Made from 1937 to 1953, the John Deere G with 31 belt HP
was the most powerful tractor Deere had built to that time.
The Model John Deere Model G a full 3 plow tractor rounded out
the John Deere general purpose tractor line. The Model G tractor
originally tested at 20.7 drawbar horsepower and 31.4 at the belt.
It was introduced as an unstyled tractor in 1937.
John Deere model GM Tractor
In 1942 the G was replaced with a styled model GM. The G was
the last of the lettered series to get the styling. The GM had 6
forward speeds, rubber tires, electric starting and lights from
the factory.
However, thousands of the GM's were built with 4 speed transmissions,
steel wheels and hand start because of the interference of World War
II. The GM also had the exhaust stack and air intake stack placed
side by side, rather than the original design...fore and aft.
The GM designation came to "fool" the government into thinking this
was a new tractor model in order to get a price increase from the
War Price Board. The cost increase was needed to cover the cost
of the new 6 speed transmission.
The M designation stood for modernized.
At serial number 23000 the G designation returned.
Early in 1948 the G designation came back and the GM dropped. The
new G got a cushioned seat mounted over the battery box plus
electric start and lights.
Pre-production 1937 John Deere G
G Tractors can be divided into 3 main groups
Unstyled G
Model GM
Styled G
Variations within the model G & GM included:
Model GW
Model GN
Model GH
1938 John Deere G
G Tractor Tidbits
Model G production began in the middle of the John Deere Centennial
Year, 1937.
Model G's from serial number 1000 (the first) to 4250 had a smaller
radiator. This prompted over heating which called for a change to a
bigger radiator. Many were changed by dealers or farmers, but no
one knows how many original smaller radiator G's are still around.
Sometimes these are referred to as low radiator G's.
At serial number 7100 in late 1938 a larger upper water pipe was
put on the tractor to help the cooling system do a better job.
There were no Model G tractors from the factory that were designed
to run on gasoline. All Model G's had all-fuel engines. There were
conversion kits available to make the tractor run on gasoline. G's
running on gasoline gave a rise in horsepower to about 50 at the
belt as opposed to the 40 hp on all-fuel. Deere gave it's
blessings to the conversion kits.
A new 1939 Model G cost $1,185.
A new 1953 Model G cost $2,600.
The original Model G was rated at 20.7 drawbar and 31.44 belt horsepower.
In 1953 the Model G was rated at 34.49 drawbar and 38.1 belt.
Some tractor pulling enthusiasts like the big engine of the G and
using an after market power block and other modifications some G's
have been reported as making up to 100 horsepower.
Next: John Deere H
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History of Deere Tractors
