super hta/ Z castings

Anonymous-0 · Apr 16, 2014

what are Z castings. I know a HTA is just a pimped up 300. /

rustyfarmall · Apr 16, 2014

Z casting codes indicate the year 1954. An HTA is NOT a pimped up 300, it is basically a 300 wearing H sheet metal, and was built in someones shop.

It is quite possible for an early 300 or 400 to have "Z" casting codes, even though both tractors were introduced as 1955 models.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 16, 2014

sorry to offened you. I understand its a 300 with H ssheat metal,im just thinking of cashing in my 401k,and buying a couple cheap 300s and Hs . and going to work. in the photo adds there is one for16000$,thats to much for a FAKE tractor. I would rather have a original unmolested super MTA,or a 400

mkirsch · Apr 16, 2014

He certainly didn't sound offended to me. Not sure where you get that from.

If anything, a "Super HTA" is an UN-pimped 300, because most of the 300's modern features are removed, and the older, simpler sheet metal is installed.

Technically, you need a 1954 Super H to use as a donor for a "proper" Super HTA, the way IH *likely* would have done it, had they done it. Mostly for the C164 engine, the hydraulic block under the tank and the 4-hole grille.

Casting codes show the date that a part was cast. They are in the format of MM*DD*Y, where MM and DD are month and date, and Y is a letter representing the year. A "Z" would indicate that the part was cast in 1954, which would be required in order to do a "proper" Super HTA. There are a few hundred 300's that were produced in 1954, and some of the early 1955's would have Z casting codes. All the rest will have A or B casting codes.

F-Dean · Apr 16, 2014

I have seen a lot of high prices for a HTA but have never heard any SELLING price!

mkirsch · Apr 16, 2014

I think one sold at auction for around $25,000 not too long ago.

Let's hope that the buyer was purchasing a well-made custom tractor, and didn't think he was buying a factory-made IH product...

If you want to make a UNIQUE custom tractor... Farmall 330.

roy prins · Apr 16, 2014

I have an HTA with all the bells and whistles-- 3 pt. live hyd. tach - nothing missing make an offer

Brian Schmidt · Apr 16, 2014

I think it is funny how some folks get so bent out of shape about a customized tractor. The SHTA is just a plain and simple cool tractor. It would have likely outsold the SMTA had IH actually built one. Even better, the price of a true SHTA, if one had been built, would have been selling for more than the SMTAs today. Just look at SHs vs. SMs.

To each his own. It is a good tractor and everyone know it wasn't built. But it is the coolest thing. No one wants a 300, but folks will stand in line for a SH. Go figure.

And as for the asking prices, try to build one buying up two tractors and see what you end up with.

I am putting one together because it is what I want. I don't really care about the casting codes or trying to make it look like it is real. I want mine to look like it could have come off the line, but obviously wouldn't have. I am actually taking off all the casting date codes. Because if this was a factory prototype, they wouldn't have taken the effort to cast in date codes to track the material. They didn't care about when it was made. They kept track with unit numbers on the tractor. So having any casting date codes wouldn't be correct anyway. That was reserved for production iron.

Either way, this is my tractor and it is what I want. I am not ruining two tractors, I am saving iron that was headed for China to come back as over priced crap we don't need.

littlered1 · Apr 17, 2014

Any SH is a cool tractor but certainly not worth cashing in your 401k.

Under no circumstances, except for dire* emergency, should you convert your 401k to cash. Especially not to fulfill some tractor fantasy.

A word to the wise.

*extremely serious or urgent; presaging disaster (cashing in would presage disaster)

rustyfarmall · Apr 17, 2014

(quoted from post at 19:27:56 04/16/14) I think it is funny how some folks get so bent out of shape about a customized tractor. The SHTA is just a plain and simple cool tractor. It would have likely outsold the SMTA had IH actually built one. Even better, the price of a true SHTA, if one had been built, would have been selling for more than the SMTAs today. Just look at SHs vs. SMs.

To each his own. It is a good tractor and everyone know it wasn't built. But it is the coolest thing. No one wants a 300, but folks will stand in line for a SH. Go figure.

And as for the asking prices, try to build one buying up two tractors and see what you end up with.

I am putting one together because it is what I want. I don't really care about the casting codes or trying to make it look like it is real. I want mine to look like it could have come off the line, but obviously wouldn't have. I am actually taking off all the casting date codes. Because if this was a factory prototype, they wouldn't have taken the effort to cast in date codes to track the material. They didn't care about when it was made. They kept track with unit numbers on the tractor. So having any casting date codes wouldn't be correct anyway. That was reserved for production iron.

Either way, this is my tractor and it is what I want. I am not ruining two tractors, I am saving iron that was headed for China to come back as over priced crap we don't need.

To each his own, and I'm certainly not the one to think it shouldn't be done if that is what you want, but there seems to be an abundance of those SHTAs at tractor shows, while at the same time, it is quite rare to see a fully restored Farmall 300 or 350. Someone needs to be preserving those tractors also.

super hta/ Z castings

Anonymous-0

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rustyfarmall

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Anonymous-0

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mkirsch

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F-Dean

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mkirsch

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roy prins

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Brian Schmidt

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littlered1

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rustyfarmall

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