This photo is my Fathers 1951 McCormick W6. It was my fathers hook and pull tractor for many years until he retired from farming. The tractor ended in the corner of the shed, looking well used for more than 25 years. I just couldn’t let it sit there with the history it had. So I brought it home to give it new life again.
With very few IH dealerships in the area I tried eBay for some things but you couldn’t be sure if it was right or what you was getting. Then I received your catalog. You had what I needed and I knew I had someone to talk too.
Thank you for helping me bring memories back to life for many more years!
David Linenberg
Warrens, Wisconsin
Mysteries Revealed – Farmall v. International Tractors
What’s the difference between a Farmall and an International tractor?
The short answer is – not much. The International Harvester Company used a handful of different brand names for its tractors, like “McCormick,” “McCormick-Deering,” “International,” and “Farmall.” Very similar tractors were sold under these names at the same time – sort of like the relationship between a Lincoln Navigator and a Ford Expedition. Often there’s a good, understandable reason for the name of a specific model tractor – and sometimes, the factory just put on whatever nameplate or decal they had leftover.
The longer answer – and some of the reasons behind IHC’s tractor naming policies – starts with a history lesson.
The International Harvester Company was born on August 12, 1902 when McCormick, Deering, and three smaller companies merged. The resulting company was massive – it controlled 90% of the grain binder production and 80% of mower production in the United States.
Early tractors produced by the company had names you might recognize, like “Mogul” and “Titan.” Others used a combination of a company name and a number, like the International 8-16 or the McCormick Deering 10-20.
Things really took off for the company in 1924, when the first Farmall tractor was sold to the public. Originally, Farmall was simply a model name for a tractor that could do all the jobs on a farm – get it? The Farmall was a row-crop tractor, capable of cultivating in between the rows of growing crops. The ability to cultivate crops was the key selling point for many farmers, making the tractor a viable alternative to horses.
By 1931, the name had stuck. International began to use the name “Farmall” to describe other row-crop tractors as well, including the F-30. The next year, the F-20 was introduced – also with the name “Farmall” emblazoned on the hood.
When the letter series was introduced, the company’s division between Farmall- and International-branded tractors became clear. Row-crop tractors were designated Farmall, while utility (IHC called them “standard”), wheatland, and industrial tractors received alternate model names and numbers.
For standard tractors, the hood often read “McCormick-Deering Standard,” or “McCormick Standard,” depending on the date (Deering was dropped from the name midway through 1949). Industrial tractors were labeled “International,” although some early models may have the McCormick-Deering nameplate.
So, for example – the Farmall H is a sister tractor to a McCormick-Deering Standard W-4 (utility version) and an International I-4 (industrial version).
This same distinction was continued in the 50s, with the introduction of the hundred series tractors. The Farmall and International versions of the same tractor took on even more similarities – in many cases, the only differences were in the axles/tires and the name on the hood. As far as I know, tractors from this point on were no longer branded with just the name “McCormick,” except in Germany (but that’s a different story).
Things changed when herbicidal weed control gained popularity. Farmers no longer needed to cultivate their crops in the traditional manner – instead, they demanded more power.
IHC made tractors with either configuration (with the appropriate name on the hood) during this transition. For example – the 340 could be purchased as either a Farmall row-crop tractor or an International ‘Utility’ tractor.
The distinction started to blur, though, as tractors became larger and more powerful. The “06” series of tractors were some of the last that could be purchased with the name “Farmall” prominent on the hood. IHC moved towards using a large “International” nameplate on the hoods of all their tractors, with the (much smaller) “Farmall” designator added just above the model number. The 06 series up used the International side emblem on the standard tread ‘Wheatland’ tractors and also started using it on the 826 up Row Crop tractors. IHC officially ended use of the name Farmall in 1973, but it took two years (until 1975) until existing stock of nameplates were used up and the transition was final.
These are the general rules, but there’s plenty of odd exceptions. If you are restoring an old IHC tractor – particularly an unusual one – and want to be sure you get the name on the hood right, I highly recommend Guy Fay and Andy Kraushaar’s “Originality Guide” series, which gives highly detailed information on specific models and their factory decal specifications.
The Story Behind the Decal: McCormick-Deering Farmall
In this regular feature, we’ll explore the early inventors and businessmen behind today’s most popular tractor brands. Today, we’ll look into Cyrus McCormick, one of the men whose name appears on early Farmall tractors.
Cyrus McCormick got his start with horse-drawn reapers. Together with his father and brothers (and possibly also with the help of a slave and someone else’s design – history is unclear), Cyrus invented the mechanical reaper. He patented his design in 1834 and moved to Chicago a couple of years later to begin manufacturing the machines. McCormick’s reaper was a good design, but his salesmanship and business savvy is what really set him apart from the competition. His business prospered, and the McCormick family quickly became one of the leading families of Chicago.
Behind every great man stands a woman, and Cyrus was no exception to this adage. He married Nancy Fowler, a woman 25 years his junior, in 1858. Nettie (the nickname she prefered) had a mind for business herself, and took part in Cyrus’s work. This was very unusual for a woman of her time, but Netty’s perseverance and business acumen played a pivotal role in what would become the International Harvester company.
When the Great Chicago Fire struck, the McCormick factory was a total loss. At this point, Cyrus was 62 years old and incredibly wealthy – he could have easily ended the business and retired. But Nettie insisted on rebuilding, both for the sake of the Chicago workmen who depended on the factory for their livelihoods and for the sake of her sons, who she didn’t want to see grow up “in idleness.” Nettie convinced her husband – they sold their home in New York (where they had been living at the time of the fire) and returned to Chicago to rebuild. Until her husband’s death in 1884, Nettie was the effective (although unofficial) head of the company.
Nettie and Cyrus were great philanthropists during their marriage, but once Cyrus had passed and the reigns of the business were in the hands of his son (Cyrus Jr.), Nettie devoted even more of her attention to doing the most good possible with her substantial wealth. Nettie and Cyrus were devout Christians, and Nettie believed quite strongly that she was responsible to God to use her wealth to honor Him. She gave to hundreds of charitable organizations both in the United States and abroad. Many of the organizations she gave to, like the McCormick Theological Seminary, Moody Bible Institute, and the Pacific Garden Mission, are still in operation today. A private giver, much of her generosity wasn’t known until years after her death.
Next time you see an older Farmall tractor, I hope you’ll take a moment to notice the name “McCormick” on the decal and think of Cyrus and Nettie. And if your tractor’s decals say “McCormick-Deering,” don’t worry! We’ll talk about William Deering and the merger that created International Harvester soon.
To read more about Cyrus and Nettie McCormick, visit the Philanthropy Roundtable or PBS.
Tractor Stories – 1941 McCormick Deering
This is my 1941 McCormick Deering Farmall A. I just finished restoring it using several parts from Steiner Tractor Parts. This has been my first tractor project and has been alot of fun to do and to take to shows around the South Island of New Zealand. We have just been to the Edendale Crank Up weekend celebrating 110 years since the first International Harvester arrived in New Zealand. I bought this tractor after going to Red Power Round Up in 2010 and decided I needed to have a project of my own.
The tractor is a hand crank (no mount for the starter motor), no electrics model, and is still fitted with the original distillate manifold. It has a factory fitted pto and belt pulley.
I have sent before and after pictures (above).
Thanks to the Steiners team for all your help with the parts I required
Martin Thompson
New Zealand