Making sense of Amnor (Belgium) serial numbers

[wheeledhorseman 573]

This is my first attempt at making sense of the information on the ID tags of Wheel Horse tractors assembled by Amnor in Belgium, in attempting to do so there were some issues that needed consideration.

 

When a single product is manufactured on a continuous production line it is simple to allocate serial numbers sequentially. Where a range of products like different tractors and attachments are manufactured in batches rather than continuously it becomes more of a challenge so one might have expected discrepancies. In the event it appears that they did a reasonable job in this respect at the Amnor factory, more so than many believe though I anticipate a slight jumble around the year boundaries as the list grows.

 

The main source of confusion appears to stem from two things. WH model numbers indicate a ‘year’ but this was not the calendar year. Like the auto industry, the new model was introduced before the end of the calendar year probably October in the case of Wheel Horse.  For example, even if an original bill of sale indicates 1972, the tractor could still be a 1973 model.

 

The second factor adding to this confusion is where owners put a ‘year’ to a tractor based on the decals or some other feature rather than the model (and hence year) given on the ID plate. These two things turned out to be more significant than serial number discrepancies in unraveling the story.

 

By using the model year in a serial number list, differences between what was built and badged for the European market compared to the US become easier to identify and patterns emerge. It also becomes clear that the serial sequence was actually pretty good.

 

Amnor serials ver 01.pdf

 

[version 01 April 10 2014]

 

I don’t claim to have answered all of the mysteries surrounding assembly in Belgium but it’s a start and has only been possible as a result of owners responding to my requests for details. The list really needs to be much longer and contain examples of other models so if you own tractor(s) and or attachment(s) with an Amnor ID plate please respond either in this thread or by pm and I will update the list.

 

A few footnotes to end with.

 

It can be seen from the list that from time to time models specific to Europe were produced with different engine or transmission than used in the US. On occasions unexpected engines are reported e.g. the 1980 model C-165 Auto which has a KT 17 engine. Given that by 1980 a suffix to the model number was used to indicate variants so that the correct spares could be ordered, I think it most likely that this was a repower rather than factory fitment otherwise the model on the plate would be 01-16KS 92 (as it was badged as a C-165) or even perhaps 01-17KS 91.

 

The Amnor serial sequence is continuous and spans the years that the factory was in operation. It appears to have started at perhaps 11,001. In a way there is nothing unusual about that as serial sequences do not always start at 000001. Wherever it actually started made sense to someone and perhaps it reflects a number greater than the number of tractors exported to Europe pre 1969. G D Mountfield serials had reached at least 2117 by then and that’s just for the UK so there may be something in this thought.

 

Some models were never produced at Amnor including, I believe, the D series and GT-14 which, in the case of the UK, were probably shipped direct to Mountfield from the US to a UK port rather than via Belgium. Possibly there were other models that were never assembled in Europe but only Mountfield’s records which no longer exist would show this. Some models assembled in Belgium were supplemented by tractors assembled in the US.

 

Feedback is most welcome; also more examples are needed to add to the list. Ideally I need the serial and model number from the ID plate. If it’s a tractor, the engine fitted and what the tractor was badged as (in terms of decals) is also useful.

 

I will update the list in this post when more members contribute their tractor information.

 

Andy

Edited April 10, 2014 by wheeledhorseman

[Anglo Traction 759]

Sorry for my absence.  A lot of work and time you've put in this, also consolidating a lot of what we've discussed on here over the last 3 years or so  .

 

A little 'Attachment' snippet for you that I recorded a while back and only just remembered where I filed the image.

A Sweeper Unit 7-2511, 124687, but I know it was purchased in May 1972 along with my Raider 12 by the original owner.

Sadly the Sweeper was beyond salvage and was consigned to scrap (not by me).     

 

 

Edited April 15, 2014 by Anglo Traction

[meadowfield 2,545]

A bit late here Andy, I think I've more serial numbers if I start to go back through the last 3 years emails. I've only every published numbers on the register if the owners have shared the info.

I'll have a look when I get back from vacation....

Useful info I've been going to try sort the sequence for years and never got around to it :D