Comm 10 vs 10A

I have a friend a few hours from me looking at an ad for a Comm 10. Are there any sure ways other than the belt drive starter to determine if it is an A or not? Did the 10s have swifty axles or just single axle speeds? Would a regular 10 be a good grass mowing machine even though it is a bit faster? He has a few Ls but wants some thing to push a 40" on a hill at his house that he does not feel comfortable riding on his tractor.