The beginning of the last tractor at Farmall

[nepoweshiekfarmalls]

6 hours ago, SDman said:

The whole problem with that is....the surviving next generation of said former employee will look at the photos and say, "what are these, they mean nothing to me", and then they get discarded. 

 

My thoughts exactly!

[Drysleeves]

3 hours ago, nepoweshiekfarmalls said:

My thoughts exactly!

Thanks to Farmington Implement the movies are saved for posterity.

[IHC5488]

I would like to find out or see more pictures of the last 5488 MFD being built.  I saved this issue of Harvester Highlights from 2006.  Photos are from a Dale Jensen, Springfield Illinois.  Enjoy......

  

 

 

 

The tractor on the stand with Farmall sign is not the last tractor,  I heard that was model with no guts and was on display showing what was being assembled at that time....just here say.......

[Drysleeves]

1 hour ago, IHC5488 said:

I would like to find out or see more pictures of the last 5488 MFD being built.  I saved this issue of Harvester Highlights from 2006.  Photos are from a Dale Jensen, Springfield Illinois.  Enjoy......

  

 

 

 

The tractor on the stand with Farmall sign is not the last tractor,  I heard that was model with no guts and was on display showing what was being assembled at that time....just here say.......

Thanks for posting those pics.

[nepoweshiekfarmalls]

Incredible!  I have never seen that issue of the HH.  Before I joined the IHCC organization. 

[Bermuda_Ken]

Farmall had an employee (Paul Haps) who shot the piccy of the final farmall that everyone has seen.  During his time working there, Paul took LOTS of photos inside the plant of people and the processes there.  Paul ran a photo studio after Farmall closed.  I was told he had a large box (12x12x12) of NEGATIVES.....just negatives....NOT prints.  Many, many years later Paul's secretary was cleaning the office and (you guessed right) tossed everything by accident. 

[IHC5488]

2 hours ago, Bermuda_Ken said:

Farmall had an employee (Paul Haps) who shot the piccy of the final farmall that everyone has seen.  During his time working there, Paul took LOTS of photos inside the plant of people and the processes there.  Paul ran a photo studio after Farmall closed.  I was told he had a large box (12x12x12) of NEGATIVES.....just negatives....NOT prints.  Many, many years later Paul's secretary was cleaning the office and (you guessed right) tossed everything by accident. 

That's a bummer!

[IHhogfarmer]

I was fortunate enough to see the last 5488 at the CaseIH booth during the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in October 2017. 

[SDman]

Just curious...if you look at the bottom set of pictures on Matt's post...there are 2 different sets of rear tires shown on a 50 series tractor. Are those 2 different tractors or did the last 5488 originally have rice & cane tires, and then later they were changed to R1 style tires? Seems like I've seen the last 5488 with different rear tires on it through the years.

 

Maybe its another mystery like the rear wheels being changed on the 5 millionth 1066?

[IHC5488]

26 minutes ago, SDman said:

Just curious...if you look at the bottom set of pictures on Matt's post...there are 2 different sets of rear tires shown on a 50 series tractor. Are those 2 different tractors or did the last 5488 originally have rice & cane tires, and then later they were changed to R1 style tires? Seems like I've seen the last 5488 with different rear tires on it through the years.

 

Maybe its another mystery like the rear wheels being changed on the 5 millionth 1066?

Something is off.     I can see other tractors coming down the line behind the "last" tractor.  Obviously that can be other models or just tractors trying to get completed.   Tires are different and so is the exhaust pipe.  

[IHhogfarmer]

I noticed the same thing SD pointed out. My understanding has been the rice tires was changed at some point to the tires in the pic I posted. 

[acem]

Years ago, I read here on red power the tires were changed for some reason. 

Those Goodyear Rice and Canes pulled really good in mud but were kinda short lived.  Tended to crack out around those agressive lugs.  The Firestones R2s lasted better but BF Goodrich  R2s will last forever if you keep them off the pavement.

[Bermuda_Ken]

When I first found the 5488 stored in Racine in 1987...the current tires (non Rice/Cane) were fitted on it. 

I believe they were switched before it ever left the factory. I think they used up what ever tires they had on hand to get it built (and other tractors there) finished and out the door, later swapping them for less $$$ tires.

When CIH let me "borrow" the Final 5488 for the 1993 Red Power Roundup...(its first ever public display!!!) I put the Chrome stack in a Thomure Mfg box for safe storage during shipping....

Here's a piccy of what Neal Stone and I took to MO....1-owner IH 826 gold demo.......I-660 Gas...Final 5488...Oldest known Farmall Regular sn#293....  We put the 5488 and regular together in the IH Specialty Tent (Darrel Darst's idea) along with Tracto the IH robot, the first IH no-till planter and a special IH Scout.  It made for a great display that I'm still reminded of...

 

 

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

So how many hours are on the last 5488? Almost nothing?

[utility 64]

Le 10/04/2025 à 03:08, IHC5488 a dit :

J'aimerais voir plus de photos du dernier MFD 5488 en cours de construction. J'ai conservé ce numéro de Harvester Highlights de 2006. Les photos proviennent de Dale Jensen, de Springfield, dans l'Illinois. Bonne conférence !

  

 

 

 

Le tracteur sur le stand avec le panneau Farmall n'est pas le dernier tracteur, j'ai entendu dire que c'était un modèle sans entrailles et qu'il était exposé montrant ce qui était en cours d'assemblage à ce moment-là... juste ici pour dire...

J'ai ce numéro. J'ai posté ces photos sur un forum français. Voici le lien.

https://www.lestracteursrouges.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=33869&sid=bbb12abcfe668d1d0715f1a2289e3a9f

Brochure purchased on eBay. If I find a link on eBay, I'll let you know.

Edited April 12, 2025 by utility 64