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400-Series Serial Number Listing

25K views 70 replies 19 participants last post by  gravely1964 
#1 ·
As a follow-up to my recent thread about 816 and 450 serial numbers, I have decided to keep track of 450 serial numbers in a spreadsheet like lt4xtreme does for the 816. Then I figured that I may as well keep track of all of the 400-series tractors since there were only 4 models over 5-6 years. At this point I am not really listing out too many manufacturing differences, although I might differentiate between front/rear tank hoods, starter-generators, and a few things like that. I am recording engine spec numbers especially for the 450 and I'll do it for the Kohlers if I have the info available.

I would sincerely appreciate anyone that is willing to share the model, tractor serial number, and engine spec number of their 400-series Gravely. If you would rather PM me and not have your user name listed as the owner then I can certainly do that. At some point in the future I can make the spreadsheet available on MTF if anyone would be interested. A picture of your tractor in this thread is always welcome, too.

The location of the serial number tag is shown below - on the left side of toward the front of the transmission, on the advance casting. It's hiding just above the brake linkage in my photo.
 

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#3 ·
Sounds great I'll get the s/n from our 430. Jason
 
#4 ·
1967 430 s/n J-12051 Kohler 12hp w/starter-generator no engine data plate
1969 432 s/n 003328A Gravely Mod G-32-E Spec 6006B s/n E193163
If any of the numbers don't look right let me know and I will double check the plates.

The 432 is a runner that will be restored (with mods) this winter. The 430 is a non-runner that will be a project for some future year after I fix up my 5665 and Comm 10a.
 
#28 ·
Going back through everything making sure it's all in order... are you sure it's a 12 HP 430 with a starter-generator? The reason I ask is because I don't have any other 430s with serial numbers nearly that low (only 424s) and no 430s with starter-generators.

EDIT: Ah, nevermind... I see that arcam8123 has a 430 right around that serial number, too. Maybe they made an early batch of them.
 
#6 ·
Red Automotive lighting Vehicle door Automotive exterior Bumper
68 430 repainted red should be yellow (serial J-28209)

Land vehicle Vehicle Tractor Outdoor power equipment Agricultural machinery
K301 no id tag

Rust Metal
early 71 432 factory red (7542)

Vehicle Auto part
K321 no id tag either :dunno: what gives with no id tags for me
 
#70 ·
#7 ·
Thanks everyone! Keep 'em coming.

Steve, that's interesting that your 432 was originally red. It's a bit over 1,000 numbers older than my 450, which I think was yellow - although I'm still not entirely sure what the deal is there. I'm beginning to think that the front half of the tractor is actually from an older 424 and the rear half is all 1971 450, but I'll post about that when I dig into it some more.

I was thinking the switch to red would have been about or just before 1972, and with the model year/manufacturing year discrepancy, maybe your 432 was almost a '72 (model year)? Or maybe they switched to red in '71... the '72 sales literature shows only red 400-series machines (plus the 816) and the '71 brochures show red 424s and yellow 430/432/450s. Anyway, that's one of the questions I have that might get narrowed down with this project.

I actually already had your two SNs, too from looking them up, haha. And I dug out Don's "paterfamilias" 450 from a previous post.
 
#8 ·
Im 98% sure its not been painted. Although I haven't spent more than 30 minutes around it. I will double check up in the frame but it looks all red/orange to me. The white may be a different story. When I start into it more here I'll know for sure

Stocking my serial numbers are ya :fing32:
 
#9 ·
Ok had a chance to look the 432 over pretty well tonight. Red is original the white was repainted at some point. A bit of white over spray on the foot rests. Also found some welding that needs done in odd ball spots :banghead3
 
#10 ·
Good to know. I do wonder why my 450 was yellow with that late serial number.

Welding... one of the running boards on my 450 is separating from the frame (weld broke) and the weld on one side of the round stock at the rear of the snowdozer frame is busted, too. It sure looks like someone hit something pretty solid with that plow at least once, as there's some welding on the front where the blade attaches, too.

From the posts in this thread and me scouring the depths of the internet I have four 450s, three 432s, eight 430s, and three 424s so far. I am curious to see if my theory that there are at least as many 450s as 432s will hold up. I'm also starting to wonder if there were more 430s than 424s (I'm almost positive that there were more 812s than 810s, so it makes sense). It's a really small sample size so far, though. There are two more 450s that I can get numbers off of around Christmas.
 
#11 ·
Year: 1969:
Model: Commercial 432
Serial: 002770A
Engine Spec: Kohler G43 (not sure on the last few digits off memory, will check.)

One notable thing about it is that it has an hour meter, no others that i have seen have these. Also has forward gas tank, and is missing the tool tray. Was also missing brake pads and linkage when I got it, which has since been added.

Pictures can be seen here:
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showpost.php?p=4088009&postcount=13
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showpost.php?p=4093066&postcount=32

I've contemplated selling it because I simply haven't used it that much. If I find a 450 then I most likely will. I passed on one in Roanoke, VA for $150 in May, and another at an auction in State College, PA in June. Neither of them have appeared on the Gravely forums. Both were yellow.

Rick
 
#13 ·
Year: 1969:
Model: Commercial 432
Serial: 002770A
Engine Spec: Kohler G43 (not sure on the last few digits off memory, will check.)

One notable thing about it is that it has an hour meter, no others that i have seen have these. Also has forward gas tank, and is missing the tool tray. Was also missing brake pads and linkage when I got it, which has since been added.
My 450 has one installed on the opposite side of the dash from your 432. I've never seen them in the parts lists, so I think as far as the 400s go the hour meter must've been a dealer installed kit at best.

The G43 number is the model number that Gravely slapped on the engine, even though it's a Kohler K321. There should be a separate spec number on there though, I think.

Thanks for the info!

i looked breifly (over lunch) for my 450's serial number tag, but didn't see one...

This weekend, I'll degrease the area and brush all of the gunk off, maybe it's buried under buildup...
That would be great! I'm sure it's there unless the advance casting has been replaced, which is pretty unlikely.
 
#14 ·
My 1967 430 is S/N J-23802 Kohler engine G-30E D030361 yellow and white with rear mounted feul tank. Had a 40" 3-blade bottom lube deck and a front drive kit I added a snow plow mount and rear liftable hitch. Jason
 
#16 ·
This is good stuff - thanks!

Jason, with J-23802 I have your tractor just falling into the early '68 according to the CSU table :hide:
 
#17 ·
I thought the rear mounted tank was 1967 only but now it appears some 68s had the rear mounted tank. Jason
 
#18 ·
Interesting example of something that a few of you have already known: Gravely definitely wasn't a "First In First Out" operation in 1970.

I found a 1970 450 with SN 006402A elsewhere on the internet that has a CCKA engine with a serial number of 0870244873.

A forum member recently sent me the numbers for his 450 which is SN 006257A. The engine serial number is 0870244870 - three engines earlier than the previous tractor, but 145 tractor numbers later.
 
#19 ·
Okay, so I'll have a version uploaded this weekend. I have decided to redact any ownership info - my personal spreadsheet has user names on it, but I'll remove them for the version that will be available on the forum.

I scoured the MTF archives the other night for anything with "432" and "450" in the title. That netted a few more serial numbers. I plan to do that with the 430 and 424 as well, fix up the format, and get it on here for any member to look at. For tonight, back to health insurance benefits choice period decisions :cool:
 
#20 ·
I have a Commercial 432 at the house with the serial number 003432 A . I will get some pics posted up when I get a chance. It has a Kohler 14HP on it I think? K321 is sticking with me at the moment.

Thought it was neat to have a 432 with a "432" in the serial number!
 
#21 ·
Great - thanks for sharing. If it's a 432 with the original engine then it should have a 14 HP K321. The "32" out of the K321 is where the "32" in 432 comes from for Gravely's model numbering scheme. I believe that was cubic inches. For the 800-series they changed to the horsepower rating - so an 800-series with a 14HP K321 was labeled as an 814 instead of an 832. I'm not doing a great job of explaining it with the keyboard :hide:

You know we always love pictures.
 
#22 ·
I should have a couple more 424 numbers to add by tomorrow, so I'll procrastinate another night. Right now I only have 4 of them in the spreadsheet and a lot more of the other 3 models.
 
#23 ·
Lot model type sn year age condition engine eng sn spec
6 430 4 wheel J12221 1967 40 non-running G30E C75880 47232B
14 424 4 wheel 9975A 1967 40 non-running G24E C133404 46422D
18 424 4 wheel 1967 40 non-running K301s 2216800503 47814
35 432 4 wheel 9102 A 1971 36 running 14 3156462 60133b
59 430 4 wheel 001159A 1969 non-running K301s
84 430 4 wheel 001322A 1969 running K301s
85 430 4 wheel 005755A 1970 non-running K301s

I just PMed this to you, it doesn't look any better here. I can send an Excel file if you want.
 
#24 ·
Hey, it's a serial number jackpot! That's perfectly usable.

Question on the 9975A: did it not actually have an "A" on the end? It looks like it was definitely a '67 from the other numbers. That's pretty early if so.
 
#27 ·
No worries! Whenever you get the chance is fine for me.

Yes it did, but I can't find the pictures.

It was early in my career and I didn't know what I had. It was in nice shape. I sold it to a guy in Michigan that wanted a parts machine for a 424 he was restoring. We met at Antram's swapmeet for the deal. He looked it over and was kind of quiet. I figured there was something wrong with it. When he finally said something, he said it was nicer than the one he needed the parts for. Last we talked he decided to restore both of them and was looking for a third tractor for parts.
I thought the "A" wasn't added to the end until Gravely started giving 4-wheelers a different serial number system in '69, which is why I'm confused. 9975A should've been a '71, but J-9975 (or just 9975) would've been '67.

Regardless, with the identifying parts and other numbers it has to be a '67. I think it's just barely the oldest one in my spreadsheet.
 
#26 ·
Yes it did, but I can't find the pictures.

It was early in my career and I didn't know what I had. It was in nice shape. I sold it to a guy in Michigan that wanted a parts machine for a 424 he was restoring. We met at Antram's swapmeet for the deal. He looked it over and was kind of quiet. I figured there was something wrong with it. When he finally said something, he said it was nicer than the one he needed the parts for. Last we talked he decided to restore both of them and was looking for a third tractor for parts.
 
#29 ·
It's far from perfect but here's the first version. I want to improve the formatting and identify more changes like the rear gas tank, starter/gen, and the cast/fabbed tie rod arms so they can be tracked.

It seems that the 430 is definitely the most common model.

Thanks again to everyone that has shared their numbers. I'm always taking numbers for the next revision :fing02:
 

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#30 ·
Apparently I don't have excel on my laptop :sidelaugh on the dinosaur computer here looks good to me :thThumbsU
 
#33 ·
Nice John, very nice to look at. Interesting to see that most of the 424's found were made in 67'.
 
#36 ·
I'm wondering where on a 450 the serial numbers are to be found?
 
#37 ·
Check out the very first post :fing02:

Engine numbers are on a very obvious plate on the shroud.
 
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