It doesn’t get much more of a barn find than an old tractor found in a barn on a working farm! The Farmall was International Harvester’s smallest tractor, which they produced from 1947 till 1964. This 1949 is listed here on craigslist in St. Louis, Missouri and is priced at $1,500.
It is reported that in the 17 year run over 200,000 were built. Many owners use this tractor today for mowing large lawns or golf courses with a belly mower attached like this one. The Farmall is also used by small-acreage farmers, truck gardens, or as an emergency back up on larger farms.
The owner says this in an all original example with a new battery and the tires are in good shape.
There is a large group of collectors of farming equipment and implements. Could this ’49 Farmall be the start of yours? There are probably some local parades you could take part in with your Farmall, like the 4th of July, what fun!
Motor-on,
Robert
Thanks, Robert. ( you are fast becoming my favorite contributor :) ) Love classic tractors, and are well below the radar when it comes to collecting iron. This tractor is offset, called “Cultivision”, and gave the operator a clear view of the field in front of them. These were probably some of the 1st tractors G.I.’s bought when they returned home, and started farming. Certainly not the most powerful, ( 9.25 hp at the belt, 8 at the drawbar) but it was a vast improvement over the horse. ( many farms still had horses after the war) Old tractors are so simple to work on, and I’m working on a few right now for a farmer friend. This tractor has a cushy life now, but there was a time when this was high-class, and they were worked every day.
Thanks, Howard A, I will try to keep them coming your way.
Agree with the general sentiment about contributors H.A., but all these guys are my favorites.
My brother inlaw has one of these with the mowing deck for his acreage where he lives. The thing is immaculate and runs like a top. Cool find.
Well Robert, you really opened a can of snakes here. I can bet there will be tons of comments! Like Howard A. says, easy to work on for sure. And plenty around. In Wisconsin, maybe more tractors in barns than cars. All kinds of events here in the summer for the old beasts. The Farm and Fleet stores in the Midwest even have a small area dedicated to there repair and resto. Decals paint, etc. Thanks, and a Happy Thanksgiving to all!
“The Farm and Fleet stores in the Midwest even have a small area dedicated to there repair and resto. Decals paint, etc.”
That’s amazing- don’t think our local Tractor Supply has a section like that. I can see why though- in the area I live in, old tractors are everywhere. I grew up around an Allis Chalmers “B” and a Ferguson “TO20” – and my dad only had 9 acres!
Redneck Restorations on YouTube has a Farmall Tractor that was restored.
Bob
Nice one! Most of the examples around here have gone to the restoration and park it crowd, thereby putting them out of reach for those who could use them. If this one had hydraulics, a 3-point hitch and a PTO it’d already be gone!
I can’t believe it….this is the machine I learned to drive on, in Florida when we visited my grandparents way back in the last century. I was about 10 years old, and to me, being allowed to drive Grand dad’s Farmall was a better reason to visit Florida than even driving on Daytona beach in the family ’50s Caddy. I guess I didn’t appreciate girls quite as much as driving a stick shift back then.
It had a stubby 3-on-the-floor stickshift and a very ‘in-and-out’ clutch, but I was able to master it OK and felt like the king of the world. Then I could give the younger kids rides around the tiny farm. This really brings back memories. Great listing.
Is there a Barn Finds for old tractors?
A colleague of mine from Canada had a grandfather with a steam tractor. No chance of finding one of those, but some cool old tractors to refurb for a really small plot of land would be a sweet…….sweet find.
There’s a place here in Albetra Canada in a small town north of Calgary called Iricana where there is a working museum, where they run the big steam tractors. I know for sure there is a big Case up there and a very rare heartpar twin cylinder steal wheel beast, what I’m told one only three to exist. The museum is called pioneer acres, they also have a building full of resorted farm trucks out there.
My dad who is now in his 80’s has a Micormick tractor that he still takes to tractor pulls in the summer months. Very cool find, cheers.
In the ’60’s and ’70’s, they mowed my school yard with one of these. The county I live in has community garden plots out on the old “county farm” (don’t ask). There’s one of these in rusty condition that’s been there for years sitting in front of somebody’s plot. I notice it every time I ride by on the neighboring bike trail. Since there’s no tin can over the exhaust stack, I bet she’s frozen solid.
I have one just like it with the same belly mower and all sitting out in my Pasture. I also have a 1946 and a 1949 8-N ford and two ferguson tractor that are about the same age range.