Marion Greer of Coultersville, Ill., has an extensive International Harvester collection, but recently this IH collector added something new to it that is really very rare and very old.

“I saw an ad in Farm Collector about this,” Marion said, talking about the 1917 Mogul 10-20 he purchased in early June.
It was actually Marion’s wife, Barbara, who bid on the tractor. He thinks it just went under the radar when it sold, because he knows there was a lot of interest in it. “We got lucky,” he said, adding he was glad the tractor stayed in the United States. “Too much of our history gets exported.”

They took their trailer to the auction that was held in Tilden, Neb. It was the only item they were after, so as soon as the tractor sold, they loaded it up and took their treasure home.

“This is the only model I know of still running and in original condition. It has the original paint and decals,” he said. “I didn’t have to do anything mechanical to it. I just had to learn how to get it started. I’ve found it runs best after it is flooded.”

The tractor originally was delivered to the first owner in Columbia, Neb., by a flatbed railcar from the dealer. The history on this model was gathered by the second owner, Emil Dietrich; Marion has kept this information with the tractor on a plaque.

“International Harvester tried to buy this tractor for their museum prior to 1965 when they were still in business,” it reads. “At that time, IH determined there were only five tractors of this model still in existence. This tractor was featured on an IH calendar during that time period.

“This tractor used a water hopper-cooled engine designed to run kerosene combined with a water injection fuel mixer to cool the valves and increase power.

“The one-cylinder engine is 8.5 inches with a 12-inch stroke (681 ci) and a maximum speed of 500 rpm. When plowing, IH claimed it would do the work of three men and 12 horses. This tractor spent its entire work life in a building running a corn sheller.”

Marion’s tractor was one of the pair he had at the American Thresherman’s Assoc. show in Pinckneyville, Ill. This was the third show his Mogul had been to since its purchase in early June.
He also brought his 1917 8-16 that he purchased at the Carl Ebbersten auction in Cornland, Ill. “These are probably the two oldest gas tractors here,” Marion said. “You have to go to steam to be older.”

He shared a bit about the history of the 8-16. “IH used their proven truck engine and front end and designed a tractor-type rear end to make a two-plow tractor. This is believed to be the only running 8-16 that is still in nearly original condition.”

Lane, Marion’s grandson, was excited about the Mogul tractor and was soon sitting atop it. These two are tractor buddies; the entire Greer family is involved in the hobby. Besides just making it fun, they are also preserving an important aspect of IH history.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.