Ford Industrial Tractor Identification

[CTPhil]

Hello everybody,

I'm trying to nail down the identification of my new to me Ford. I think I'm close, but it would be great if someone who actually knew about it could verify my "research". I'm coming up with a 1975 model 3550.

Model number: K5011F
Production number: 5E15B
Serial number: C467239

The thing I'm mostly unsure of is the "K" in the Model number, my manuals don't help here. I found one old thread on a tractor forum where the responder was sure that the K correlated with a model 3550, but that's all I could find.

Can someone verify? Thanks in advance

 

[LD1]

Hello everybody,

I'm trying to nail down the identification of my new to me Ford. I think I'm close, but it would be great if someone who actually knew about it could verify my "research". I'm coming up with a 1975 model 3550.

Model number: K5011F
Production number: 5E15B
Serial number: C467239

The thing I'm mostly unsure of is the "K" in the Model number, my manuals don't help here. I found one old thread on a tractor forum where the responder was sure that the K correlated with a model 3550, but that's all I could find.

Can someone verify? Thanks in advance

Cant really help with the K ??? Are you sure it isnt an E ??

here is a good link to info FORD CODES and SERIAL NUMBERS

5011F means

50.......industrial
1.........Diesel
1........No PTO
F........4f/4r power reversing transmission

5E15B means

5......1965
E......May
15.....15th of the month
B.......Dayshift

Maybe I am way off???? Perhaps some pics of the beast???

 

[CTPhil]

I'm pretty sure about the K. I was able to get all of the other stuff from the manuals, but the later models are a supplement to an earlier manual set, and they don't cover later model year ID. They also don't go past 1974 with year ID number so I'm making an assumption there. I'm pretty sure it's not 1965 so that would make it 1975 following their progression.

This is the beast:

 

[LD1]

I'm pretty sure about the K. I was able to get all of the other stuff from the manuals, but the later models are a supplement to an earlier manual set, and they don't cover later model year ID. They also don't go past 1974 with year ID number so I'm making an assumption there. I'm pretty sure it's not 1965 so that would make it 1975 following their progression.

This is the beast:

I think you are correct on the 1975. I did some more digging, and it appears they did make these tractors up until 1975, so the date codes for 65 and 75 would look the same, ad you would have to rely on the serial #.

The 3000/3600 series tractor (which is what a 3550 is) had the 3000's LAST serial # of 450700 in 1975, and then it became a 3600. Which ran through ~490000 in 1975. So I'd say your 462xxx is definatally a 1975:thumbsup:

I still cant find any info on that K. It SHOULD be a C for the 3000 series.

ANd I forgot to add that the C in your serial # indicates it WAS built in the good ole US of A:thumbsup:

 

[CTPhil]

I think you are correct on the 1975. I did some more digging, and it appears they did make these tractors up until 1975, so the date codes for 65 and 75 would look the same, ad you would have to rely on the serial #.

I still cant find any info on that K. It SHOULD be a C for the 3000 series.

Thanks for looking. I googled it until I was googly-eyed. (pun intended. ) There just isn't much info on the web about these tractors, even less for post '75 industrial Fords. I don't know where the K comes from but apparently others report having it also. I guess I'm going to go with '75 3550 until proven wrong, lol.

 

[Soundguy]

I would be thinking a C as well instead of K... the C would place it as post 4-68 and thus looking at a date code, making that 5 mean 75 not 65.

previous to 4-68 the model id would have been a '3' instead of a 'C'

soundguy

 

[Opti-Mist]

I'm late to the party and forgot to bring my memory! There is a "K" model, like a 320/420 or 345/545 or the like. It would have been introduced in the mid-later 1970's prior to the 5600 "L" model. I did have the manuals which applied to this model but gave them to someone who needed them. Perhaps someone has a better memory or even manuals!

 

[CTPhil]

I'm starting to think it might be a 420...

 

[LD1]

I'm starting to think it might be a 420...

They didnt start making them until 1978, so that dont jive with your date stamp:confused2:

 

[LD1]

Could be a 335??? They started making then in 1975. It was an industrial version of the 3600.

They just made TOO many variants that were all too similar. (3000,3400, 3500,3550, 3600, 335, 340, etc) And unfortunatally, there isnt any material online to help with de-coding them numbers And there wasnt much difference in any of them.


Kinda like now with my kubota. The 2800/3200/3400/3700/3800 are ALL
Near identical. But not the same as the 2500/2600/2900/3300/3600. I imagine if these tractors are still around in another 30 years, and the decals get knocked off, they are going to be just as much of a PITA to id.