson Tractor

[daniel7691]

I have bought a Ferguson tractor from someone I know. Unfortunetly the identification plate is 85% worn away. I could make out the serial number at the bottom of the plate which is A173668. Also the serial number on the engine is S100959E.

Any help or links to other sites that could help it would be much appreciated. I do know that based on the serial number it has to be either a TE 20 or a TO 35 but I don't know how to identify it between the two.

Thanks
Daniel

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have bought a Ferguson tractor from someone I know. Unfortunetly the identification plate is 85% worn away. I could make out the serial number at the bottom of the plate which is A173668. Also the serial number on the engine is S100959E.

Any help or links to other sites that could help it would be much appreciated. I do know that based on the serial number it has to be either a TE 20 or a TO 35 but I don't know how to identify it between the two.

Thanks
Daniel

There was a TO-20, TO-30, and TO-35. If you can find a tag on the engine with Cubic inch displacement of the engine, you'll likely have your answer.

TO-20 had a Continental Z120(?) (120 cu. in.)
TO-30 had a Continental Z129 (129 cu. in.)
TO-35 had a Continental Z134 (134 cu. in.)

The first # you listed, A173668, the one on the tractor ID plate is the one you need to identify the tractor. The "A" is throwing me for a loop. All my serial # guides don't show an A in that series of numbers, but 173668 indicates a 1957 TO-35, early to mid-year production.

 

[SDT]

Daniel:

The TO-35 has a dual range (3x2) transmission. Earlier Fergusons have a 4 speed transmission.

SDT

 

[daniel7691]

Well this is what I have figured out so far, so if anyone disagrees please let me know. First it does have a 4 speed trans. So that rules out the TO-35. The TO-30 serial numbers only go upto 140,000, so that rules out the TO-30. The carb is a zenith 24t, british model and the radiator says it was made in coventry where the te-20 was made. The te-20 was made upto 1948 with the last serial number being 77772. Starting in 1947 the tea-20 was being developed with the standard petrol engine compared to the te-20's z-120.

I am thinking the A in the serial number I gave is probably the last letter in the model -TEA 20. Since the plate is so badly worn it's just a guess.

So in the end my quess is that this is a TEA-20.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.


Thanks
Daniel

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Well, we might be getting somewhere now.

1951 Ferguson TE-30 starting serial # was 167837
1952 Ferguson TE-30 starting serial # was 241336

Your # is 173668

So, with that info, it sounds like you might have a TE-30, somewhere with-in the first month or two of production in '51.

I'm digging through all my Ferguson books to see if there was a TEA-30.

Again, look for any conformation that you have a Continental Z129 engine.

 

[daniel7691]

I don't have a contenental engine. I have search numberous ferguson websites. I have been able to see pictures of the two engines and my is defenitely an European standard engine, which is what the TEA-20 had. In my search there was some questioning the existance of the TEA-30 but my research has resulted in there never having been any such model. Too often the TEA-20 with the 85mm bore engine, which was produced after the serial number 172000, was sometimes referred to as a TEA-30 but this was never an official identification. Ferguson changed the TE-20 id to TEA-20 with the larger engine.


Daniel

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I don't have a contenental engine. I have search numberous ferguson websites. I have been able to see pictures of the two engines and my is defenitely an European standard engine, which is what the TEA-20 had. In my search there was some questioning the existance of the TEA-30 but my research has resulted in there never having been any such model. Too often the TEA-20 with the 85mm bore engine, which was produced after the serial number 172000, was sometimes referred to as a TEA-30 but this was never an official identification. Ferguson changed the TE-20 id to TEA-20 with the larger engine.


Daniel

OK... I saw a reference to a TE20-85 with serial #'s in the same range as yours. All the info I have is on US built Fergies. Jump over to Yesterdays Tractor, get on the Massey Ferguson forum (NOT the Ferguson forum) and holler for David in Wales. He's up on the British Fergies. Maybe he can be of some assistance.

 

[JJ. in B.C.]

You Guys are on the right track
TEA 20-80 up to ser.# 172598
TEA 20-85 after ser.# 172598

JJ.

 

[simon quarrell]

My grey ferguson TEa 20, cannot read serial number. Engine No is S 97252E. petrol, 6volt What is year of manufacture ?

 

[Roadworthy]

You don't provide much information but you may get a bit of help from Tractor Data: TractorData.com Ferguson TE-20 tractor information

 

[BOB_UK]

Hi Simon
Looking up my records on your engine serial number puts it between 1950 & 1951, as you say yours is 6 volt and Ferguson changed to 12 volt from serial number 200,000 which was in 1951 it still doesn't get to the exact year.
on all models in the "50s" Ferguson started putting on casting dates on their tractors, its on the transmission casting by the rear dip stick these are a set of vertical numbers and can be read like;
first the day second the month and finally a single number which is the year i.e 1 6 4 = 1st June 1954 or 12 7 1= 12th July 1951
Its still not getting to the exact year, only the serial number can give you that but if you can read some of the numbers I might be able to fill in the others
Ferguson did not put the serial number anywhere else on the tractor unlike the MF 130 were it was stamped also on the gear box

The engine does have a casting date on it and you should be able to find it behind the Dynamo, also my 1949 TED has a date stamp on the Dynamo so check yours you might have one as well

I used to identify Ferguson and Massey Ferguson tractors as a hobby 10 years ago and have a lot of records on them that helped me identify tractors all over the world and now that i'm retired maybe I should do more as the showing season for my tractor will be coming to an end soon

I do have an email that I can send out that I called "Help me to Help You" and it asks lots of questions for you to fill in the answers and send back, it covers lots of Ferguson and Massey Ferguson models

Regards
Bob

Below are the serial numbers for your tractor built in England

Serial Numbers and Year of Manufacture (Total built 517,651).

1-315 1946

316-20894 1947

20895-77772 1948

77773-116461 1949

116462-167836 1950

167837-241335 1951
241335-310779 1952

310780-367998 1953

367999-428092 1954

428093-488578 1955

488579-517651 1956

 

[knucklet]

Hi Simon
Looking up my records on your engine serial number puts it between 1950 & 1951, as you say yours is 6 volt and Ferguson changed to 12 volt from serial number 200,000 which was in 1951 it still doesn't get to the exact year.
on all models in the "50s" Ferguson started putting on casting dates on their tractors, its on the transmission casting by the rear dip stick these are a set of vertical numbers and can be read like;
first the day second the month and finally a single number which is the year i.e 1 6 4 = 1st June 1954 or 12 7 1= 12th July 1951
Its still not getting to the exact year, only the serial number can give you that but if you can read some of the numbers I might be able to fill in the others
Ferguson did not put the serial number anywhere else on the tractor unlike the MF 130 were it was stamped also on the gear box

The engine does have a casting date on it and you should be able to find it behind the Dynamo, also my 1949 TED has a date stamp on the Dynamo so check yours you might have one as well

I used to identify Ferguson and Massey Ferguson tractors as a hobby 10 years ago and have a lot of records on them that helped me identify tractors all over the world and now that i'm retired maybe I should do more as the showing season for my tractor will be coming to an end soon

I do have an email that I can send out that I called "Help me to Help You" and it asks lots of questions for you to fill in the answers and send back, it covers lots of Ferguson and Massey Ferguson models

Regards
Bob

Below are the serial numbers for your tractor built in England

Serial Numbers and Year of Manufacture (Total built 517,651).

1-315 1946

316-20894 1947

20895-77772 1948

77773-116461 1949

116462-167836 1950

167837-241335 1951
241335-310779 1952

310780-367998 1953

367999-428092 1954

428093-488578 1955

488579-517651 1956

Hi there don't know if you may be able to help my serial number is missing on my t20 from what I can gather the tractor is a 1948 by the causing marks the original layer of paint seems to be red and the dash seems like a te-20 but it has a standard engine so should be a tea-20 is there any good way to work out what I've got and is there anyway of trying to trace it's original serial number
Regards
Graham

 

[RayIN]

This website is a wealth of H. Ferguson tractor information: Model Identification | Ferguson Enthusiasts Go to website, click on tractor identification PDF.

More links to Ferguson,Ford, Fordson, etc websites: Ford, Fordson & Ferguson Tractor Stuff | Antique Ford, Fordson & Ferguson Tractor Info and Links