Rare IH Tractors Wow Showgoers

Rare IH Tractors Wow Showgoers TRACTORS Antiques There were a couple of very unusual IH tractors on display at the 18th annual Red Power Roundup held near Bloomsburg Penn last year One was a 1956 Super A Fire Tractor owned by Jim and Jane Rose     The Super A Fire Tractor was built by IH but outfitted for fire-fighting by the Stephan Fire Apparatus Company Added gear included a 150-gal water tank a reel fitted with 200 ft of hose a heavy duty front bumper and a siren The tractor originally was used to pull a small wagon that carried an asbestos blanket     According to the Roses the Fire Tractor was in good shape and wasn t rusted at all It had most recently been used at a GE plant The first time Jim saw the unique little tractor he was putting out a fire at the Delphi GE plant My husband was a firefighter and saw this tractor at the Delphi plant During 2005 the GM plant sold everything including this rig says Jane     After buying the tractor the next step was to find the information they needed to completely restore it A guy at the Hail Pump Company knew the history of the pump says Jim Restoring the fire tractor for a fireman was a joy and Jim s found a fun use for the tractor on hot summer days     Last June the Roses s granddaughter graduated from nursing school Jim pumped the tractor up and we had a lot of happy wet kids says Jane      Christmas Tree Tractor Another interesting tractor at the Red Power Roundup was this International Harvester Christmas Tree Tractor          The tractor was parked outside a restored IH dealership belonging to Frank Tubby Bartlow     The Christmas tree tractor was not manufactured by IH says Donna Sharrow Frank s daughter She explains that a manufacturer in Canada took a few Super C and Super A tractors and added the Christmas tree apparatus There were only seven of them made They were very top heavy and not a smart idea     The tractor the Bartlow s had on display was used at the Abraczinska s Nursery and was one of three they purchased in 1953     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Cindy Ladage 35216 E Fifth Rd Virden Ill 62690 ph 217 227-3563; Cindy1@consolid ated net

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