John Rowehl

For IH tractors, I think the 86 series had the nicest styling.

Back in the 70’s I asked a farmer acquaintance how he liked his 986. His first response was similar to the comment made by J Mech about the shifting being difficult because there was so much linkage.

Looks great!

Nice 504. My Dad had one. Luckily we never had the tie rods get bent up despite being so vulnerable. Does it have a step on the right side? Hope you enjoy it.

Nice. Do you mind if I asked how much it cost?

We had a Hydro 70. My understanding is that the high amount of blow-by is characteristic of that engine.

And they say the IH 2+2 concept was ahead of its time. 🤔

What’s the verdict on the crank, block and head?

Re: Bale elevator. Years ago we tried out a John Deere model. Our situation was a little less conventional.We were mainly baling rye straw and delivering to the duck farms so we were using small trucks. Nice idea to be able to load with two people but with the bales spaced apart as much as they were and taking a single row, you had to move pretty fast through the field and even at that it took longer to make a load. We were stacking 16x18” bales 6 high, stacked in block tiers front to back. We set up two places along the side of the truck to position it. It did not have an adjustment for height like the one in the photo appears to have.So the bale was always coming off the elevator at face level. Just didn’t care for it. If we were down to two people, letting the truck creep along by itself with an occasional steering correction and throwing on 3-4 rows at a time by hand wasn’t as easy but more efficient.

Heart warming. Recently ran across a similar story. https://www.lancasterfarming.com/farm_life/antiques_and_history/tractor-serendipity-a-john-deere-returns-home/article_fafb8e41-d087-5cad-a951-ee8f9b8982b7.html

bitty:Thanks

I do; 11671-S-Y-FF

Would like to reacquire the Farmall 504 that I grew up with and restore it. Last known transaction was sale at McFadden Farm Equipment auction, Sharon Springs NY in November 2007. Photos here as it was about that time. Gas engine, wide front axle, clam shell fenders. . Would appreciate any information that could help me pick up the trail. John 717-829-1331, parowfam@ptd.net

I too thought that Case took over and eliminated the IH tractor line as evidenced by the initial move of the ( then current) Case tractors being painted red. I’d concluded that Case bought IH primarily for the combine and planter lines. Having left the ranks of actively farming, I didn’t keep up with the equipment business well for 30 years. Having read these two articles recently I now have a whole different perspective on what happened and feel much better about IH living on under the Case IH name. https://octanepress.com/content/color-your-blood https://octanepress.com/content/magnum-tractor-saved-brand These are excerpts from the book by Lee Klancher, Red Tractors. I’ll be reading the whole book starting on Christmas Day. Other good historical perspective in previous entry by George 2. Thanks

We had a 403 that my Dad bought in 1964. Gas engine and 3 gear variable speed drive. Had the stationary air intake screen and originally had a weed seed cleaner. Good solid machine. Put a lot of acres of rye through it. Good thing it came with the huge box wrench for unjamming the cylinder when that long rye straw wrapped around it late in the day when it got damp. Here is a photo of it in 1983, the year it was sold and replaced by a used JD6600. The Full Vision cab was put on in 1975. Last picture was from 2008, sometime after it had been acquired from a subsequent owner by the Long Island Antique Power Association and retired to its museum. Brings back lots of memories for me.