During my travels I sometimes come across old tractors in need of attention or adoption. Many of them are acquired through the help of my buddy Charlie Alonge. I end up keeping some of them. Others are traded off or sold into good homes.

Here is my 1956 International 300 Utility. It hadn’t been run in 8 years when I acquired it. It was the condition that I find many old farm tractors in. Many owners of old tractors often don’t maintain them, continue to use them in a state of disrepair, and when they become inoperable simply park them. This one needed a fair amount of TLC in order to make it a reliable tractor again.

This tractor was equipped with a snow plow, complete with loaded tires, wheel weights and tire chains. It could really push some snow!, and never spun a tire. The 5 speed transmission with torque amplifier, live PTO, and live hydraulics made it a nice tractor, but the lack of a 3 point hitch made it impractical for me, as all my implements are Cat 1, 3 pt hitch style.

I eventually found some historical information on this tractor through a former International Dealer, Frank Troncillito of Marlboro, NY. Frank had told me that this tractor was originally sold to Howard Quimby, also of Marlboro NY, for use on his farm. Frank was not the original selling Dealer, but did it did come into his posession later. Shortly after purchasing the tractor, a young farm hand rolled the tractor over several times before reaching the bottom of a big hill. It came to rest in several pieces (he was not hurt). Frank Troncillito purchased the tractor when the insurance company totaled it, and put it back together.

The tractor was sold to another farmer, from whom I purchased it.

In a strange twist of fate, the tractor has returned to its original purchaser.

Howard Quimby is still alive and well, and working the same farm. As chance would have it, I graduated High School with his daughter, Melissa. I was able to track Melissa down through an email list that was put together at out last High School Reunion. She put me in touch with her Dad. While Howard was filling me in on the particulars of the tractor history, he mentioned that he really missed that old tractor, and still doesn’t like the replacement he purchased after the accident. It wasn’t long before we had a deal, and this tractor was returned to its original owner. Howard uses this tractor on a regular basis…like it should be.