Canary-colored IH: 1961 International 4300

This tractor was featured for the month of November in the 2009 Classic Farm Tractor Calendar.

Looking like a canary rather than a cardinal, what’s the deal? It really is an IH tractor, a monster with a 6-cyl. 817-cu. in. turbo engine, built to compete with Deere’s four-wheel-drive tractor, nearly 50 years ago. Fewer than four dozen were built and only a handful remain. It’s yellow because it was built are the IH Hough Payloader plant in Libertyville, Ill, a factory for construction equipment. Everything that came out of that plant was painted yellow. This one had an Allison automatic transmission with air brakes and “crab” steering. It is not articulated, but all four wheel are steerable. Engine needed 34 quarts in the crankcase.

Owner: Jerry W. Mez

Avoca, Iowa

He’s sold his Case IH dealership, but his passion for IH Farmall tractors is as strong as ever. His Farmall-Land USA Museum, hard by I-80 in western Iowa, is a must-see for Red Power fans. Lettering on the front says, “Before I Grew Up, I was a Cub Cadet.”

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