Restoration Stories

1949 International Harvester Farmall Cub
Larry Lanker of Xenia, Ohio inherited his grandfathers 1949 Farmall Cub. Perry Lanker, Larry’s grandfather, purchased the Cub in April of 1949 from Smith Sales & Service, Lawrenceville, Illinois.
Larry said, this tractor is not only special to him because both his grandfather and father, Lawrence Lanker have owned it but he was with his grandfather when he took delivery in 1949. It has been owned by the lanker family since. After Perry purchased the tractor Larry said, I would work my 'tail end off' just to get to drive the tractor.

My Farmall “B”, By Roy K Johnson, LaSalle, Colorado

In 1902, my parents immigrated to the United States from Sweden. They became citizens, and eventually migrated to Colorado and began farming. They farmed the land with horses for many years, before buying their first tractor a Farmall “B.”

Frederick Allmaras’s was a young child when his father Alfons purchased this new 1943 Farmall H. At the tender age of 6 Frederick learned to drive on this tractor. This was the main tractor for the Allmaras farm giving many years of service doing farm work. Alfons purchased the H at Haas Inc. in New Rockford, North Dakota in 1943. It was a very popular model and 390,000 were manufactured. The H has a four-cylinder gasoline engine with 3 3/8 X 4 ¼ “ bore and stroke.

Ray Haffner of Springfield, Missouri had his first encounter with a Farmall Cub when he was a young lad in his hometown of Pomeroy, Iowa. It was the late forties and he was at the Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa. He visited the International Harvester booth and there it sat the prettiest little red tractor he had ever seen. “I just admired the beautiful little red tractor,” said Ray.

Robert Warland of Fort Dodge, Iowa is currently the owner of his fathers 1936 John Deere A. In his story he recalls an earlier time when daily chores of man and animal were replaced by machine.
Robert’s father, Joseph W. Warland purchased the A new from the local John Deere dealership that was located in downtown Fort Dodge, Iowa at the time. Robert fully restored the A after he purchased it many years later. Robert’s son Joel wrote this tribute the family’s tractor.

Ode To My Grandather’s John Deere
By Joel Warland

When Curtis Henderson purchased his 1955 Oliver Super 77 from Tudor Farm Equipment in Zearing, Iowa he could have never guessed the affect it would have on his young son David. David Henderson of Colo, Iowa is the current owner of his fathers old tractor.

The Agricultural History Project located in Watsonville, California collects and restores local antique tractors. The group is made up of members with officers to oversee and assist in direction of the project. It has over 350 members and currently thirty tractors ranging from 1920 through 1965.

Paul Watral of Long Island, New York is a collector of rare and unusual antique farm tractors. His favorite are those with low serial numbers and very low production. In his collection of over 100 tractors several are one of a kind like this 1956 John Deere 60 Orchard.