SUPER A1

The C-123 engine does not have the same specs as Super C, 200 and 230. Carburation, rpm and compression ratio give these 3-5 more hp.

The Super A1, I expect could have also had an industrial version, decaled International Super A1. Then of course the Farmall Super A1. Another fact with these, unlike the regular Super A the serial number tag was on the left side of clutch housing. This is the same format for serial tag as 100, 130 and 140. Super A had it on left seat support. This would lead one to believe an industrial would read IA1.

I have never seen a Super A1 or IA1. I do have a photo on file of a Farmall Super A1 and it has A1 on the decal, with the word "super" curved around it just like the regular Super A. The guy who sent me this photo said he took it at RPR last summer.

I remember very clearly when the 100, 200, 300 and 400 hit the market. IH clearly wanted it happen all the same month, maybe even week or day. This new line of tractor were going all be available with fast hitch we had been seeing on Super C then close to 3 years. If you look at SC and 200 specs, practically identical. It explains the Super A1, also the Super MTA and how we almost had a Super HTA. This was afterall the biggest hoopla around IH dealers since the introduction of the letter series styling in 1939.

Quite a contrast to the introduction of the Supers which took close to 5 years to introduce the complete lineup. As early as 1952 IH knew they were loosing ground on the competition. First introduction of fast hitch on Super C, then IPTO and TA on the SMTA. Super A users were calling for better cooling systems, so why not a Super A1. We now know we came very close to having a SHTA. Truth of the matter is they should have came with a utility version of Super C. and both Utility and Farmall SC should have had Live PTO.

H, M and larger tractor users at that time were not looking at mounted equipment, they could have satisfied that market with IPTO and TA. In our area those users never did go mounted equipment until 04-06 series with 3 point hitch.

I know in our area all row crop work at that time was being done by Cubs, A, SA, C or SC. I know on our own farm we never had any mounted equipment for our H or 300. I did buy a 3 point kit for 560 but only to use a 3 point sprayer and corn planter. Now, ours was a dairy farm, but my dad always grew a few vegetable crops and use Cub and later 130 for that work.

Even after the 300 and 400 came out, fast hitch never did catch on in our area for any of the 2 point large fork tractors. Those guys were using trailer plows, disks, cultivators, etc. and never did change their equipment until the early 1960s. By then fast hitch was passe. IH did sell large numbers of Super C, 200 and 230 with fast hitch mowers, plows, planters, row crop cultivators, platform carriers. Most livestock farmers mowed with SA or SC and their descendants until mower conditioners hit the market. Row crop cultivators almost disappeared with the introduction of chemicals.

My guess is on the modern day Cat II or larger with 3 point hitch. That hitch probably represents 10% of the cost of the tractor, and other than semi-mounted plows how often are the hitches even used. With no till, very little.