that the design life of the McCormick-Deering Farmall Cub was just a scant 7 years 
These wonderfully simple yet ruggedly durable tractors have endured for 58 years, far and away past their designed life expectancy
Cubs have actually existed for 60 years - the first pre-production Cub was built in 1945 and production Cubs first hit the retail market in 1947. The last production Cub was manufactured in 1979. 34 years is a heck of a run by any standard and I believe that no other model has been in production for as many years as the Cub. Many people are amazed when they first learn that Cubs that which have been out of production for 26 years now, are still the most highly prized and sought after tractor for a small acreage or country home.
These tractors are more than what generally meets the eye,
, and they have proven to be one of the most durable, economical and timeless examples of North American industrial ingenuity 
The fact that there were almost 254,000 Cubs as well as almost 26,000 Cub Lo-Boys manufactured, has contributed to the continued survival of this marque. Many examples of these tractors that became no longer useable, have acted as donors to keep the rest of our Cubs running. The vast majority of these surviving Cubs are working tractors and are not simply Trailer Queens that make the rounds of Tractor Shows. These Cubs are actually still out in the fields of our homes and farms earning their keep. Of the dozen or so Cubs that I know of within say 20 kms or 12 miles of my home, only one Cub leads a life of relative ease and it is part of a very special collection.
Surprisingly parts either New Parts, NOS Parts or Used Parts for our Cubs are not as difficult to find as one might think on first glance. I have found that parts for my 1947 and 1948 are easier to find than parts for a 10-20 year old push mower, or even a ride on such as an MTD or House Brand Ride-on Lawn Tractor. Course, I really don't think that a House Brand Lawn Tractor will still be around 50 years after it was produced
either.
I am beginning to believe that it is the age of the Cubs, which instills the fear that a parts hunt will become a daunting experience and one fraught with frustration and expense. Nothing really could be further from the truth and the search for special parts can actually be a source of enjoyment instead of frustration
Whether it is one of the first 1947 models or one of the last 1979 models, finding parts for your Cub really should start with knowing exactly what you want/need and knowing the exact nomenclature for it and the requisite part number. This is very simple to ascertain, but it does require that you are armed with specific types of information.
As has been mentioned in many threads usually in a Welcome to the Forum post by many of the Team Cub Moderators including yours truly, and in New Members and Visitors, Please READ
there are plenty of resources available to new members and existing members to help find those so called elusive parts.
Manuals and Parts Catalogs
Here is a good a spot as any to insert some comments on the Manuals that are on-line. If it was not for the generosity of many of our Cubber friends on this particular Forum, there would not be as many of the Manuals on the Server as there are. We all have limitations, and I have them as well. I could not have afforded to purchase all of these Manuals, even if I could have found them, taking for granted I would know what I was looking for. So, I just want to make sure that I thank everybody for their generosity in sending me scans, photocopies or their actual Manuals for me to scan and put up on the server. You all know who you are, and you all have my heartfelt thanks. Without you, the server would not be what it is.
I know that I keep mentioning this, and I really do dislike belabouring the point, but it is one that must be consistently made. I feel as this is a very basic and very important tool to have in your tool chest as a Cub Owner. The correct information is crucial in the acquisition of the correct parts for your Cub.
Many of us who have been Maintaining or Repairing our own Cubs, would strongly recommend that you visit Binder Books and purchase the three most important Manuals you can own for Maintenance, Repair and Rebuilding your Cub. These are the Owner's Manual, the GSS-1411 Service Manual and the TC-37F Parts Manual. Although they are available on the Cub Manual Server, it is better is you also have your own paper copy. Binder Books is the only Authorized IH Publication Reprint House and they have the best quality manuals available. Most other's are not of the same quality. Just a personal thought here, the I&T Shop Manuals, although helpful in some areas, really are not sufficient for the job. If you wish though, they are good additional reference works, as are the CD-Rom compilations that are everywhere on eBay.
The TC-37F Parts Manual is probably the most useful resource for identifying the correct nomenclature for your Cub and by being able to know and understand the language will make your search for parts much simpler. Whether you will source your parts through a CaseIH Dealer, an after-market vendor or through a Used Parts dealer, having the correct name, part number, page number and item number of the part you are looking for will make everybody's experience much easier.
New Parts Suppliers - Locating a CaseIH Dealer
The most overlooked first source always is your local CaseIH dealer
Even those newer dealerships who have joined the CaseIH Worlwide family in the last few years can find these parts for you as long as the Counter or Parts Person is willing to learn and to try. Some dealers are blessed with top flight Parts Personnel, people who not only love their jobs, but are proud of what they do and I think really enjoy tractors. If however, you are on the receiving end of a 9-5er who is there strictly for a paycheque, then you might have a tougher time of it.
CaseIH North America maintains a Dealer Locator search engine which will locate any dealer in North America, be they in the United States or Canada.
CaseIH Europe maintains a Dealer Locator search engine that focuses on Europe, Africa and Asia. For example, in Patrick's case, he would be looking to find a dealer in Bretagne and by clicking on Bretagne in the drop down box he would be taken to the Bretagne Dealer Location Page, which lists all of the CaseIH dealers in his Province of France.
New Parts Suppliers - Determining if a Part is Still Available
Once you have located all the pertinent information for the part that you need, the next step is to determine whether New of Used will satisfy your needs. If a New Part is what you wish to have then you can proceed to determine if the part you are looking for is actually available new. There are a couple of on-line resources that can be accessed to determine availability that I use a lot. One is the On-Line Tractor Parts search engine at CaseTractorParts.com, where many Cub parts can be sourced/ordered and delivered in one transaction.
Personally, I use this resource to check for availability and cost. I then contact my local CaseIH dealer and order the new part through them. Gotta support your local dealer otherwise we who have dealers could end up without one
If you do not have a local dealer, then I would recommend that you might consider ordering through Carter & Grunewald who are a CaseIH Dealer and are my other favourite on-line resource. "Bermuda" Ken Updike - yes he is the author of Farmall Cub & Cub Cadet, and is a very knowledgeable person and genuinely a pleasure to deal with. If Ken can't find it, it probably isn't available...
Used Part Suppliers
As was mentioned previously, it is because of the fact that the Cubs which were no longer candidates for continued service or were not adopted by a loving collector for restoration, that we actually have original parts available for our Cubs. It is because of Cub enthusiasts who are also business persons that we have salvage yards. There are untold thousands of salvage yards across North America who salvage old iron. Finding a Cub though would probably be quite daunting if it wasn't for a few Specialized Salvage yards.
JP Tractor Salvage and TM Tractor Parts, who are also sponsors of this wonderful site, do exactly that
They specialize in Cubs, Lo-Boys, Numbered Cubs and Cub Cadets. John and Jamie, Tom and Lynn really make buying parts enjoyable. They are knowledgeable, friendly, honest folk who work very hard at making our Part Hunt enjoyable and as frustration free as possible.
Both also offer great OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) aftermarket parts as well as accessories and other complimentary equipment. Please check with them often in your parts searches, as inventories are always changing.
After-Market Part Suppliers
If you cannot find the new part you are looking for, then an after-market part might be right for you. In addition to the really excellent OEM Parts offered by TM Tractor Parts and JP Tractor Salvage, there are several reputable after-market companies that can provide a variety of replacement parts. OEM and Steiner Tractor Parts come to mind.
Specialty Service and Specialty Part Suppliers
I have seen many threads over the past two years or so asking about where to find Decals, Magneto's, where to get your seat recovered or your Generator rebuilt. So I conciously decided that I would create a sub page on the Cub Manual Server that would provide contact information for those hard to get parts or services. Specialty Services I hope will be the definitive source for information on where to get those hard to find parts/services provided by businesses that YOU have come to trust. In order to accomplish this goal, I will need input from my fellow Cubbers who have discovered enterprising individuals that offer superior products and businesses that offer superior services. Please forward your favourite Specialty Services provider contact information to rudi01@rogers.com with the message title of Specialty Services Info.
For Sale/Wanted Forum or Classifieds
FarmallCub.com maintains as you know a number of different user Forums. One of the more useful places I have found ti find specific parts that have been ellusive is the For Sale / Wanted Forum.
By simply posting a request including the following types of information, can significantly improve your chances of finding difficult to locate parts or implements etc.
- Part Description - ie. Name of the part
- Part Number - from the TC-37F Parts Manual
- Quantity required
- Your Location
- Willingness to travel/pay shipping
- Indicate distances acceptable for item #5
Utilizing these simple steps can quicken your response time. Also, it helps when fellow Cubbers have time on their hands and do searches for that part you want, as some do.
Also, there are many other tractor forums on the net, and many of us belong to them as well. Most of them also have Classified sections where you can search for items for sale or list your own want ad. However, as most of the other forums cater to specific brands such as CaseIH/Farmall, it is more tedious to wade through the reams of items listed. Unlike this Forum which is dedicated to us Cub-a-holics
eBay
Another useful, although it can get exceedingly expensive, resource to locate parts is eBay US and eBay Canada. eBay also maintains portals in many major areas of the world including Europe, Africa and Asia. Check at the bottom of either the US or Canadian page for the country of your choice.
Be aware that eBay is an auction site and items are listed for a specific number of days and may have reserve price minimums and the prices can get wildly out of hand. It is not uncommon to see items that are available at your local CaseIH dealer, sell on eBay for 2 and 3 times it's actual value. Also, be aware that shipping and handling charges apply and these can be substantial.
Last But Not Least
Don't forget local avenues as well. Your local Newspaper's Classified Section, the Penny-Saver USA on line or print versions or equivalent in your area, local Farm Auctions and your local Tractor Clubs. These may all be avenues where a special gem can be found and for a reasonable cost.
Google is also a good on-line resource, whether it be to just to locate the local Penny Saver in your area, or to check on auctions in your State/Province, it can be a useful tool in your Parts Hunt Aresenal.
I do hope that this How To article has been of some assistance to you. If you have any ideas for additions to the article please let me know. Also, if you find any broken links, errors including spelling, please let me know as well.
Thanks for reading
Rudi, Great resume 
"YOU are Hired". All kidding aside, Thanks for that great article. 
