Case · L Series series

Case LA

Name: Case LA
Brand: Case

Standard tractor · 1940–1953 · Gasoline

The Case LA was Case's flagship large standard-tread tractor of the 1940s and early 1950s, powered by a massive 403 cubic-inch 4-cylinder engine offered in gasoline, tractor-fuel, and LP-gas variants. Nebraska-tested at roughly 52 drawbar and 58-59 belt horsepower, it was among the most powerful tractors Case produced during this era, aimed at large-acreage grain and heavy-tillage farming. Its long, unbroken 13-year production run reflected strong demand from farmers needing serious pulling power before the shift to diesel power in the following decade.

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Photo: Ellin Beltz. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

belt power: 58.5 hp
Weight: 7,515 lb (3,409 kg)
Displacement: 403 ci (6.6 L)

Overview
Type	Standard
Series	L Series
Production	1940–1953
Factory	Racine, Wisconsin, USA

Engine
Make	J.I. Case
Fuel	Gasoline
Cylinders	4
Displacement	403 ci (6.6 L)
Bore × stroke	4.625x6.00 in
Rated speed	1,100 rpm
Compression	4.83:1
Cooling	liquid-cooled
Aspiration	Naturally aspirated

Power
Drawbar power	51.7 hp (38.5 kW)
Belt power	58.5 hp (43.6 kW)
Nebraska test	Nebraska Test 480

Transmission
Transmission	sliding-gear, unsynchronized — 4 forward, 1 reverse
Chassis	4x2 2WD

Dimensions & capacities
Weight	7,515 lb (3,409 kg)
Wheelbase	82 in (208 cm)
Fuel capacity	31 gal (117 L)
Aux fuel	2 gal (7.57 L)
Front tires	7.50-18
Rear tires	15-30

History

Introduced in 1940 as a successor to the earlier Case L, the LA carried forward the same big-bore 4-cylinder engine architecture while incorporating updated styling, a stronger drivetrain, and various operator convenience improvements. As Case's largest wheeled tractor of the period, the LA served large-scale grain farmers, custom threshing operators, and heavy belt-work applications where its substantial engine and generous fuel capacity were assets.

The LA was offered in gasoline, tractor-fuel (low-compression distillate), and, later, LP-gas configurations, the latter reflecting the growing popularity of propane as a farm fuel in the postwar Midwest. Nebraska testing in 1952 (Tests 480-482) confirmed the tractor's standing as one of the most powerful machines of its class, with the LP-gas variant edging out gasoline in both drawbar and belt output. The LA remained in production through 1953, by which point Case was already developing the diesel-powered models that would define its next generation of standard-tread tractors.

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