# Help with Serial Number on Ferguson TO-30



## ozbirn (Jan 1, 2014)

Greetings all:
I just joined yesterday & have a concern about the serial number on my TO30 that my dad bought 40 years ago. After a little research, I believe the tractor is a 1951 or 52 model, but am attaching a photo of the serial number which is too low a number for me to positively place.

Any help would be appreciated! BTW, I have the tractor in a community college's tractor restore class for the Spring semester, so I will get some assistance with my restorative process!


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## Fredneck (May 25, 2012)

hi oz, and welcome to TF 

are you sure it's not a TO-20? the serial number makes perfect sense if it is


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I think you have a TO-20. A 1951 to be exact. The TO-20 was built from 1948 to 1951. For 1951 the serial numbers started at 39163 and went to 60000. The TO-30 was manufactured from 1951 to 1954 and the serial number starter at 60001.
Hope this helps


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## ozbirn (Jan 1, 2014)

*Additional info*

Since I have had a couple of replies to my post that suggest I have a TO20, I have attached new photos of the tractor. We also own a TO20, which is a smaller tractor.
Thanks for the continued help guys.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

OK, Here's a wild stab at it. If the tractor is indeed larger than your TO-20 then it could be a TO-30 or a 35. There didn't seem to be much difference between the size of the 20 and the 30. Different tranny and the 20 had the Continental Z-120, 120ci overhead valve engine, and the 30 had the Continental Z-129, 129 ci overhead valve engine.... which is like a 2.0 vs a 2.1 liter engine.
I would be interested to know what the serial number is on that TO-20 that you have. Do you think that if the badging is in fact correct on your tractor stating that it is a T0-30, could there be a possibility that somewhere along the line, that tractor was rebuilt and used the a replacement dash and steering set up from a TO-20?
What about a engine block serial number? Can you find that and let us know what that is?


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## ozbirn (Jan 1, 2014)

As you can see from the last picture, the hood decal says Ferguson 30. I don't have access to the numbers on the 20 as I am in south Louisiana & the tractors are in North Mississippi. I'm 55 & dad bought both in the late 60s. The TO30 I'm inquiring about is definitely a larger tractor than the 20 we have. I guess it is possible that the steering column support could have been replaced, but not since we had it.


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## ozbirn (Jan 1, 2014)

Does the Continental engine have it's own serial #? If so, where is it? I can get my brother to check it. I'm aware that the 30 has a slightly larger engine, so that may help the "mystery."


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Does your engine have the oil filter on the bottom or the side of the engine. if it's on the side, it's a Z129 ( TO-30)
Apparently the TO-20 had the oil filter right in the oil pan with an access hole in the side of the pan to get to it. The TO-30 also had Z129 cast into the left side of the engine block. The engine serial number should start with Z129 and should be somewhere between 300000 and say 380000.
That serial number that is on your dash pretty much states that it is a TO-20 built in and around March of 1951. The serial numbers continued up to 60000 only, when the TO30 began production in August of that year starting with serial number 60001. The TO20 went out of production at that time.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Maybe get a shot of the complete dash, as the TO-30 had the air intake was through a screen opening on the right side of the instrument console, where as the TO-20 air intake was not through the instrument console. 
The engine serial number might be on a plate just above and between the coil and the distributor.


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## ozbirn (Jan 1, 2014)

Air intake is on right dash. Oil filter is on outside of engine, below carb. Appears to be like you stated, i.e. the dash is not original, but it is a 30. Given this, are there any other ways to verify year? Maybe engine serial #?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

If you can find the engine serial number, you can surely ball park the year. Here's a chart that compares year of manufacture to the serial number of the Z129 engine.
View attachment TO30SerialNumbersengine by year.pdf

Hope it helps!
Cheers
Bill
Ps get on and vote for tractor of the year!!


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## ozbirn (Jan 1, 2014)

Thanks Bill. You have been a great help. 

Regards,

Ozbirn


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

It's been fun... now don't forget to vote on the tractor of the year!! Maybe we'll see your tractor up as a nominee for "Tractor of the Month" this coming year! Some pictures in a thread of your progress at sometime would be great. Good luck with the resto!
I have a couple of 8N's and I am a bit of a Ford guy, but I sure wish my Fords had the power and the flip up hood like the Fergie! The 8N can be a bit of a boar to work on.


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