IH 660: Big Red
Oct. 10, 2024 • Interesting Iron
The IH 660 was a hoss. No two ways about it. When it was brand new in 1959, it was the biggest farm tractor IHC had ever built. So if that’s the case, why don’t you see more of ’em? We’ll get to that, as well as this snazzy IH 660 with an Elwood FWA under the front, in a bit.
IHC’s 60-Series: Radical changes…
By the mid-50s, Harvester was coming up on nearly two decades with same look and feel. From the Letter Series tractors to the Hundred Series machines, they all had the same smooth sheet metal penned by Raymond Loewy back in the late 30s. It was getting tired, and the technology was too. It was definitely time for something new.
Harvester’s design team played with new concepts as early as 1954, mocking up all sorts of different designs. They all had one thing in common – a squared-off, thoroughly modern look. The best of these ideas went on to become a brand identity of sorts, implemented first in the 40- and 60- series machines. The familiar stacked-bar grill, for instance, characterized most of IH’s farm tractors right up to the merger with J.I. Case in 1985!
It wasn’t all just cosmetic, though. The new tractors packed a bigger punch and served up more capabilities, too!
More than a pretty face…
It wasn’t just a facelift, though. Harvester’s product team asked customers and dealers what they wanted in a new machine. The answers were almost all the same. More creature comforts, more power, and more hydraulic capability.
So, that’s what the company built. The 60-Series tractors featured a more sensibly-designed operator’s layout that was more comfortable for long days in the field. The Hydra-Touch hydraulic system was upgraded for more capacity and easier servicing with a replaceable filter to keep the system clean.
The powertrain was likely the biggest single development for the 60-Series machines. IH introduced a half dozen new naturally-aspirated inline six-cylinder variants. The 460 got the smallest ones, ranging from 221 cubic inches (gas or LP) to a direct-start 236 cubic inch diesel on the big end. The 560, which was really the flagship model of the line, could be optioned with a 263 cubic inch (gas or LP) or a 282 cubic inch direct-start diesel. These were all very smooth-running engines that were rated between 60-72 engine horsepower. When mated with the five-speed gearbox from the 400/450 and optional Torque Amplifier to make it into a ten-speed, it seemed like it was poised to take the market by storm.
But there was a problem…
One that wouldn’t rear it’s ugly head until after the 460 and 560 had been launched in 1958. When it did though, it was a painful and costly lesson for IH.
Harvester gets kicked in the teeth…
(I’ve written a little about the 560 and the recall in a previous Interesting Iron article, so I’ll spare you the lengthy diatribe about how it all went down. You can find that article here.)
When IH was developing the 60-Series, they broke a couple of important rules of product development.
- Don’t make eleventh-hour changes to major components of a tractor – especially the powerplant or drivetrain.
- Never release a product until you’ve beaten it to death…twice.
Breaking those two rules ultimately ended up costing them millions. They changed the engine in the 560 so it would compete more favorably with the John Deere 730. However, they didn’t test the rear end hard enough after making the change. They were under the gun to get the product out the door, but it was a gamble they shouldn’t have made. The increased power basically accelerated the wear on the bearings in the rear end. Once they fell out of the cage, it was only a matter of time before they blew the rear end housing apart.
The failures weren’t as widespread as history has made them out to be, but the damage was done in the public’s eye. Harvester had no choice but to issue a recall for every tractor they’d built and pay the dealerships to fix them. Not only was it costly, but it was a kick in the teeth as far as company credibility goes.
Eventually, the recall was completed, but it was a very rocky way to start things.
Now, let’s get back to the IH 660, because while it was in the family, it was a very different animal.
IH 660: The Black (Red?) Sheep…
If the 560 was supposed to be the All-Star of the 60-Series family, then IH 660 must’ve been the black sheep. The 460 and 560 were built for the traditional row-crop stuff you’d find in the Midwest and available in multiple configurations. The 660, on the other hand, was basically built for one thing and one thing only…big country farming.
The big fenders (and short wheelbase) should give it away as a Wheatland, although the badging never actually said it. It was only available as a wide-front, and typically sported fairly large rubber all the way around (18.4/15-34 in the rear, 7.5-18 up front). 660s were only available with one hydro from the factory, a 540 RPM PTO, and a wide-swing drawbar. No 3-point, either.
It was a brute of a tractor. Where the 560 tipped the scales around 6700 pounds and made about 60 horse at the drawbar, the IH 660 weighed in at close to 10,000 and made 80 horse! It was a pretty big difference, especially when you consider that they both used almost identical same engine combos!
So how’d they do it?
Simple. They used a different governor spring in the pump to change the fuel delivery, and ran the motor harder!
Okay Interesting Iron-guy, so if they’re such hosses, why don’t we see more of them?
Sit tight, I’m getting there…
The 60-Series by the numbers
Here’s the thing. Despite the recall and the bad press that IH got for the 60-Series, they actually sold really well. I mean, you can’t shank a nine iron here in the I-states without hitting one.
That wasn’t really the case with the IH 660, though, mainly because they were a little bit of a specialized tractor with a limited market. According to Harvester’s production records, they built 122,462 60-Series tractors. Only 7,001 of those wore IH 660 badging.
So if you do the math, that works out to about 5.7% of total production. Basically one of every twenty tractors produced. That makes them pretty rare!
So, what about this one on the Aumann Vintage Power auction?
Oh, she’s a pretty one. Let’s take a closer look.
The one you can bid on right now…
If you want the coolest IH 660 on the block, I’m pretty sure this one is the one to have.
Here’s what I know about it.
The Restoration
The tractor was completely torn down and restored (with two-stage automotive paint) about seven or eight years ago. The Torque Amplifier has been rebuilt, and while the description doesn’t list it, I’m fairly certain that the motor has been completely overhauled as well. It also has a turbo kit on it. Furthermore, I believe that it’s one of the official IH turbo kits that was sold through dealerships for these tractors, which is pretty cool in my book! There aren’t a lot of those around any more!
Elwood Power Front Axle
I’m unsure if the Elwood power front axle is original to the tractor, or if it was added during the restoration. I’m inclined to believe that it may have been original; finding one of these axles at a salvage yard is like finding a hen with teeth! At any rate, the axle has been completely rebuilt and this tractor runs and drives very nicely!
Fun fact; these Elwood axles were IH-approved dealership add-ons. To the best of my knowledge, none of them were ever installed at the factory. According to the IH brochure about these things, they were able to be installed in an afternoon, and removed just as easily. I don’t know if I buy that or not, but that’s what was printed on the brochure!
Restored…or resto-modded?
There’s a couple other features on this tractor that are pretty neat touches. I’m not sure what those big Wheatland fenders looked like when the project started, but they’re about as close to flawless as you can get. If my father in law (who was a body mechanic all his life) saw those fenders, I’ll bet he’d say that they’d been worked over on an English wheel. He’d have definitely been impressed.
The other thing that caught my eye was the wheel weights. They’ve been sanded smooth. No casting marks whatsoever. I think that’s kind of a neat resto-moddy touch. I hope whomever ends up with this tractor appreciates the effort that went into that, because that’s painstaking work!
At any rate, it all comes together into a very cool package. If you’re an IH 660 nut, this would make a really nice addition to a collection!
Wrapping up…
I have a feeling that this tractor is going to bring a pretty big number when the auction wraps up on November 4th. It’s got a lot going for it. It was very carefully restored to a very high level, and includes a few custom touches that set this IH 660 apart from others. The turbo kit isn’t unheard-of, but it’s not all that common either. The power front axle is a very rare addition that’ll definitely add a fair amount of value. I’ve only seen a couple of these on 660s, and only a handful on 560s for that matter. The fenders and the glassy-smooth wheel weights are the icing on the cake, in my opinion.
Will it set a record? I think it’s possible. The current record stands at $36,750 for a 1959 model with the skinnier Wheatland fenders, sold at a Mecum Gone Farmin’ Auction in the fall of 2020. That particular tractor came from the Hinsdale research facility, and it was serial number 510 – the tenth one built. The provenance definitely helped. For my money, though, this one is just as nice – and it includes a few of the hot-rod stuffs that I like.
Regardless of what it sells for, it’s a beautiful tractor and somebody’s going to be really proud to drive it under the flag at Half Century of Progress next year!
Make it a great week, folks; for those of you who are in the fields, I trust that you’re having a trouble-free harvest! Don’t forget to blow off those combines like it’s your job…a Milwaukee leaf blower, a few batteries, and a couple of fire extinguishers is a lot cheaper than a new combine!
Here’s the link one more time…
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