.

Identifying Your Major.

Serial Number Location.

Either behind the starter motor;

September 1952

Or under No1 injector.

Casting Code Locations.

Casting codes are on all major castings and give the date on which the component was cast. Whilst these on their own cannot date your tractor, they give a good clue to when she was assembled.

1. Perhaps the easiest to find is the one near the clutch linkage.

September 1st 1952

2. The one on the block is under the manifold, near the dynamo/alternator. August 19th 1952

3. On Henrietta the casting code on the axle follows a slightly different format. Date/month/year = 18th June 1952

3. The number on the hydraulics, under the seat. August 18th 1952

5. The serial Number can also be found on a plate on the front of the firewall behind the engine.

6. The registration documents can tell a different tale however. According to Henrietta’s, she was not registered until 1954. This means that her first owner did not use her on the road until then.

7. If you are looking at a Fordson Major and are uncertain of the type or year there are certain points that can help you get a rough idea of the year. Please remember though that, over the years, parts may have been swapped from tractor to tractor and that a Super Major engine from 1964 will fit a Major of 1952 and visa-versa. There were also many industrial engines sold on all sorts of different machines. Any one of these can have found its way into a tractor but the serial number under No.1 injector will help in identification. Any number that starts with an “S” usually indicates an industrial unit.

The information tables at the end of this document are taken from the manufacturers data given at the time in parts books and manuals and should be taken as correct. If the number you are looking for is not shown here then it will either not be a Ford number or is of industrial origin and cannot be successfully dated. There were no full records kept for industrial units as there were for the tractors.

Visual External Changes that may be a guide to what tractor you have.

Major 1955. Cast High/Low Lever. Side mounted Rev Counter

Major 1955. Round topped Pre-cleaner 1952 to 1957

Major 1955. Gear lever shape 1952 – 1958. Outboard Drum brakes.1952 to 1960.

Major footplates 1955 - 1960

New Performance Super Major1963 to end of production. Inboard Disc Brakes. Hydraulic Lift shape.

New Performance Super Major 1963 to end of production. High Footplates. Differential Lock pedal. Disc brakes. Silver/Grey Decal. New Performance Super Major Blue colour. Grey wings.

New Performance Super Major. 1963 to end of production.

Shaped gear lever 1960 onwards. Button type handbrake lever 1960 onwards. Long bodied Pressure Relief Valve 1963. Lift Drop restrictor. Shape of gear lever.