Seat for 1948 Farmall M

R Weld · Dec 6, 2014

I'm replacing the seat on my 1948 Farmall M. I have seen many different styles on the M tractors. Would mine have had an upholstered seat from the dealership new or would it have just been a painted seat pan? If it could have had an upholstered seat new, what color would it have been? Thanks

Paul from MI · Dec 6, 2014

I think the originals were upholstered, and the ones I remember were silver-gray. If it had the optional Monroe seat could have been plain metal.

DeltaRed · Dec 6, 2014

They originally had a horsehair pad covered with a silver colored canvas. After 50+ years the cover has rotted away.The steel pan is all that is left.

R Weld · Dec 6, 2014

Thanks guys, I was thinking it was the gray one.

D Slater · Dec 7, 2014

You are going to get claims of silver and black covers. One person recognized as a expert on the seats says black if I remember correct. May just want to use what you like the best.
I'm going to stay out of the argument.

gene bender · Dec 7, 2014

They all came padded silver gray color. I never did see a new one with anything else but that and there were lots of Ms from 39 on up in our area.

gene bender · Dec 7, 2014

I never did see a new M with a tin seat all had the silver gray canvas type thats now available.

Leroy · Dec 7, 2014

You get all the dirt from all those years of use and the silver-grey would look like it was a black.

rustyfarmall · Dec 7, 2014

Early letter series, '39, etc., DID have a black canvas upholstered seat. Silver canvas became the standard after that. Silver vinyl and red and white vinyl are both aftermarket replacements.

Leroy · Dec 8, 2014

All I know is that silver canvas could over the years had enough dirt ground in to look black. Our 41 H the seat was not black but just more a dirt color.

D Slater · Dec 9, 2014

Whatever the answer is IH had lots of seat numbers or attachments. Upholstered seat and deluxe upholstered in the 48 time period. Had flip back and 4 bolt mount seats and those seats had some changes to effect the part number or suffix before and after 48. Then you had 351440R9? detachable seat pad, deluxe attachment. Detachable seat pad attachment. Detachable seat pad, rubber. Detachable seat pad, jute.
There is a IH bulletin that was sent to IH dealers dated 10-14-49 saying they were going to change the black fabric color. I haven't saw the bulletin so don't know if it was for all seat numbers.
Don't claim I know enough to say yes or no on the correct colors. But some seats had a black covering.
Only seat I was pretty sure was original came from the barn at a farm sale many years ago. It was the curved pipe seat that they replaced with a hydraulic seat shortly after buying the tractor. It was black from a H. Bought the seat but didn't think to write the tractor year down.

The Dukester · Dec 9, 2014

No, they did not ALL come with a silver colored cover, the earlier models came with the jute padding and a sort of dark charcoal gray (not actually black) heavy duck canvas cover. I "was there" and saw 'em as they came new, from my uncle's '41 H with the aforementioned seat covering and then the '50 H that replaced it with the silver duck canvas and foam rubber padding.

Seat for 1948 Farmall M

R Weld

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Paul from MI

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DeltaRed

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R Weld

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D Slater

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gene bender

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gene bender

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Leroy

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rustyfarmall

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Leroy

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D Slater

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The Dukester

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