Classic machines

Dec 1, 2008 12:00 PM, John Kestner

As Part of its Tractor Legacy series, Voyageur Press has published Kenneth Updike's Classic Farmall Tractors.

The early Farmall tractors were revolutionary in form and function, seeking to become the first mass-produced machines capable of row-crop cultivation. Updike offers a review of the many Farmall lines made between 1922 and 1975 — from the 6-cyl. 60 series to the Big Red IHs of the 1970s. Indeed, beginning in the 1960s, the International nameplate started to replace the venerable Farmall brand. These changes did not guarantee long-term survival, as International Harvester itself disappeared in the early 1980s, a period of distress and consolidation when many great tractor names disappeared.

Updike provides his text with engaging photos drawn from his personal collection as well as those of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. This is an impressive work for those who want to learn more about an innovative and beautiful line of machines.

Price: $25.00. Contact Voyageur Press (see contact information at left), or circle 152.