Ferguson 35

Gtidwell

Well-known Member
I have a 9yo son who is really into old tractors, and dad too. A guy is giving my son a Ferguson 35 tractor. I am not sure of the year model though. I am picking up the tractor this weekend. I know it needs some work. I have pictures I could send to someone, if you could help me identify it. Also I will need to know where I could find the most reasonable priced parts, new and used. Thank you.
 
Welcome Gtidwell!

There should be a serial number tag screwed to the dash. That number will tell the year and options.

Reasonable parts, depends what you need. This site sells the basic aftermarket and reconditioned parts, good price as any. There are several other sites that have after market parts, just be aware they are China/India parts, not necessarily the highest quality. Ebay is a good source for used OE parts.

A good start would be to get him a shop manual. Y'all can read it together, get him off on the right track of understanding how it works. Sure beats guessing!

Keep us informed on the project!
 
Your in luck as this site has parts. The 35 is a great little tractor. Some models come with power steering and a 2 stage clutch. Then there are 3 cyl. gas and diesel models along with the hard to crank 23c version or so I have read. Here is a pic of a 35.
a273427.jpg
 
Ok sir. Thank you. I will keep you informed.i will look for that plate. My son does not want to fully restore it. He likes the old rusty look. This tractor is gray. I know I will need the name plate for the left side. I will also have to get the lights going. He wants to use it in play and harvest days and also take it to some small tractor shows. I want to get a Manuel and possibly a dealer cut sheet and advertisements when it was new. I will take a picture of him with the guy and the tractor when we pick it up to start his scrapbook. I cannot get the photo to upload.
a273432.jpg
 
Thank you for getting back with me. The one we are getting is grey. My son does not want to fully restore it. He likes the old rusty look. I have included a picture. Any help would greatly be appreciated.
a273432.jpg
 
It's a green belly so it may be a 1955 special. If clutch pedal is round-55 if a flat pedal 56. The green belly was in 55 and early 56. What makes it a special is the metal pan seat and most time no lights. The deluxe has a cushion seat--live PTO and most time lights. Your's looks to have had a loader on it. Bottom grill cut and radius arms have been welded.
 
Miner has it right on from the looks of it. So get an operator's and repair manual for it. I would just clean it, clear coat, even spray cans, over the rust and whatever, but you may want to change the oil, rear end oil, and do a tune up.
Please remember it is still a dangerous machine, safer tractor than most, but be careful with him on there. Have fun!
 
Oh I will watch him like a hawk. We went
to a harvest day up in Oklahoma. He
drove an old combine to the field. He
also set up on two different Farmall
tractors and plowed. He got bit bad.
That is when I found this tractor. I
know it needs a little work and I will
have to find him some implements. Thank
you.
a273432.jpg
 
Thank you for the information sir. I looked at another picture I have and the clutch pedal is round. Is being a green belly good or bad? I do not know a lot about these tractors. I do want to get all the lights working on it also. Most pictures I have seen of these tractors have different seats on them. It looks like the seat may have been changed. I will know more when I pick it up this weekend. Thanks for the information sir. I will post more information when I have the tractor. Thank you again.
 
The green belly TO35 tractors were out from 1955-56. Here?s a picture of my green belly and my friends MF 35.
Sometimes refinishing is nice, sorry Tony.
a273459.jpg
 
Green is just the color for that time period. They are the same tractor. Being a 1955 it probably will not have live PTO is the only difference.Picture is a 56 Deluxe Green Belly.Later in 56 they were painted Flint Metallic Gray body and Gray Hood-Fender. Serial #'s for 1955 started at 140006 and ended 167156 this will give you about when it was built.
a273460.jpg
 
Thank you so much for all the information sir. I have already learned so much and I have not put my hands on the tractor yet. Everyone in here has been a lot of help. I am sure I will continue to be on here asking more questions and giving updates on this project. That is again.
 
You said 'up in Oklahoma' so you in Texas? did you go to Esbenshade's? If so, Miner 09 is your neighbor.
Don't worry about the seat, yours is very early. A 1955. Nothing wrong with the green either, that's what they were.
 
Yep we went to Jim's up outside of
Colbert. Is Minor09 from Texas? We do
live in Texas right now. My daughter
wants to go to OSU. We may move to
Oklahoma in a couple of years.
 
Also, thank you for the information
Tony. We go and pick up the tractor
tomorrow afternoon. I think the tractor
is a deluxe also. It has two sticks and
lights. The clutch pedal is round also.
So I should not look for a replacement
sent then. Thank you.
 
Yeah I got a place in Hugo, miner is on your side of the river.
Yep for what you are going to do with it, don't buy nothing but fluids and manuals. A tie on seat cover will do the trick.
 
I picked up the tractor. It is going to need a lot more work than first thought. There is no ignition switch, plug wires. He told me today the tractor has not been running in 9 years. He said it was running fine when parked. He was going to replace switch and do a tune up and never did. What are some of the first things I need to do,other than above mentioned. I will also need to put on 2 new front tires. I will send pic of tag.
 
I know where Pattonville is quite well. Those are my old stomping grounds up around there. I used to milk cows for Nelsons dairy in the mid 80s.
 
Make certain you drain the rear end/hydraulic before freezing temps set in.
They are known to get moisture into the rear end from old seals at 3pt and
gear shift boot cracks. I did not get mine drained a few yrs ago due to
personal injury. When I started it in mid March ice in the case cracked
the lid and the case. Both non-repairable. Found used parts but lots of
work to swap out rear half of tractor.
 
I have a TO-35 that my father went with my grandfather to pick up brand new. My father was 16 at the time and is now 80. It has the deluxe pan seat with cushions 6 forward gears and 2 reverse with live PTO. Round Single stage clutch pedal and yes its gray with a green belly. Contiental 4 cylinder gas engine. I have a 5' Heavy Covington hog attached to it and just finished cutting about 10 acres of heavy grass with it. Still going strong in its early 60s. It will never leave the family during my life.
 

With the pics I posted I think the tractor is possibly a deluxe. If that is the case then the seat may be wrong.
 
Thank you for your story Sharpie. This tractor will not leave my son either. He is very eager to get it going and work it.
 
We have had a 1955 deluxe TO-35 from new. It is green. Not all early deluxe had cushion seat. Mine has live PTO and ground-speed PTO, but the seat is a two-position metal pan. Everything is original, nothing changed. They were (are) great tractors, quite an advance over the TO-30 it replaced.
 

Congratulations to you and your son. My dad got me a 1955 TO-35 which had been repainted with MF-35 paint and decals as a college graduation gift and it's still going strong. Some advice for you on your new tractor:

GL-1 mineral oil (commonly sold as "Ford Tractor Fluid") is correct for the tranny on this machine. Some of them do well with later multigrade trans-hydraulic fluid, others not so much. I would definitely get all the old stuff out and refill with the original spec to start off with.

The Pertronix electronic ignition sold on this site is money well spent. Easier starts, less plug fouling, no more points and condensers to worry about. You can also use standard resistor core plug wires which are available anywhere and don't corrode like copper core wires do.

You may have to experiment to find which spark plug it prefers. Mine prefers non-resistor plugs on the somewhat hot side like Champion D18, they just run smoother than the resistor core plugs do. On the other hand, some report better results with resistor plugs.

Like mine, your tractor is stuck with the version 1.0 hydraulic pump and lift system. It's not bad by any means, however parts are more difficult to source and more expensive. If you ever have to replace the lift piston, roll with the Ford NAA style that uses a rubber o-ring and leather washer. My understanding is that the later style pump, 3" lift cylinder, and upper lift assembly are a drop-in fit and work much better. So, if you ever have the opportunity to score these parts for cheap you should take it.

Hit me up if you ever need advice!
 

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