There is a new book just published in September, 2009, by McFarland & Company, Inc, Publishers, titled "FORD In The Service Of America" by Mr. Timothy J. O'Callaghan, ISBN #978-0-7864-4485-4 that I was fortunate to have been the first person to take out the book at my local library. How thrilled I was to find a small chapter on Moto-Tugs. I immediately flipped to the pages and what Mr. O'Callaghan printed from archives at the Benson Ford Research center at the Henry Ford, Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan. The information doesn't answer all the questions but it does fill in a lot of blanks.

Mr. O'Callaghan told me that is all he found in the archives on Tug production. This a very good reference book on all the Ford military and War production parts, components, and vehicles. It has a lot of good data packed into its' small package. I now have an autographed copy in my personal library. If you are into FORD History -military or Moto-Tugs - this is for you.

Tim Daley(MI)

*9N653I* & *8NI55I3*

Thanks Tim,I just ordered my copy from Amizon .com $35.00 with free shipping,I have one of those tugs with a higher serial # than 3025.

Tim:

Kudos to you for taking the initive to track down Mr. O'Callaghan and obtain this info. With respect to total production, I only know of one example with a serial number over 3,050 and that one isn't far enough over that it couldn't be considered rounding error. It's just hard to jive total production of 10,000+ with the few surviving examples today. I CAN see a higher number if you were to include all tractors supplied to the military, some of which were just 2N's with turf tires and front and rear hitches. Still, 10,000+???

It's mentioned in one of the Ford books that some Tugs have a brass or aluminum serial number plate on the fender to the left side of the driver and some do not. The holes for the mounting brads are not even drilled on many Tugs indicating that no plate was ever installed. An unanswered question is whether the plates were to fulfill a military requirement or whether the presence or absence indicates that Tugs were menufactured in different locations.

Once again, thanks.

Bob In PA

A great find Tim, I have closely followed this very interesting search and happy to see the results. Sure nice that Mr O'Callaghan was willing to let you post the quotes too! Thanks to all you folks.