IH 856 Custom

What is different on a 856 custom and the 856 standard.

The "Custom" models were not as fully equipped as the "Farmall" designated models, therefore they were sold at a lower price.
Custom models had fenders. One headlight in the fenders. No rear work light, only a red tail light and amber flashing light. Not equipped with ether starting aid. Mounting step and grab handle on left side only. One auxiliary hydraulic valve with two simple connectors on the rear ( no check valves or breakaway connectors ).No sheet metal hydraulic valve coverings in front of or in back of the seat. No full coverage battery covers. Never had hydraulic adjustable seat or tilt steering wheel. Three point hitch or two point fast hitch ( whichever dealer ordered ). Two speed PTO and TA were usually standard equipment on Customs , however they could have been ordered without ( as any Farmall model could have been ). Clamp type rear wheels ( no wedge locks ).Commonly equipped with 9.5L-15 front tires and 16.9-38 rears however one could have other size tires depending on dealer order. Tractors with 38 inch rear wheels were lighter 8 lug centers common to earlier 706 with 38 inch wheel centers. If 34 inch wheel centers they were heavier 12 lug style.
856 Custom has 33 gallon fuel tank as compared to 41 gallon on 856 Farmall. 856 Custom has single element air filter ( same as used on 806 ), whereas 856 Farmall has a different filter housing with two filter elements ( outer and inner safety ).
The above descriptions are as the tractor came from the factory. If you see a "Custom" model with anything more than the "bare bones" equipment listed above, someone added it at a later date.

Thanks that helped alot

How much did all that really knock off the price of an 856 Custom?

I can't imagine that a few pieces of sheet metal and a couple of lights knocked an appreciable amount off the tractor's bottom line... It just made the tractor LOOK cheap.

$200 maybe? Yeah, $200 was a lot in the late 1960's but still a drop in the bucket compared to the list price of the tractor.