Potential John Deere LA purchase

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I'm thinking about going to look at this John Deere LA.  It will need a few things, i.e. the fuel tank needs cleaning, a battery, etc.  It comes with rear weights and cultivators.

 

For those who aren't familiar with the Y, 62, L and LA John Deeres, they were the smallest farm tractor JD made.  They came out in the late '30s and were made until around 1946.  The first units had a Hercules engine and then a Deere designed Hercules engine, and finally a Deere engine, all vertical 2 cylinder engines.  The LA differed from the L in that it had more heavier duty tubes (later ones had a solid tube), a more powerful engine, and weighed about 700 lbs more than the L.  They're not the most powerful (the LA about 13-14 hp on the drawbar) and the L weighed about 1500 lbs while LA weighed in at around 2200 lbs.

 

The LA I might look at has the solid tube frame as seen in the pictures.

[oliver2-44 8,875]

They are cool old tractors even if they are green

Hope it works out for you

[Achto 26,609]

We have an LA in the collection that my dad left to us kids. Fun little tractor. The serial number on them was on a tag that was riveted to the rear axle, like ours they are most commonly gone. The one that you posted pictures of is missing the roll pan in the front under the grill. These had to be removed to install some implements and again like ours, they are commonly missing.

 

One up grade that I made on ours was to run a wire from the magneto to a switch that could be reached from the drivers seat so that the engine could be shut off without dismounting the tractor. Other wise you had to get off from the tractor, walk to the side and push the tab on the mag to shut it off. I did not feel that this was safe while exhibiting at a tractor show with people around.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

The L and LA were always on my bucket list, though I would take a M or a 40, or even an unstyled B over them.  I have a brochure from 1944 on the L and LA....I scanned it, but the size is way too big to post about anywhere on the 'net.  Some day I have to get a pdf editor for my iMac so I can cut the size down to a more manageable size for posting.

 

I wish I could find one like this one on Green Tractor Talk (GTT).

 

https://www.greentractortalk.com/threads/closing-in-on-a-1941-la-john-deere.1965/page-2#post-3756975

[ZXT 2,394]

11 hours ago, T-Mo said:

They're not the most powerful (the LA about 13-14 hp on the drawbar)

Hey, that's roughly 40% more than a Farmall cub! 

 

[ClassicTractorProfessor 5,264]

Never have been much of a Deere guy, but I have always had an itch to buy one of these if it ever came available. Don't have much use for one, but then again I don't have much use for the 5 other tractors we have around here either 

 

Good luck and hope you can score a good deal on it

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

8 hours ago, ClassicTractorProfessor said:

Never have been much of a Deere guy, but I have always had an itch to buy one of these if it ever came available. Don't have much use for one, but then again I don't have much use for the 5 other tractors we have around here either 

 

Good luck and hope you can score a good deal on it

They're small enough to fit in more limited spaces.  I had my eye on a M, but it sold before I could contact the seller.  Though comparing a M to a LA is like comparing a D250 to a rear engine rider.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

Here is another one I'm thinking about.  It's rougher cosmetically, and from the details that I do know about them, this one I'm sure is a L.  The seller thinks it's an LA, but I think it's a L.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I didn't go look at it yesterday as I originally planned.  We had storms in the area Friday night and the owner had some wind damage, so I told him maybe next Saturday.

 

On a sadder note, those storms were to the north of me and to the south of me, and brought deadly tornados.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by these storms.

[wh500special 2,055]

We looked at an LI years ago.  I really thought it was a cute little sucker but it just wasn’t a good fit for what we needed. As I recall the “PTO” was just a flat spot on the drive shaft where a flat belt would wrap around.  
 

I think the unstyled ones are the neatest.  Little bitty guys.  
 

glad the tornado missed you.  It went by north of us up by Granite City.  It took out the Amazon warehouse that I drive past every day on the way to work and tragically took 6 lives.  
 

You could feel it in the air all day.  So weird for December.  
 

Go get that tractor!

 

steve 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

Hey, Steve.  That was a pretty scary night for a lot of folks.  So many lives lost or misplaced by the tornados.

 

The LA had a pto as an option, coming out of the rear differential housing.  The LI probably did also, but the L didn't have that option.

 

I went to look at the first one I posted about, the LA.  Unfortunately I didn't hear it run, they left it out in a field and the magneto got wet.  It's rougher than what it appears in the pictures.  It's been repainted at some point in the wrong shade of green, the throttle cable is frozen, the seat has a few holes in it. it's missing the lower engine shield, the left front tire is completely shot (still holding air though), no muffler but a straight pipe.  I told them to get it started and send me a video of it.  I doubt if they do.  It is a LA, which to me is the more desirable model.

 

I might go look at the second one I posted about, which I'm sure is a L.  It's a bit more than an hour away, so it's close enough to stand in front of.

[Snoopy11 5,713]

Hey @T-Mo... around how much would those tractors go for, do you think?

 

I'm interested in getting one myself... 

 

Don

[WheelhorseBob 1,548]

Always admired the looks of those!

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

 @Snoopy11  I'm not sure, but there is a real nice one on FB market place in Arkansas for $3000.  It's an L.  They seem to draw a bit more money than, say a John Deere A or B.  The real money in John Deeres are in the 20 or 30 series of the late '50s, especially the 435.  The two I'm looking at are a bit overpriced so I would have to get them down.  The LA has wheel weights and the cultivators/hiller on it, so that would drive the price up a bit, but the missing shield and the condition drives it down, plus I hadn't heard it run.  The L will need rear tires, which will cost me big money, so I would have to drive that price down considerably.

 

My other two cylinders I would like to have is an unstyled B, a H, a M or a 40.  I've seen a few Ms for sale, but no 40s, and very little Hs.  My wife though, when talking about an unstyled B or an H, doesn't want us to have the narrow front, but that doesn't bother me.  I had a narrow front Farmall B, a Farmall C and a Farmall H.  Why not a narrow front JD.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I went to look at the L yesterday and ended up bringing it home. It seems to run and shift good, the brakes work. Battery probably needs replacing and there is no generator. Once I got it home, I switched the back tires around to get them in the narrow position. The images below, they're in the wide position. And they're 8.25-20, not the 6.00 or 7.00-22 tires that should be on it. The rear rims are incorrect, or are off a John Deere 62 or an unstyled L.

 

 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I scanned this brochure, but at 446 mb, it was a bit too large, okay a lot too large.  I used a "free" pdf editor for my mac, and got it reduced down some, so the quality isn't the greatest, but I think it's somewhat readable.  But it does show the differences in the L and LA tractors.  Brochure is from 1944.

John_Deere_L_and_LA_brochure_1944_reduce.pdf

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I was thinking that the battery, a 6V, needed to be replace, but I put it on the meter this morning, and I'm reading 6.75 volts. I believe the ground cable needs to be cleaned of corrosion, and the starter cable probably needs to be replaced. It's been taped up and the battery terminal end is pretty messed up and won't clamp down on the battery terminal too well. I'll have to see how hard it is to get to the other end of that cable.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

Here is a little, boring video of the L.  I don't have a GoPro or any type of action camera, just my phone with no mount, so hand held.

 

 

[6wheeler 586]

Thanks for the video . Are you going to restore it? Or? Put tires on it and run it. What it would cost for the resto? You could get the proper wheels and tires . We picked up an John Deere M last fall for my nephew. It was the same deal. Restore it? Or? Run it. Running it won.. Now we have My A. My Dads A. My nephews B w/duals. And? the M. After watching your video? "Don't tell my wife", But? I believe there will be an L/LA in my future.. Unless? A 630 shows up close by............ Nice tractor. Maybe you could find a cultivator.  Good Luck  Pat

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

Right now the plan is to run it.  Tires, especially the correct size, are very expensive.  The rims that's on it now takes a different size which are about half the price of the correct size tires.  I did find a generator for it, but not the brackets yet.

[Johndeereelfman 309]

Enjoy your Deere Terry and take your time bringing it back to life. If you have kids and can get them involved with helping you restore the tractor, do it. Dad and I worked on a couple of our Deere's together and I cherish the time we spent together. He passed away on December 6th suddenly but the memories will last forever. Here are some of our tractors. Not trying to steal your post, just wanting to give you inspiration. 

 

 

 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

Sorry to hear about your dad.  Both of my girls are grown and have family of their own, and unfortunately none of my grandkids have taken an interest in them.  My nephew, though, likes to come over and help me from time to time.  He, of course, has kids of his own, so his time is limited.

 

Those are some nice looking tractors.  I would love to have an unstyled B, but haven't found one in my budget at the right time.

[6wheeler 586]

23 hours ago, Johndeereelfman said:

Enjoy your Deere Terry and take your time bringing it back to life. If you have kids and can get them involved with helping you restore the tractor, do it. Dad and I worked on a couple of our Deere's together and I cherish the time we spent together. He passed away on December 6th suddenly but the memories will last forever. Here are some of our tractors. Not trying to steal your post, just wanting to give you inspiration. 

 

 

 

I am sorry for your loss. It looks like you and your father have quite a "GREEN" thumb. Nice work. Now I feel like I am Hi Jacking Terry's thread. Sorry Terry. I really like that 630... These are just the sort of pics that make me feel like I should Restore our old poppers. But? Since they still are working for a living? They will just have to keep their ragged work duds on for now. Terry? What are the rims supposed to look like for that machine?