John Deere A Rear End ????

Alright, so, I have been trying to cheaply round up parts to fix this 1940 JD A I have, and I ended up buying two more JD A's to do just that, BUT I need to know what to pick!

My good A is:

1940, Hand Start, 4 Spd, Stamped Steel Rear Wheels.

The A I have at home that I bought is:

1942, Hand Start, 6 Spd, Cast Rear Wheels.

The A I have to get still is:

194-, Hand Start, 6 Spd, 1 stamped, 1 cut off flat spoke.

I am planning on stuffing all 3 together to get what I want for a good working, usable tractor, not restoration.

Here is the main question, which hydraulic system do I want?

The 1940 has the on with the pedals, Up and Down.

The 1942 has a lever that come out the right side, and it is like my dads GM, it also has two Aux. Ports, for a cylinder.

Then the 194- has no hydraulics, just PTO. Are these "rare"??

I think that I want the system on the 1942 so that I can run remotes, BUT, how does it work? Am I still just going to have up and down, or will it be adjustable, like "up just a little bit"?

Next question is transmission. I am pretty sure that I want one of the 6 speeds right? More gears is always better, and it gives me a quick road gear to get to where I am going!?

I think that I am going to end up putting my 1940 stuff onto the 1942 rear end, because it already has the hydraulic unit AND the 6 speed, but I am looking for opinions?!?! Plus it has cast wheels for weight, so I won't need fluid, better than stamped right?

Hope to get some good info... Thanks all! Bryce

Okay, here is an update on Info!!

I was reading the serial number sheet wrong, the "1942" is actually a 1941, and the 194- is a 1943. Okee Dokee?

Looks like there were very few made in 1943.. Maybe only 5 or 6000? Rare?

My Vot is to install / use what ever is in
the best shape & what ever you have that will
make it more useable to your needs.

I'd build up whichever one that has the six speed, starter and lights, then put the necessary parts together to have a power-trol type hydraulic system...even if you have to get some more odds and ends for it. It would be best if you could use cast center rear wheels too

I guess I would put all the parts in the 41. Depending on the serial # the 43 could be a war model. This would have a small radiator pressure cap instead of the big non pressure cap. Also the frame is cast iron instead of angel iron. Probably more than you wanted to know but you get what you paid for. Ron Mn.

Bryce, not to be rude, BUT, how is it you (at a tender age) can afford to purchase (seemingly at random) all these units ? Good on ya and all (wish I'd done the same). b

Is there anything special about those war model ones? You have sparked my interest now!

If it is worth saving, more than the others that is, I could probably just put everything I want onto it?!

I wouldn't mind being able to get a little more cash out of one of them, but I am not in these for the money either... The serial number is 526---, or at least that is what the owner tells me.

I am going to get it and a B tomorrow, haven't looked it over too well... Would get some pictures tomorrow if that would help ID it as a War Machine??

Thanks much! Bryce

None of them have any electrical, which is alright with me! No starter/lights/generator/ etc.... I am happy hand starting it. When I am working it, it will be started, and probably won't stop for a good part of the day!

The Power Trol and the Cast Wheels AND the 6 speed are already together on one machine, so I think that need to put a good engine in that one (1941) and go from there.. All of the cosmetic stuff will come off of the 1940.

526 would be a 44, witch is a war model. War models were only made last half of 43 and all of 44. Like I said cast frame and pressured radiator. Radiator and front pedestal will not fit other years either. I've had 2 44's and don't think they are any more valuable. Ron Mn.

Wheelin and dealin I guess. Today I sold 3 $100 tires, and an $800 tractor. These A's I bought are already sold when I am done with them, literally, as soon as I am done getting what I need for the 1 good one, then the other two are gone, along with the B.

I won't flat out buy something unless I am SURE I can at least break even on it if need be... Just good money management I guess?!?! Bryce

None of those A's are worth any more than any other. Condition would be the only thing to set one above the rest.
The odd one is the 1940 with 4 speed. These would have to be lower amount surviving I'd think ? but they never were in demand ? I still don't think they are ? Also many of the parts from it will not interchange like the earlier or later models. IIRC the rear hyd. pto unit off a 1940 may not directly fit onto a later model. Something about the pto shaft length and couplings. I think I had to use an extra pto coupling shaft from a parts tractor and rework it. It has been many many years since I did that so it is a little fuzzy.

Bryce; You sound a lot like me 35 years ago.
I bought up every JD 2cyl. sitting around my area. Even had a few other brands. Back then it was mostly just word of mouth and driving around finding them. No internet back then ! Patched the easy ones up and resold them parted out several and even used many of the parts and restored a few. Always had money in my pocket and had a lot of fun and learned a lot too ! Can't say the same for me now it's a different era.
Prices don't seem too much higher now than they were back then. I think these 2 cyl. peeked in the 1990's ? and then droped back down now.

Keep on wheeling and dealing ! Those were the best of times for me.

Unless you full restore the 43 to original it won't be worth much more than any other A. And even after restoration a war tractor won't fetch that much more money unless it has some sort of interesting story behind it.

On the 40 you may need to watch close because I know the 39 & 40 B's were a slightly different animal than the tractors produced before or after and I don't know if it was the same for the A's or not.