Bringing Them Back

To Life!

Contributed by Jim "Redfin" Foose

The "Farmall / International Cub" Tractor:

1947-1979

We all have our reasons for wanting a Cub of our own. Some want one because grandpa had one, some to do a little garden, some like to cut a little grass, some to restore, and so on. All very valid reasons, but what was mine?

My teenage son and I were looking for another type of project and one day he told me about this yellow and white Cub for sale at his friends grandpas house. We went to look at it, and it ran poorly, but we decided it would be a good one for us. Well not only did we come home with the yellow and white but a 1952 Farmall that did not run at all, but was complete for the most part. They were both towed home behind the truck, one at a time, with me on the seat. The neighbor folks laughed and asked what we were going to do with that junk.

Well, as we got them in shape we sold off the 1952 and kept the yellow and white around the property for various duties. Funny thing is I felt guilty selling that ole Cub for some reason, and I didn't know why. Several months went by and I still couldn't shake that guilty feeling. When it came time sell off the yellow and white, it was sold and the guilt was still there, even more so. That puzzled me.

Then I realized the guilt was because I sold the cubs for the wrong reason, only for the money.

Knowing that I wanted to buy another Cub, I realized I needed another approach to this to avoid the guilt I was feeling. I decided my goal would be to find an abandoned non runner and bring it back to life. That happened within the next couple of weeks in the form of a 1952 nonrunner with stuck motor from an elderly widow that had kept it under cover for the last 23 years. With the motor finally freed and running well it was sold, no guilt, no guilt, no guilt. I knew at that point what I was meant to do "Bring Them Back to Life" and I am doing it still today!

I have had many Cubs pushed, pulled, dragged and carried in pieces into the shop and left useful members of the Cub community once again ! I cant explain to you what a feeling that is for me to hear them come to life for the first time in many years. Often times they haven't run in 10 or 15 years for one reason or another. Some are more difficult and costly than others. Some are more suitable as a source of parts.

One thing is for sure, they all deserve a chance to live again in one fashion or another. As quoted on www.farmallcub.com " If it casts a shadow its worth saving " and that pretty much sums it up. Each and every Cub you find will have at least a few useful and usable parts that someone can make use of.

Oh yes, as a result of " Bringing Them Back To Life " the neighbor that asked what I was going to do with that junk, now tells me when he sees or knows of one for sale ! How nice is that!

It is seldom an easy task to bring one back to life, but always worth the effort in my opinion.

These Cubs are kind of like I remember my Grandpa!

To me he was old, worn and not what he used to be, but worth every effort to save him.

So if you can, do your part to "Save The Cub"