The 700 Series is the least familiar of Ford's Hundred Series tractors. If you've come across a tall Ford with a narrow front end and a 700 emblem on the nose, you may be looking at one, or at a 600 someone has fitted with a row-crop front, or at a later 701 Workmaster. Each of those buys differently and takes different parts.

This page covers how to confirm a 700, how to tell it from its siblings by things you can see and measure, how to date it from the serial, and what to check before buying one.

What a 700 is

The 700 is the high-clearance row-crop version of the 600 Series: the same 134 cu in overhead-valve four-cylinder (gasoline or LP-gas), on a taller, longer chassis meant to straddle and cultivate row crops. The N Tractor Club's identification guide describes the 700 as the row-crop tricycle version of the 600, with a wide front end available as an option, and notes that the 700 and 900 came after the 600 and 800 in the rollout (Quick ID guide).

Tractor Data lists one 700 Series model: the 740, with a four-speed transmission, a transmission-driven (not live) 540 rpm PTO and a three-point lift. Ford's numbering system would allow other combinations, but if a stamping reads something other than 740, treat it as uncommon and confirm it against the tractor itself.

Confirming it's a 700

The model and serial numbers are stamped on the left side, on the flat pad above and behind the starter where the engine meets the transmission housing. The top line is the model number; below it is the serial between two diamond symbols. The first digit, 7, means row-crop with the 134 engine. The full digit-by-digit breakdown is in Decoding Ford Hundred Series Model Numbers, so it isn't repeated here.

Then check the tractor matches the stamping:

  • Wheelbase. Tractor Data lists 85.3 inches for the 740, against 75.2 inches for the 640 utility. Measure from the center of the front axle to the center of the rear axle. A gap of about ten inches is hard to fake.
  • Front end. A tricycle front (two close-set front wheels under a pedestal), or the optional wide front on a high-clearance tractor.
  • Engine. The cast number on the lower right side of the block should read EAE 6015, the 1953–1957 134. EAF 6015 is the 172 used in the 800 and 900.

Telling it from look-alikes

From a 900. Same row-crop layout, but the 900 has the 172 engine and the heavier 800-series drivetrain. The stamping's first digit (9) and the EAF block casting settle it.

From a 600 converted to a row-crop front. The stamping will start with 6 and the wheelbase will be close to 75 inches, not 85.

From a 701 Workmaster (1958–1962). The 01-series tractor has a third digit of 1 (741, or 771 with the Select-O-Speed), an all-red hood with gray only on the grille, fenders and wheels, and a plastic hood emblem. Its model stamping may also carry a suffix: -1 for a single front wheel, -4 for high clearance with a wide front.

Reading and dating the serial

Hundred Series serials run: 1954, 1–10,614; 1955, 10,615–77,270; 1956, 77,271–116,367; 1957, 116,368 and up (N Tractor Club). The serials run across all four series, so they date the tractor but don't tell you its model.

Worked example (made-up numbers): 740 over ◇88412◇. First digit 7, row-crop with the 134. Middle digit 4, four-speed with PTO and lift. Third digit 0, original Hundred Series. Serial 88412 falls in the 1956 range, so it's a 1956 Ford 740.

If the third digit were 1 instead, you'd use the 01-series chart, where the same number would mean a different year.

Specifications

EngineFord 134 cu in 4-cylinder overhead-valve, gasoline or LP-gas
Power31.6 belt hp and 28.3 drawbar hp tested (740)
Transmission4-speed unsynchronized (740)
PTO540 rpm, transmission-driven (not live)
LayoutHigh-clearance row-crop, tricycle front with wide front optional
Wheelbase / weight85.3 in / 3,079 to 3,390 lb
BuiltLate 1954 through 1957 (1955–1957 model years)

Figures from Tractor Data's 740 pages.

What to check before buying or reviving one

  • The front pedestal and spindles. This is the part of a 700 that isn't shared with a 600. Jack the front up, grab each wheel top and bottom, and rock it. Look for play at the spindles and for cracks or welds around the pedestal where it bolts to the engine. Some row-crop-specific parts are still listed by suppliers, such as the 700 spindles on Yesterday's Tractors, but price them before you buy a tractor that needs them.
  • The stamping against the block. A 740 stamping with an EAF block has had an 800-size engine fitted. Fine to own, but order engine parts for the 172.
  • The lift. Raise a heavy implement, shut the engine off, and watch for it settling over several minutes.
  • The four-speed. It's an unsynchronized gearbox, so expect to stop to change gears. Grinding when you shift at a standstill with the clutch fully down points to a dragging clutch. If you're new to these, read how a crash-box tractor transmission works before the test drive.
  • Oil condition. Look for coolant in the engine oil and water in the transmission and rear end, especially on a tractor that's sat outside.
  • Electrics. Hundred Series tractors left the factory with 6-volt, positive-ground systems (Tractor Data). Check whether it has been converted before buying a battery.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Ordering front-end parts by the 600 catalog. The engine, transmission and lift are 600 parts, but the row-crop front end is not. Order by the model stamping and confirm the part fits a 700 before you pay for it.
  • Treating a tricycle like a wide-front. A narrow front end tips far more easily on side hills and when turning with a raised load. Keep it on gentle ground, take turns slowly, and add rear wheel weight before hanging anything heavy on the back.
  • Putting a big loader on it. A loader on a tricycle front loads the pedestal and spindles hard, and it makes the tractor even less stable. If loader work is the main job, a wide-front utility is the better buy.
  • Expecting a live PTO. The 740's PTO is driven through the transmission, so it stops whenever you clutch. That matters with a mower or anything with a heavy spinning mass, which can push the tractor forward when you clutch.
  • Dating a 741 with the Hundred Series chart. The 01 series restarted its serials, so the wrong chart gives the wrong year.