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1938 JD A

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Jim Perry

10-14-2001 21:17:52

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I am painting a 1938 John Deere A - Unstyled. What color are the fuel caps supose to be? I have seen yellow, black, green, and red. Are the fan blades green or yellow?

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Jim Perry

10-15-2001 21:36:31

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

Thanks to all of you guys for helping on the colors. I realize details like these can get lost over time. But you actually provided a lot of usefull information in making a decision. I work a little with Farmall, but am finishing this John Deere for my brother. Neither of us know much about John Deere. I believe based on what you have relayed we will go with green and red caps and the all green fan. I really appreciate your fast response. Jim Perry

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10-15-2001 21:14:00

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

Well Jim, it looks like you can do what ever you want, and no-one is going to know if its right or not. I've always believed the fan blades were supposed to be yellow on the back side, but have never painted them yellow because I just didn't care for the way they looked yellow. Now it sounds like maybe they are supposed to be green! As for the gas caps, I have the majority on mine painted red. That dosen't make it right, but I'm satisified with it. Guess I'll wait for further info on that one. Good discussion fellows!

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Clooney

10-15-2001 17:43:19

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

Jim, I don't agree with the other posters on the gas cap color. I don't remember seeing red caps on those un-styled tractors, I was pretty young when they were around but remember other things from that era pretty plainly & red gas caps weren't one of them. There were a lot of gas cans that weren't red either. I have many archive photos of un-styled John Deere's & even though the photos are black & white, yellow & red show up as different than green & I can't find a single photo that convinces me those caps were red. I don't care what the youngsters at the magazines write. Just because it is written doesn't make it true (including this post). Now on the un-styled "A" fans... I'm still working on that one. There is credible writing that those fans were yellow on the back, but there is also opposing credible writings by supposedly knowledgeable people that the un-styled "A" didn't have a yellow backed fan. I tended to believe the yellow was correct because most all the other un-styled fans were yellow on the back,,,, until my last project, an 37 un-styled "A" that was original in almost every way including the seat, radiator, excellent shutters & original (at least type) tires. The gears in the trans were very low wear, the engine was original sized bore with medium wear & all parts that I removed were at least original type. Now these parts could have been replaced but the overall wear looked about the same on everything so I'm guessing this is a low hour tractor for a 37. Now my point...because of all the original parts on the tractor with low wear I'm guessing the fan is original also so I carefully scraped & removed paint from the fan in 4-5 places & could find no sign of yellow on that fan. This doesn't prove positively one way or the other if the fans on un-styled A's were yellow or green but it has installed enough doubt in my mind that they could have been green to not say they were definitely yellow. Confused yet? I am.

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Jerry S

10-16-2001 15:26:06

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Re: Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Clooney, 10-15-2001 17:43:19

I believe that I read where there was some different requirements state by state on the gas cap color and it is entirely possible that both sides are correct depending on your locale in the country. I have not seen any original caps red either but there have been several restored caps with a red cap around. Doesn't surprise me that some state laws might have or may still be different. Perhaps a dealer had to paint one of them red if required for that area?

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Clooney

10-16-2001 15:53:54

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Re: Re: Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jerry S, 10-16-2001 15:26:06

Jerry, I have read that also but tend to not believe it, have you seen red gas caps on old cars, old lawnmowers, chainsaws etc? Why just tractors but then not old lawn tractors? I don't believe that in the 1930's-40's the government mandated fuel container colors & don't believe there was such a thing as "safety yellow" or "flammable red". There is no doubt in my mind that there could have been a few gasoline caps painted red by a farmer to make sure his kids or hired help put only gasoline in the rear tank when re-fueling. Remember pre WWII the government pretty well kept out of peoples lives & let them use their intelligence to get through life. It's only in this age of highly educated people that things need to be color coded so educated people don't hurt themselves.

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Jerry S

10-18-2001 12:50:11

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Re: Re: Re: Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Clooney, 10-16-2001 15:53:54

It is so true about what you said regarding the government and common sense. If someone told me when I was a kid that we would be having to label coffee cups with warning labels to explain that they contain hot product, I would have never believed them. Perhaps we need to graduate more farmers and less lawyers. I also hadn't thought about the cars and such too. I bet you are right about the hired hand deal. I don't happen to think the red goes that well in the green and yellow of the rest of the tractor. Yet it is true that we still are a free country...in most respects.

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John T

10-15-2001 09:58:40

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

Jim, as DP said, the large main distilate cap is green, while the small gasoline starting tank cap is red. Also, to be correct, on the unstyled tractors, the caps should be the plain smooth tops and NOT say "Keep Fuel Clean" on them like the styled models. Ol John T in Indiana

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10-15-2001 16:24:30

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Re: Re: 1938 JD A in reply to John T, 10-15-2001 09:58:40

Thanks for the info on the fuel caps, John. I guess I've got the wrong caps on my 38 B. I know it doesn't matter that much and no one but the correct police will notice, but I'm somewhat of a purist and if it's wrong - I won't sleep well! Where can I get two new "smooth top" caps? Don't send me to my local JD dealer - can't afford those guys very often.

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Clooney

10-15-2001 16:37:36

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Re: Re: Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Al, 10-15-2001 16:24:30

Al, try here.....

Farm Power Restoration

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10-15-2001 09:20:17

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

DP's got the gas caps right, but I believe for a 1938 model, both sides of the fan are green.

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10-14-2001 22:08:39

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

Hi Jim. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I paint the fuel tank cap on mine green, and the cap on the small rear gas tank red. As for the fan blades, I believe the front side should be green and the back side yellow. Good luck to you! Don

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10-14-2001 22:08:39

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Re: 1938 JD A in reply to Jim Perry, 10-14-2001 21:17:52

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