1954 Farmall Super A

Dean Hinton · Mar 5, 2009

I just bought a 1954 Farmall Super A that i have for sale in the YT Photo ads. the serial no. plate on seat bracket has FAA-1 354889 and serial no. on engine is FAAM 356779,Tractor has the square axle front end and a foot throttle,it has a C-113 engine,it does not have the taller grill or the long hood, i guess the 1 behind the FAA could be a I but i cannot find a Chassis SN prefix in any my books that ends with a I, all books that i have seen say the Super A1 was not started till serial no. 356001, i am not sure if my Tractor could be a early Super A1 that IH built or is it just 1954 Indrustrial Super A, it is not a International Super A because the SN prefix starts with a F, any help appreciated, thanks Dean

ScottyHOMeY · Mar 5, 2009

You've definitely got a hodgepodge goin' there, Dean, with the numbers and the equipment.

First off, IH did not have an line that they called Industrial. They were Farmalls or they were Internationals.

From the prefix, it would be Farmall SuperA-1, but you note correctly that the rest of the number is a little low for that. The rectangular front axle was more typical of the Internationals, but was an option of Farmalls, and may even have been standard, or at least common on the SA-1. But the foot-feed just screams International. I suppose somebody could have bought the parts and had them put on a Farmall, but I haven't seen where they were offered as a regular option on them.

I've seen any number of Internationals (with IAA serial numbers) worked over and repainted and decaled as Farmalls, but yours doesn' fit that mold. What does the winged badge on the grille say?

Hugh MacKay · Mar 6, 2009

Dean: I noticed this in your add. Personally I think the wrong tag was used at assembly. Your tractor is only 1,112 tractors away from model change at 356001. I even have some info here, suggesting the last SA was serial number 355679, and if that is correct, your 790 away from model change.

This isn't surprising, IH didn't use all numbers at change over from A to SA, there are a few in the 249000 range never used, yet SA strarted off at 250001.

You engine serial number, 356779 sounds right for for tractor number 354889. Records I have show tractor, 355639 had engine 357449 from the factory. I think you have an original SA with wrong tag, unless the tag is FAAI. I'm not up to date on those Industrials.

Dean Hinton · Mar 6, 2009

Thanks for the reply, maybe the wrong tag was used at assembly, it sure makes the Tractor different, Thanks Dean

Dean Hinton · Mar 6, 2009

Thanks for the reply, the serial no. plate sure makes the tractor different, grill doesnt have the winged emblem, i think the grill only has the small IH emblem in the center will have to look at it again today, thanks Dean

Hugh MacKay · Mar 6, 2009

Dean: Another item I should have mentioned, Soon as they went to Super A1 at serial number 356001, not only did the engine change to C-123, but that first SA1 had engine FMC and serial number 206628 and all Super A1 used the Super C designated engine. That happened in July 1954 and at the time Super C serial number 195652 had FMC engine number 206642. Just why that was done is unclear, both blocks were part number 354898 R1.

Another item we normally think happened at model change is the brake band with pivot fulcrum, as opposed to SA one piece band and activation rod. That actually happened in late 53. I imagine your current tractor has the newer type brake bands.

Pressurized radiator happened at serial number 336711, thus you should also have thermosyphon pressurized cooling on that tractor.

There were also upgrades to hydraulics and case hardening of transmission gears that occured in late 53. I don't have the exact serial number on those or the brakes.

All these changes, near as I can tell happened when supply of old stock was exhausted, rather than model change, probably serial tags were no exception.

Terry Fenwick · Mar 17, 2009

(quoted from post at 12:47:52 03/06/09) Dean: Another item I should have mentioned, Soon as they went to Super A1 at serial number 356001, not only did the engine change to C-123, but that first SA1 had engine FMC and serial number 206628 and all Super A1 used the Super C designated engine. That happened in July 1954 and at the time Super C serial number 195652 had FMC engine number 206642. Just why that was done is unclear, both blocks were part number 354898 R1.

Another item we normally think happened at model change is the brake band with pivot fulcrum, as opposed to SA one piece band and activation rod. That actually happened in late 53. I imagine your current tractor has the newer type brake bands.

Pressurized radiator happened at serial number 336711, thus you should also have thermosyphon pressurized cooling on that tractor.

There were also upgrades to hydraulics and case hardening of transmission gears that occured in late 53. I don't have the exact serial number on those or the brakes.

All these changes, near as I can tell happened when supply of old stock was exhausted, rather than model change, probably serial tags were no exception.

Terry Fenwick · Mar 17, 2009

Hugh - sorry about that, I guess the first time trying to poast was a little rough. Hope you ar edoing well since we last spoke.

Another couple things on the A-1 -- check the casting dates on the various drive train components to ensure they have a 'Z' for 1954. Plus, check the breather -- should be the larger one -- like on the 140. I have serial number FAA-1 356054. Since this was an early production model, I am not certain what may have also changed further into the production time line. The other thing to check is the clearance between the bottom of the fuel tank and the top of the hydraulic reservoir. On a regular Super A, there should be about 3/4" clearance and on the A-1, about 2 1/4" -- which is needed to keep the hood and grill (taller on the A-1) body lines on the same level. The other thing I noticed is that my A-1 does not have a dipstick, but still has the oil check valves.

alan rainey · May 13, 2009

i, have a 1954 international,serial # 39547,model is FAA-1,was told by local dealer,that it was an super A,indusrial,has little bit bigger bore,has foot gas pedal,and is 113ci

alan rainey · May 13, 2009

I also have a 1954 international,serial # 39547,model #FAA-1,was told by local dealer,that it was indeed a farmall,super A,industial,just badged international,113c.i., but has little bit bigger bore,also has foot throttle,he said you could only tell,by measuring the bore and stroke, because they used the same blocks

mkirsch · May 14, 2009

Alan, you're one digit short of having a 1954 Super A. Your serial number only has 5 digits. That would make it a plain A, and put its build date back in the early 1940s.

A Super A has a SIX digit serial number greater than 250,000.

I expect that the last number was either an accidental omission on your part, or is a little faded on the serial tag, so you missed it.

I also expect that the tags read FAA-I (eye), not FAA-1 (one). The grills would not have the wing emblems. They would have a small square IH emblem. IH did away with the wing emblem entirely in 1953 when the Supers went to full production.

1954 Farmall Super A

Dean Hinton

New User

ScottyHOMeY

Well-known Member

Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

Dean Hinton

New User

Dean Hinton

New User

Hugh MacKay

Well-known Member

Terry Fenwick

New User

Terry Fenwick

New User

alan rainey

New User

alan rainey

New User

mkirsch

Well-known Member

Similar threads