The Kentucky Cub

In 1939, the first CUB prototype was built using a welded frame similar to the "F" series tractors. Not liking what they saw, the IH design team went "back to the drawing board". The new design was assembled in 1942 and then set aside due to WWII. The war held up production until 1945

In 1945, prototype Cubs were tested by farmers in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, California, Kansas, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. Fields were mowed, hay was raked, tomatoes, beans, and other vegetable crops were cultivated. In New York, cabbage was cultivated. In Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina tobacco was cultivated.

The Cub was designed at 2/3 the scale of the "A" tractor. The design was intended for farmers who had 40 acres or less. It would easily replace a work horse or mule and was found to be much more economical to "feed" than live horespower. At $525.00 plus plow and disk, and only using 6 or 7 gallons of gas per day, a farmer could raise produce to sell in place of feeding every crop to his animals.

The pre-production Cub was powered by a 59.5 cubic inch L-head #C-60 engine. It produced 8.89 hp at 1600 rpm.

Implememts designed for the pre-production Cub included Sickle Bar Mower, Moldboard Plow, Disk Harrow, Tooth Harrow, Hay Rake, Hay Loader, Cultivator, and Planter. All the implements were "sized" to fit the Cub.

Most pre-production Cubs did not have a decal in front above the grill. Some had a decal that looked similar to this "= CUB =": the word CUB with two horizontal lines on each side.

A factory for production of the Cub was to be built in East Alton, Illinois in 1945. Materials were scarce due to the war effort and caused a delay in construction. The Curtis-Wright airplane factory in Louisville, Kentucky, became available in 1946. International Harvester bought the factory and production of the Cub was moved there. Production started April 9, 1947, with serial number 501. Production that year ended in December with serial number 11348. In 1948, production reached 46,482. This was the largest production in the 32 years the Cub was manufactured.

McCormick-Deering hood decals were used from 1947 through November, 1948, when Deering was dropped from the decal. Some later Cubs still had the McCormick-Deering decal. It is assumed that the decals in stock were used until they ran out of them.

The production Cub was manufactured from 1947 until 1979. The total production for 1979 was only 362. The total production from 1947 until 1979 was 252,998.

1947 to 1965 - FARMALL CUB - Red

1965 to 1974 - INTERNATIONAL CUB - Yellow and Cream

1975 to 1979 - INTERNATIONAL CUB - Red

1947.............................production = 10,947.............serial numbers = 501 - 11348

1948......................................................46483......................................11349 - 57831

1949......................................................41,705.....................................57832 - 99536

1950......................................................21918......................................99537 - 121454

1951.......................................................23,001..................................121455 - 144454

1952.......................................................17829..................................144455 - 162284

1953.......................................................17,128..................................162285 - 179412

1954........................................................7,029..................................179413 - 186441

1955........................................................7,217...................................186442 - 193658

1956........................................................4,573...................................193659 - 198231

1957........................................................6,158....................................198232 - 204389

1958........................................................7,052....................................204390 - 211441

1959........................................................3,533....................................211442 - 214974

1960........................................................2,408....................................214975 - 217382

1961.........................................................2,656....................................217383 - 220038

1962........................................................1,345.....................................220039 - 221383

1963........................................................2,070....................................221384 - 223453

1964........................................................1,657.....................................223454 - 225110

1965........................................................2,099....................................225111 - 227209

1966........................................................2,016.....................................227210 - 229225

1967........................................................1,780.....................................229226 - 231005

1968........................................................1,976.....................................231006 - 232981

1969........................................................1,887.....................................232982 - 234868

1970........................................................1,959.....................................234869 - 236827

1971.........................................................1,679.....................................236828 - 238506

1972........................................................2,075.....................................238507 - 240581

1973........................................................2,165......................................240582 - 242746

1974........................................................2,905.....................................242747 - 245651

1975........................................................2,967.....................................245652 - 248618

1976........................................................2,214......................................248619 - 250832

1977........................................................1,277......................................250833 - 252109

1978........................................................1,027......................................252110 - 253136

1979..........................................................362.......................................253136 - 253498

TOTAL PRODUCTION = 252,998

Jack Mabry resides with his wife, Sue, in Benton, Kentucky. He is a Founding Charter Member of Chapter #24. Sue is also a Chapter #24 member. Jack is an avid collector of IH memorabilia and is the proud owner of a 1948 Cub, a 1951 Cub, and a 1952 Cub. In past years he has totally restored both the 1948 and the 1952 models. The 1951 Cub is under restoration at this time.

Created: February 25, 2000

Modified: December 29, 2004