EARLY CUB CADETS

[BILL PASTOR]

HI I RAN INTO A GUY THAT TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A COUPLE EARLY CUB CADETS---I DONT REALY KNOW HISTORY OF CUB CADETS{TEAR PROD BEGAN OR NUMBERS???} ANYTHING ON CADET HISTORY???-BILL

[NutnButRed]

Here are a few sites
http://www.ihcubcadet.com/BobsPage/
http://ihregistry.com/index.php

[Paul B]

Bill
The short history, according to IH records, is there were 3 engineering prototypes built at the Engineering Test Center in Hinsdale, ILL in early 1960. When the design was finalized, there were 10 prototypes built at Louisville Works during Oct 5-14, 1960, that were sent to the test center. When IH was finished with them they were released for sale to employees, and at that time a 4XX serial number was assigned. 409 exist, and is now in NY. There is also #411, which was sold after the 10 Louisville proto's and is supposed to be one of the Hinsdale built units. It is in MA.

After the 10 Louisville units were built, an additional 25 tractors were built in Nov-Dec 1960, starting with S/N 501, to be sent to the southern area of the country for 50 hours of testing by commerical type users, using a mower deck and a front blade. They wanted testing done by the "hired help" rather than a homeowner - figured the hired help would not treat them as easy as a homeowner. 5 of the 25 were sent to the Phoenix, AZ area, the other 20 to the Southern Region of the US. They were sent to City Parks, Military Bases/Posts, College's ect. Records available at this time show were 15 of the 25 were sent. Of that 15, 6 are known to exist - 505 is in IN, 510 is in MA, 515 is in MS, 516 is in IN, 518 & 522 are in MA.

After the 25 were built IH continued limited production to get the assemblyline up and running, and to set piecework prices ect, to have everything ready to go when the tractor was released for production. S/N 556 was one of those tractors and is now in PA. Production actually began in Jan 1961, with S/N 590. That tractor exist however it where abouts are unknown, but is believed to now be owned by MTD. It was in the Cub Cadet Corral at Red Power Round up in Sandwhich, IL in 2000, and was sold later on eBay. The second production tractor, S/N 591 exist and is in PA, and was on display at RPRU in Bloomsburg this past June. I found and refurbished S/N 409, 510, 556, and have displayed them, along with S/N 1019, several time at shows around the US, and have since passed them on to other owners.