I have been wanting an H for quite a while. I had the chance to get a nice one back in June, but I decided to pass since the timing just wasn't right. I let Rick Spivey grab it and I have been kickin' myself ever since. That is until today.
I saw this for a right nice price on Cincinnati's Craigslist Thursday while I was in Georgia at Stonethrow. I called the guy but he never called back. When I got home on Sunday I emailed him as a follow up. Still nothing, so I figured he had sold it. This morning I got a call from the seller. He said he had changed internet providers and never got the email. He was also out of town and all his calls got dropped. I called Bigdog for advice on what to look for on an H. He was kind enough to fill me in on the things I should check. Thanks Darrell, I appreciate the time as well as the nice chat.
Anyway, I drove about an hour to pay him a visit. I spent another hour looking it over. Mechanically and cosmetically it is in great shape. It is due for front tires and there are a few scratches but the tin and paint look pretty good. Long story short, it caught a ride north to the barnyard.
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. - Franklin D. Roosevelt -
I know they were tremendously popular in their time, but I never really liked H's--too big to be a small tractor, but too small to be a big tractor. That said, it looks like you have a nice, clean straight H there--congrats! I love to see well-kept originals like that end up in a good home! What year is it?
Tractors Owned: 1949 Cub "The Paperweight" Cub powered IH 52R combine Grandfather's 1948 Super A White demo Super A-"Ol Whitey" 1950 Super A "Old Ugly" 1954 Super A-1 856 Buncha other junk
I have 2, one runs, one not so much. But the 2nd is on the "To-do" list, and I have acquired an H loader for it. Ah the memories of loading manure with non-live hydraulics and the trip bucket, if you got coordinated maximizing up-loader time while clutch is out and a coordinated reset-bucket while backing, it became somewhat efficient. Takes ppl a while to get coordinated. In New England we have (had) the "barn-cellar" that was cleaned out 4-6 time/yr plus getting chicken manure from several chicken farms then with us it was a lot of dump truck --> field then in the spring all the spreading just before plowing. Good times!
It looks a lot like my '50 except yours has fenders, which most of them don't these days, not sure why.
There's always been a soft spot in my heart for the H. Some of my fondest memories of farm work are driving my neighbor's H for raking hay. It was that neighbor who was the first to roll my dad's cub (my '48).
I have a couple of spare parts that you might want. I'll bring them to the next event I go to. I have a spare front grill cover and might have a PTO guard.
The H is one of the best antique tractor buys out there, at least in this part of the country.
Congrats Bill, that looks a nice tractor! Belt pulley, swingin' drawbar, pre-cleaner, all the lights, monroe seat and fenders to boot! The dogs seem to enjoy it too!
H's are nice, easy to handle and light. A few friends tried to talk me into one instead of an M, but I had my heart set on an M. I'd alot rather have an H over a C...to each his own, but I just don't like the looks of a C.
Just got back from my other place where I keep some of my toys including the H and spare parts. The PTO cover I have is only 8" long compared to the one on my tractor which is 13". Not sure what the standard size is but my shaft sticks out about 10".
Looking at these pic's makes me home sick. We had an M and a H on our home farm. Some times I'd would forget which one I was driving, they are so near alike. However the H was easier to fill the gas tank. !! They were a good pair to have on the farm. I miss them.
That is until today.
