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The year this SC was made

B

Boonville Kid

Member
My Father purchased a brand new SC in either 1954 or 1955. I don't remember exactly which year. I'm in the process of fixing it up. Someone stole the original manual out of the house several years ago. Since then someone stole the identification plate off of the right side of the tool box. I'm sure it is impossible to determine what the serial number was. But, is it possible to determine what year it was manufactured?
 
Look for letters and numbers cast into the major castings in the form of 6*11*Z or June 11 1954. Y is 1953, Z is 1954. The letters indicate the day the part was cast, not when it was assembled. There weren't any SC's made in 1955, the SC became the 200 in late 1954.
 
The SC has an engine serial number on the right side of the motor above the distributor that is stamped into a flat just like on the A, B, and C. The number is not cross referenced with the frame serial number but you can use it to get the date of manufacture for the motor and I believe Guy Fay's book has that data. 1954 was the last year for the SC. The 200 was introduced in 1955.
 
It is also possible that you have a 54 which was not purchased from the dealer till 55, I have heard of that sort of thing happening.
Zach
 
I have been told by an individual that was a high school student when the last Super C's were produced in 1954 that there was a significant discount to dealers to purchase the remaining Super C's still in factory inventory when the 200's were introduced. He worked for the local IHC dealership in the afternoon of his senior year in high school after his morning classes. He recalls spending a week unloading a flat car full of factory shipped brand new Super C's and driving them about a half mile along the edge of town to the dealership before switching the rear wheels prior to them being sold. In this area the 200 is not very likely to be seen as our local dealer had those 1954 Super C's for sale for a couple of years and are still quite commonly found in the area. In a similar situation in your area it would be very likely your father did purchase a new Super C in 1955 or even later as most likely several dealerships obtained them in the same manner as our local dealership. Regardless, the new Super C (whenever it was produced) should have only 1954 "Z" coded or maybe some 1953 "Y" code castings which would have been used on the last Super C's. Anything with a later casting code is most likely a replacement or salvage part installed on your tractor.
If you can locate the engine s/n as noted by an earlier response and post on this forum someone with a Super C in close proximity to yours might share their chassis s/n so you would have something closer then a pure guess. Good luck in your discovery, Hal.
 
You have all been very helpful. I found the square plate behind the distributor but there was nothing stamped on it.
On the right hand side, starting at the torque tube, the number cast in front of the brake pedals is:
351887 R. Below that number, in front of the battery, is the number: 1 2 Y.
On the side of the hydraulic unit is the number:
357657 R. Below that is the number: 12 18 X.
Behind the oil filter is the number 354898 R1. There is a letter "L" to the right of the filter. Behind the distributor, cast in the block is the number: 12 30 X.
Using the information you have furnished, it appears that the block and the hydraulic unit were cast in December, 1952, while the torque tube was cast on Jan. 2, 1953. I'm guessing that they never assigned a "year of manufacture" until assembly was complete, so this would be a 1953 model, right?
 
Hal, what do you mean when the boy "switched the wheels"? When they were shipped on a R. R. flatcar did they do something special to the tires?
 
When they were placed on the railroad flat car at the factory the wheels were reversed with the wheel castings dished in which minimized the width of the tractor so more could be shipped on the same rail car. Also, in doing so the threads were pointed in the wrong direction so the one which was on the right side needed to be turned around and moved to the left side and vice versa. Today, some people still will have the castings dished in but the thread will be pointed to the front for traction. I hope you understand what I am trying to say about the wheels and tires and if not just ask for more clarification as my email is open, Hal.
 
My Super C is a 1953 model and Jim Becker who posts on this forum quite frequently told me my tractor was factory complete the last week of August 1953. My s/n is 1803XX and all of the major castings have June and July 1953 casting dates except for a couple items as I recall. I don't have the engine s/n handy but can probably get it tomorrow when up at the tractor shed as I recall seeing it during it's restoration. I do know the two front wheel castings were cast on my mother's birthday July 26th which is easy for me to remember, Hal.
 
If your tractor is still in the "as produced" configuration by the factory there are a couple of changes which are easy noticeable at certain s/n's which might help you somewhat.
The original headlights were the earlier design like the shape on the H and M models before the Super series. The change to the flat back sealed beam ones started at s/n 159455 through the last SC produced. Also, the battery box went from a single welded box to the later model with individual side panels at s/n 176523 and up. These two changes might help somewhat to determine your production date closer. If not we can dig deeper into configuration changes which occurred during the SC production period to further help identify your tractor but finding the original s/n is going to as close to impossible as it gets, Hal.
P.S. Dave Slater or Jim Becker can probably provide some additional "block point" revisions also if they see your thread.
 
You are pretty well on track on determining what can be found on the tractor. I'll throw in a couple comments at this point.

1) Take another look at the engine number boss on the engine block. Sometimes they are not stamped very heavily. Paint could be covering the stamping. Also check the date code on the block, probably on the lower edge of the block directly down from the engine number.

2) I don't think the rear tires on a C, Super C etc. were reversed as they were on the bigger tractors. The wheel disks don't have a dish shape that would make a width difference.

Here again is our favorite Louisville factory picture from the WHS Archves. There is a car load of Cs right up front.

0305001759-l.jpg
 
Looks like they got 10 tractors per flat car.

I wonder how they kept rain-water from entering the engine......I don't notice any covering over any of the mufflers. (Not even a Pork-N-Bean can)
 
(quoted from post at 20:58:39 06/11/12) It is also possible that you have a 54 which was not purchased from the dealer till 55, I have heard of that sort of thing happening.
Zach
Click to expand...
When Dad downsized his farming to go to work as a carpenter, he traded a 1953 JD 60 and 227 corn picker at the local IH dealer for a "new" Super C in either late Feb. or more likely Mar. of [b:4f56e9445e]1956[/b:4f56e9445e]. Local NE Iowa small town dealer gave him his choice of the SC or a 200, SC being a little less $$. He got a new F-H plow, disk, cultivator, mower and carry-all, plus a used drag harrow and used IH hay rake. I don't think he got the front mounted corn planter in the deal, but I may be mistaken.
 
The front headlights have flat backs. The rear light is bullet shaped. The battery box is a solid box, no side panels. So, I guess you have narrowed it down to a 1953 model with a serial number between 159455 and 176523. Thanks again to everyone.
 
Given the casting dates, yes, I would agree that it is a 1953. The serial number is probably closer to 159455 than 176523.

It still could've been bought as a "new" tractor in 1954 or even 1955. I would expect that many dealers actually owned their stock back in those days. They weren't paying interest every day the tractor sat on the lot so if it didn't move right away it was no big deal.
 
I looked at my 1953 Super C this morning and the engine s/n is exactly 8300 higher then the chassis s/n 1803XX - the engine s/n being 1886XX. Above the engine s/n the letters FCM and the engine s/n was stamped below the FCM on the same flat. The numbers were stamped much deeped and easier to read then the letters were which were really quite faint through the paint. The numbers were hidden right behind the governor control rod running along side the engine block above the distributor. Just push the rod down with your finger and hopefully your engine s/n will be visible. Hope all this helps so you can locate your engine s/n, Hal.
 
Assuming that the chassis serial numbers started at 100501 and the engines started at 100001 by the time they had built 500 SC tractors they had used six more engine numbers than chassis numbers.
 
(quoted from post at 14:20:47 06/12/12) Assuming that the chassis serial numbers started at 100501 and the engines started at 100001 by the time they had built 500 SC tractors they had used six more engine numbers than chassis numbers.
Click to expand...

They used these engines for power units too.
 
(quoted from post at 00:19:39 06/12/12)
(quoted from post at 20:58:39 06/11/12) It is also possible that you have a 54 which was not purchased from the dealer till 55, I have heard of that sort of thing happening.
Zach
Click to expand...
When Dad downsized his farming to go to work as a carpenter, he traded a 1953 JD 60 and 227 corn picker at the local IH dealer for a "new" Super C in either late Feb. or more likely Mar. of [b:537fed4363]1956[/b:537fed4363]. Local NE Iowa small town dealer gave him his choice of the SC or a 200, SC being a little less $$. He got a new F-H plow, disk, cultivator, mower and carry-all, plus a used drag harrow and used IH hay rake. I don't think he got the front mounted corn planter in the deal, but I may be mistaken.
Click to expand...

My 1958 Farmall 240 that I bought from the original owner about 8 years ago, was bought "new" in 1970 off the showroom floor at Johnson Creek Garage, the IH dealer in Johnson Creek,WI. Now has a grand total of 573 hours on a working tach.
 
(quoted from post at 14:20:47 06/12/12) Assuming that the chassis serial numbers started at 100501 and the engines started at 100001 . . .
Click to expand...
Super C chassis numbers started at 100001.
 
(quoted from post at 16:06:05 06/12/12)
(quoted from post at 14:20:47 06/12/12) Assuming that the chassis serial numbers started at 100501 and the engines started at 100001 . . .
Click to expand...
Super C chassis numbers started at 100001.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. My SC has chassis SN# 100952 and engine SN# 100495.
 
Mine is a 53, serial # 173728. The trans was cast 4/22/53. the trans cover was 4/21/53.The engine # is 179689 cast 4/21/53. I did,nt check all the casting numbers tonight but I think they were all in april except for one 1955 rear wheel hub.
a104538.jpg
 
Make sure you are looking in the correct location which is right below the No. 1 cylinder spark plug (one closest to the radiator). The flat surface where the s/n is stamped is about 1/2" high and about 3" long.
 
You may have something there, Hal. I was working on a flat spot in the casing, but it was about 1" x 1", so......back to cleaning off another area. Thanks for your input.
 
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