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What Year Was My Fitch Tractor Built?

Fitch Four Drive Tractor Manufacture Plates and Engines

  I've seen a number of articles and online regarding the particular year a Fitch tractor was produced. I've seem some references stating a museum or private owner has a 1914 or 1917 Fitch tractor. From newspaper articles recently obtained, the first Fitch tractor that was shipped was on May 24, 1917. Therefor, there is no way there are any Fitch tractors can be from 1914-16 - except if it was any of the prototype or test tractors.
  The 1917-18 Fitch tractors came in various horsepower ratings with the most common being the 15-26. These were built with either Waukesha or Beaver engines.
  The Model D 20-35 started production in 1919 and had a Climax engine. These also are identified with the distinctive oval fuel tank located behind the hood and engine. Previous models had the fuel tank molded into the hood and is not readily visible. If a Fitch tractor has a Climax engine, it is a Model D and can be no earlier than 1919, this of course assuming it still has the original engine installed.
  I've documented 3 different manufactures plates on Fitch tractors. None of them have any dates or years of manufacture which compounds the issue of identifying the proper year. The Kelseyville, CA Fitch D (#1337) has a thin black plate located on the front frame under the radiator with "The Four Drive Tractor Co." on the top of the tag. The Las Vegas, NV (#1345) and Angels Camp, CA (#1346) tractors' plates are of the same style and location except the plates are brass. The Albany, MN D20-35 (#1637) has a much larger plate located on the front frame under the radiator with "The Four Drive Tractors, LTD" at the bottom of the tag and contains the rating (20-35) as well as information on lubrication. This style of plate is from after Arthur Martz purchased the company at an auction in March 1922 and changed the business from a company to a limited partnership. So those Model D's with the smaller, thinner plates are from 1919-21.
  The Model E 15-30 were initially called "The Cat". The Michael Betz Model E #3009 in Battle Creek, MI has an image of a ferocious looking cat on it. Later Model F's - like those at Rodney, MI (#3064) and Ontario, Canada (#3065) - plates are similar in style to the one noted above like the Albany, MN Model D20-35. The Model E/F were equipped with a Waukesha engine. The plates on engines also include the month and year of the engine.

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