# Classic Iron



## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Showing off my farm kid roots here. In 1970 International Harvester produced a limited number of "Demonstrator Gold" tractors for dealers to show off the features of some of their new models. When our local dealer was done demonstrating his Gear Drive 826, my dad bought it. I still remember the day he brought it home, and how pretty I thought it was because it was gold and shiny. Over the years I spent a LOT of hours in the seat of that tractor helping dad on the farm.

After almost 40 years of hard labor in the fields, it wasn't so shiny and pretty anymore.

















But it is now old enough to qualify as a classic/antique tractor, so it has been retired from active farm duty and restored to it's original gold and shiny beauty!







Just brought it home to the parent's farm today after the restoration was finished.

























The restored 826 will be making it's public debut next Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Cabela's in Dundee, MI where our antique tractor club will be participating in a 38 mile Poker Run and tractor display to benefit the Catch a Dream Foundation.


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## vtxbud (Apr 4, 2009)

Wow !!!!

Nice job...looks Great.

Spent a few hours on one of those (not the gold model of course) also, summer job teen years on a friends farm.

Good Luck in the Poker Rally


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

vtxbud said:


> Wow !!!!
> 
> Nice job...looks Great.
> 
> ...


Thanks, a local guy did the restoration work and did a good job. Hardest part was getting the gold color right, as there are no official records from IH telling the exact color they used. He used a section of a fender that had been covered by a decal, and so wasn't faded/rusted out, to get a computer match for the color - came out nice.

The Poker Run should be fun. My dad will be driving his 1946 Farmall H, the same model tractor that his dad bought when he was growing up. I'll be driving the 826, the first new tractor I remember dad bringing home. That will make it pretty neat for us.


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

NICE!! I've seen one of the gold 826's at a show, but I didn't know the story!! Thanks!! 
At one time my Dad had 18 Farmall H's in various states of repair, not sure how many he has now, but at 86 he still takes his "H" to the woods and the pond a few times a week. He prefered the narrow front end model. Which is your Dad's H narrow or wide frontend?


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

Looks Awesome!!

It always so rewarding to restore something....let alone something that has been in your family and apart of your childhood!!! Congrats!!!


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

ember said:


> NICE!! I've seen one of the gold 826's at a show, but I didn't know the story!! Thanks!!
> At one time my Dad had 18 Farmall H's in various states of repair, not sure how many he has now, but at 86 he still takes his "H" to the woods and the pond a few times a week. He prefered the narrow front end model. Which is your Dad's H narrow or wide frontend?


Dad's H has the narrow front end. His is also unique in that it has a hand clutch in addition to the foot clutch. We're guessing that the original owner was a WWII vet who may have had some type of injury that made it hard for him to use the foot clutch, so the hand clutch was added.


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

clarkely said:


> Looks Awesome!!
> 
> It always so rewarding to restore something....let alone something that has been in your family and apart of your childhood!!! Congrats!!!


Thanks! I think it will take a while for the big silly grin on my face to wear off


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Wow, real nice!

I remember seeing the standard version of those as a kid. Never knew anything about the gold ones. Bet some of those tractor guys will be bugging you to sell it. That tractor has to be pretty rare.

Was there something on the tractor any different to make it stand alone as a special model other than paint?

You are gonna have a smile on your face while sitting on that sweetheart on your poker run! It very cool your dad will be there with you on his!

Carey


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Wow that looks great. My uncle had one of those narrow front end ones and hated it, always afraid it would tip over. He has always has a few Massey Ferguson's. Nice resto job.


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Wow, real nice!
> 
> I remember seeing the standard version of those as a kid. Never knew anything about the gold ones. Bet some of those tractor guys will be bugging you to sell it. That tractor has to be pretty rare.
> 
> ...


Most of the demonstrator gold tractors were intended to show off the new hydrostatic drive IH introduced that model year. There were a few gear drive demonstrator gold tractors, like ours, produced too. It's not known exactly how many demo golds were produced as IH didn't keep records or serial numbers. The intention of IH was for the demo golds to be painted the standard IH red before they were sold, but that didn't always happen. I always thought it was pretty cool that we had a gold IH tractor.









No plans to sell it anytime soon, too many memories attached and I'm gonna have too much fun with it myself.














The members of Dad's antique tractor club know it's been being restored, and have been asking him when it would be done. They'll finally get to see it themselves next week.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

VERY NICE !!! Looks great!!


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Had a good time at the tractor drive poker run today.







The weather was perfect







and there was a good turnout - 54 tractors on the drive and another 20 that were on display. Not bad for a first time event. Don't know the final numbers yet but I think there was quite a bit of money raised for Catch a Dream. Pictures below:










At the check point in Maybee, MI. My 1970 IH 826 on the left, Dad's 1946 Farmall H on the right.









Tractors lined up at the check point in Maybee.


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Couple more pictures:

Antique tractors ruling the road. (Gotta love being able to take and upload pictures right from your phone







)









On display at Cabela's.


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

VERY very nice!!! Son of a farm man here, and an IH guy as well.... My dad had an 800 acre farm from the 30's to the 70's, and had all IH (H's and M's)on it. Took a short break for WW2, then came home. When he retired, he bought 2 small cubs, a 71 and then a 100 in 1965/67 to handle the around home chores. My uncle bought a low boy for his farm. All three tractors are still puttering around today, and I have both the small cubs. I will be doing a complete resto on the 71 this winter. With luck, it will be in the 4th of July parade in 2010. Finding some of the old Kohler K engine parts is proving to be a challange.


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

Spent alot of my time on a 1942 John Deere B. Manual flywheel start. Lots of memories of sitting on that tractor too. My dad has now restored it with a new paint job, and refreshed a few other parts. Absolutely amazing how long some of these tractors last.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

WOW!!! Awesome tractor - the restoration is wonderful. Granddad was an Allis-Chalmers dealer. The 190XT was my favorite from around that era









-CC


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Cool pics. I bet you and your dad had a lot of fun.

Carey


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