How do I know it is a Super M?

shawnm · Mar 30, 2011

I'm going to look at a super m with a wide front that is about 5 hours away from me. I know that the SM had the C262 engine. This should be cast into the upper r/h corner of the block, correct?

What else should I look for? What are easily identified features of the SM?

I'm not very familiar with SM and I'd like to make sure I bring home what I am looking for.

dej(Jed) · Mar 30, 2011

It depends what year it is. The hydraulics on the latest model is a give away. It has the live pump on teh distributor and the hydraulic control box, etc under the gasoline tank. That and the serial number will say SM. The older version will also be marked SM, but it still has the belly pump. Both model years have disc brakes though.

John A. · Mar 30, 2011

shawnm,Easily identifiable features....
***Stage I SM, looks like a standard run of the mill M, has larger engine and disc brakes, Basic easy rider seat on an M and Batt under the gas tank.
***Stage II SM, larger engine and Disc brakes,+++ Distributor mounted hydrolic pump with piping ran toward the rear of tractor. A cast iron reservoir mounted under the fuel tank, with a Christmas tree setup to direct the hydrolics to which ever outlet you like, and a Super C style seat assembly with Batt mounted under it.(in the box)
***Stage III SM,(SM-TA), all of Stage II,+++ a TA, and Live PTO.
***Stage IV SM, -AKA-, Farmall 400
This basic Info can be found in Guy Fays Letter Series Book where it tells about the Ms & SMs
Hope this helps!
Later,
John A.

sflem849 · Mar 30, 2011

Everybody always talks about disc brakes, but never describe how to tell the difference. Disc brakes have a heavy cast housing covering the brakes with a bunch of bolts on the top of the housing. Band brakes have a tin cover with holes in a bolting flange around the outside.

NDS · Mar 30, 2011

Only thing I can add is that disk brakes can be found on regular Ms too. Very last Ms had same disk brakes as Super M and earlier Ms could be fitted with after market disk brakes.

D Slater · Mar 30, 2011

If it has the serial # plate on the left side clutch housing it should be no problem. Transmission and rear should have cast brake covers with 5 bolts with 5/8 wrench size heads. Any original M tractor with that type brakes will have a serial number with 6 numbers in it. Other M are a metal brake cover or a cast cover with 3 bolts.
Most SM tractors don't have that many numbers in the serial. If it is a SM that was made in Louisville and has a 6 digit serial # they will start with a 5. Like 500001 or higher. M didn't go that high or past a 3 on on the starting # of a 6 digit serial #.Best also to check for the correct engine as you posted, but its C-264 for a gas engine. Also should have a engine cast # of 356980R1 not far from the C-264.

Bob M · Mar 30, 2011

Another spotting clue are the date codes on larger cast iron parts - block, head, transmission/axle housings, lower bolster, wheels, etc.

Date codes for Super M will end in X or Y. (You might find late W codes for first production Super M's). Otherwise date codes ending in W or earlier mean you're looking at a regular M.

BobsFunkyFord · Mar 30, 2011

A picture is worth a thousand words. This picture is of a Super M. The plate near the starter is stamped FBK SM7510. You can see that it is a stage 1 with an optional live hydraulic. The seat has a mid mounted shock absorber and the battery is mounted under the gas tank. The right rim and tire was removed in this picture because I was in the middle of replacing them.
Untitled URL Link

Anonymous-0 · Mar 30, 2011

Some of the very early super m's did have the smaller engine I believe 248ci if I remember right. I would have to go look at the one in the garage.

D Slater · Mar 30, 2011

BobsFunkyFord, Think you may have a mixture of parts. FBK is the prefix for a M serial number. SM should have the letter F or L in front of the serial #.

CNKS · Mar 30, 2011

You can't have FBK (M) and SM in the same prefix. The seat was available on M's also.

CNKS · Mar 30, 2011

If yours is a SM and it has C248 cast on the engine block, someone replaced the 264 with a 248. My understanding is that the only engines with a cast number C248 in the block were replacment engines after the C264 appeared, the original M engines had no notation as to size on the block.

soybeanjoe · Mar 30, 2011

The Stage II SM was offered with a live hyd "delete. In which case it could have a belly pump or in some instances no hyds at all.

Over the years many M were updated with live hyds, & other features available on the SMs and as parts broke or wore out were replaced with "non-original" replacement parts. Unfotunately there is no exact science to being absoluely positive a tractor is an M or a Stage I or Stage II SM. Serial number plates have been known to have been replaced, as well as decals or other common identification pieces in an attempt to take adavantage of an unfamiliar buyer. Generally speaking, check the casting codes and other not so easily exchanged items and if enough match it should be good to go . If anything doesn't look "right" then I would be suspicious and would start asking a lot of questions. One thing that usually turns me off on a tractor is when the owner starts blowing about how rare it is, especially if it's a "one of a kind" JM2¢

shawnm · Apr 1, 2011

Thankd for the help guys, I've printed this off and will be checking out the Super M Sunday morning.

How do I know it is a Super M?

shawnm

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dej(Jed)

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John A.

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sflem849

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NDS

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D Slater

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Bob M

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BobsFunkyFord

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Anonymous-0

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D Slater

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CNKS

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CNKS

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shawnm

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