What is it? I keep getting multiple answers!

I have this tractor that came with the property. I've had it for 3 or 4 years now. This is not just an attempt to sell it, I really need to know what it is and what it is worth before I sell it; just in case it is rare or worth more then what I would ask.

I will post a link here to a page that I created which gives all the information that I know as well as a bunch of high resolution photos so that you can see everything close-up.

It may be an ODS-6, that's what some have told me, so I was ready to believe it, but other people keep telling me otherwise. Some say that it is an ODS6 with the exhaust re-routed, the wrong front wheels, and wrong seat.
Then as if I'm not confused enough, today, someone emailed me saying that they have an ODS-6 and this is NOT one of those, I'll attach his exact words below....

From Jimmy Strieby to me...
"On my ODS-6 the tag reads ODS-6 and where yours reads ODKS mine reads ODBKS so yours might be in the o family like the O-4 and O-6 instead of the OS family like the OS-4, OS-6 and ODS-6. Ive never heard of an OD-6 so I'm not really sure about it. My dad has never really heard of it either, so you should do some more research on it before you sell it just to be safe."

Please take a close up look at my tractor and I will appreciate what ever info you can input. I would also like an honest opinion of what it is worth in current condition. You won't hurt my feelings, if it isn't worth much, that's ok with me.

OK, now that you read all that, here is the link...
NOTE: You can click on the pictures to enlarge them to full size so that you can really see everything up close.
http://www.corningcalifornia.net/tractor/

Thanks,
John
HERE IS THE TRACTOR

Hi John: The link isn't working right now.(4pm C)
I tried using google and it found information about the site but could not bring it up just now.
Try again later. Sounds interesting.. ag

It appears it is an Ods-6 some of the parts may have been swaped. Only 352 ods-6's were produced so I would say it is rare.

link worked for me

The site gave me trouble. Eventually got to see the pictures. It is an ODS6, built some time in 1948. I wouldn't pay much attention to the OD6 model stamping, there evidently was no such thing. It just got stamped that way. The 1947 date you quoted is the date that specific part was cast, long before the tractor was built.

Some parts have been swapped out (eg.. seat, front wheels, generator), to the detriment of value.

Ok, this Ohio rowcrop farmer knows very little about the wheatland series, and even less about the orchards. But, its definately an orchard tractor. An O-6 would be a gas orchard type tractor with the 6 series engine (similar to the Farmall model M), underslung exhaust, and full orchard cowling. Meaning it would have very streamlined sheetmetal covering the sides of the engine, the steering wheel and top half of the rear wheels. An OS-6, I understood to be, basically, an O-6 shipped factory without the elaborate sheetmetal. So, I would say you have a diesel version of an O-6 with the majority of the sheet metal missing. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe all the small holes on the top of the hood support this idea. A full orchard dress tractor would need these holes to let air pulled in from the radiator fan up through the engine compartment and out the top to avoid overheating, because the sides of the engine would be covered up. The missing sheet metal hurts the value a little, but its still a great tractor. Any orchard model tractor is somewhat a rarity, but I have no idea how many were made. I'd love to have it, but I'm guessing you're somewhere in California. That would be a long drive for me.

I would pay $500.00 for it.

yeah, it's an orchard. But without the full fender shells it's not worth an arm and a leg. Compare prices with WD6

(quoted from post at 17:45:44 02/09/09) I would pay $500.00 for it.

Click to expand...

Yeah - you're the "Farmer's Friend" for sure.
mike

"I wouldn't pay much attention to the OD6 model stamping, there evidently was no such thing."

What do you mean by that statement? There was a such thing as an OD-6, or were you refering to the stamping?

OD-6 on the plate simply means it is an O-6 with a diesel engine, nothing more elaborate then that. It was a real model designation. As you may already know, the "S" version was simply a cheaper model, without the total fairing and sheet metal package of the "O-6" model.

As someone else mentioned, it appears that several items have been changed on it over the years, namely the exhaust stack has been added and the extended air intake has been added as well. I would be interested in a closer look at the left side of the engine and in knowing if the hood appears to have been "punched" for exhaust pipe clearance in a professional manner or if it appears "home-done". If it were not for the serial plate, I would almost think this was an I model with some O model sheet metal added as replacement parts.

What do you mean by that statement? There was a such thing as an OD-6, or were you refering to the stamping?

Click to expand...

I'm refering to the model. I haven't seen any evidence that there was an "OD-6" tractor.

In the 6-series there were 3 orchard models. O-6, OS-6 and ODS-6. If you have any evidence of an OD-6, I'd like to see it.

I have the fenders, they just aren't installed, but I took a picture of them if you look on that page. I don't know if they are the right ones, but they are there.

Id have to look back through some old pictures, but Im almost 100% certain I have pictures of one. The plate has OD6 as the model, and ODBK as a prefix.

Looks like the prefix on serial was hand stamped. Could they have left a letter out of ODBKS? Be interesting to know if the engine serial # has ODBKSM for a prefix. Only S models of O-6 came with the option of a diesel far as I know.

Yes, the prefix would have been hand stamped. The OS-6 was built for 8 years ('44-'52). I suppose the ODS-6 was available for the full run. With 352 built, they averaged fewer than 3 per month. The possibility that they (or only some) were mis-stamped does not seem that unlikely. The guy stamping may have incorrectly replaced the B with D rather than inserting a D in front of the B.

On the fenders, well as I can see in the pictures, they look like correct OS fenders. They should be similar to the fenders of a W model. They are not the large, high dollar fenders of an O model.

Question was brought up on the hood. I believe the OS hood was punched with all the ventilation holes like the O. The O hood should also have a big piano hinge on each side where the other sheet metal attaches. I couldn't see any evidence of the hinge in these pictures. The resolution of the picture could be hiding the hinges, but I don't think so.