Farmall Tractors

For 1955 models of International Harvester tractors, the numbered “hundred series” was introduced.  Although the hundred series included some new paint and a few new tweaks, they were essentially just overhauled letter series tractors.  In July of 1958, International Harvester hosted over 12,000 dealers from greater than 25 countries.  International Harvester showed off their new line of “60″ series tractors, which included the big, first of their kind six-cylinder 460 and 560 model tractors.  Although they seemed to have brought an innovative new line to the market, the excitement over the new line of tractors was short lived.  In June of the next year, International Harvester was forced to recall the 460, 560, and 660 tractors because their final drive components had failed repeatedly in production models.  This was the beginning of the end of a prosperous three decades for International Harvester.

The F-series tractors survived until 1938.  In 1939, International Harvester introduced the “letter series” of tractors, which were designated A, B, BN, C, H, and M.  Another smaller tractor, known as the Cub was also introduced.  At the time of the introduction of the Letter series, International Harvester’s commissioned industrial designer gave the Farmall a new, updated look.  The letter series offered a wide range of options and power.  The H line was the most popular.  The Letter series was updated to the “super” series in 1952, and received many improvements.  The Letter series of Farmall tractors was produced until 1954, and was a defining product line in the history of International Harvester.

Farmall began as the name for the first line of tractors produced by International Harvester that was unique for its narrowly spaced front wheels.  International Harvester went on to name their entire line of tractors after the Farmall, and it became a household name in the tractor manufacturing sector.  Farmall is known by almost all the older generation of farmers who grew up around the time that tractors replaced horses as the primary work horse in the agriculture industry.