Some more production numbers...1940-1960

The small line of tractors (Chicago Tractor Works and Louisville), IH produced 769,224 between 1940 and 1958, and 14873 in 1959. This includes the Cub family, the A-140 family, and the B.C.- 240 family. Numbers peaked in 1951 (the all-time big year for IH domestic production) with 89511, fell off rapidly from there.

For the bigger "Farmall Works type" tractors (including Milwaukee and Melrose Park wheel tractors), the number 1940-1958 was 1,149,888. Again, production peaked in 1951 with 82238, although 1953 (where Louisville Super Ms would have been included in this number) was a close second at 81,425. By the mid 1950s, the annual numbers were in the 40,000 range- 1954 was a real bloodbath for IH and other equipment makers.

These numbers don't include crawlers, or foriegn IH tractors.

The grand total 1940-1958, was 1,919,112, plus another 57,078 in 1959.

Truth is the first 2 million occured by the mid 1940s. Its the numbers in the early days and on to the letter series that really bring the count up. Thanks again for your numbers.

Then one evening you drew to my attention the numbers on 10-20 and F series. I said something is haywire with that M, its definately not the millionth tractor.

The 300 utility really was not much of a tractor compared with the Farmall model. They were sold for considerably less money to compete with tractors Ford and Ferguson were building at the time. Ford held its own with IH while Ferguson out sold the 300, 3 to 1. Those tractors did have their place, but in the case of IH the Farmall was the real workhorse.

300 Utilities have been plagued with steering problems since they were new. You just can't put a front axle that far back and expect not to have steering problems. There were more Utilities than Farmalls built, but the fact remains the Farmalls were on farms with very heavy work loads, thus a lot of Farmalls have seen the scrapyard, and you still see a lot of Utilities still in decent shape.