The John Deere Model MI could be special ordered in any color. This allowed government agencies and other purchasers to order new tractors that would match the rest of their existing fleets. This also allowed them to get higher visibility colors than green, since most of these tractors were used in high traffic areas. The current known colors that were manufactured are listed below in order of most common to least common. At the bottom of this page is a section on determining your MI’s original color.
Highway Yellow:
The most common color of MI’s was yellow. The most common shade was “Highway Yellow”. It differs from John Deere Yellow by having a slightly orange hue to it. Since any color MI could be ordered, there was likely many different shades of yellow produced. If you have more information on yellow MI’s, please Contact Us!
John Deere currently refers to Highway Yellow as Old Construction Yellow.
Gallon Part Number: TY25678
Spray Can Part Number: TY25679
Highway Orange:
The second most common color of MI’s was orange. The most common shade was “Highway Orange”. Similar to yellow, since any color MI could be ordered, there was likely many different shades of orange produced. Among collectors, Omaha Orange is believed to be the closest color to the original highway orange. If you have more information on Orange MI’s, please Contact Us!
The only orange John Deere currently offers is Hitachi Industrial Orange.
Gallon Part Number: Unavailable from John Deere, can be found from other providers.
Spray Can Part Number: TY25630
Other Paint matched options: PPG 60488
John Deere Green:
The most common color, of the uncommon colors, of MI’s was green. The most common shade was “John Deere Green”. The green MI’s were believed to be used primarily in groves and orchards. These tractors were painted with the same paint as their agricultural counterparts. John Deere Green has changed many times over the years and currently there are two paint colors John Deere offers that most collectors use during restorations. The most accurate to the original green is called Classic Green, and the other option is called Ag & Turf Green. Color is very subjective but I would describe Classic Green as being a slightly olive shade of green, and I would describe Ag & Turf Green as being John Deere’s current green with less of the olive tint. The center tractor is painted Ag & Turf green and the other two are Classic Green. If you have more information on Green MI’s, please Contact Us!
Classic Green:
Gallon Part Number: TY25670
Spray Can Part Number: TY25644
Ag & Turf Green:
Gallon Part Number: TY25656
Spray Part Number: TY25624
Brown:
The next known color is Brown, and it is very uncommon. I have seen three examples of brown MI’s, all of which were North Carolina DOT tractors. I do not know what the specific paint color was called or what the modern equivalent would be. If you have more information on brown MI’s, please Contact Us!
Red:
The final known color is Red, and it is very uncommon. I have only seen one example of a Red MI. It was believed to be commissioned by the Waterloo, Iowa Fire Department. I do not know what the specific paint color was called or what the modern equivalent would be. If you have more information on Red MI’s, please Contact Us!
Blue & Other Colors?
The most rare color of MI would be any color that is not mentioned above. The reason this would be the most rare is because there is no photographic evidence any other colors exist. There are rumors that some MI’s were sent to the state of New York in a blue and yellow color scheme. There are also rumors that some MI’s were sent to the state of Kentucky painted blue. If you have any additional information of any kind about other colors of MI’s, please reach out to us via the Contact Us! Tab that can be found at the top and bottom of this page.
Determining Your MI’s Original Color:
Determining your MI’s original color can be a challenge because of three main reasons. The first reason is that John Deere did not keep any records of how many tractors were produced in each color. Which means even if you get the Two Cylinder Serial Number Research done, it will very likely not include the color. The second reason is that many MI’s have been repainted over time. When one department was done with the tractor and another one bought it, sometimes they would repaint it to match their fleet. If a farmer bought it they would sometimes be painted green since that is the “right” color for John Deere. There have been multiple stories of people buying MI’s to find out they were originally a completely different color than they currently are. We talked with a gentlemen from Iowa who bought a restored yellow MI at an auction and after removing the oil bath cup he found orange paint. After further investigation, his MI was originally orange. The third reason is because most parts on an M and MI are interchangeable, so if something on an MI broke it was much easier to replace it with an M part that was most likely green.
Tips for Determining Original Color:
Original paint is going to be very faded, it is over 70 years old. When looking for original paint, keep in mind it will be very dull and faded.
Look in hidden areas such as under the hood, inside of the grill, pivot point of the front axle, under clamps, under washers, etc.…. If the tractor had a quick repaint odds are they did not take the time to completely take the tractor apart and paint every nook and cranny.
Take a high grit sand paper and start gently sanding in a low visibility area such as the underside, this will reveal previous colors. If your MI is in rough shape, scraping away the paint layers might be easier. Keep in mind that John Deere used a very light yellow colored primer on some parts of the tractor!
The best way to find the original color is to gently remove the serial number plate. While this is not a foolproof method, the odds of someone taking this plate off to paint the tractor is very low so you will probably find the original color there, or be able to sand/scrape this area to find the original color.
Ask for help! We have a great community of enthusiasts that are happy to share their opinions. Feel free to contact us and we will do our best to help you!
Originally yellow MI painted green