1964 INTERNATIONAL 2806

There is no doubt the 06 series tractors, particularly the 706 and 806, brought International Harvester out of a tailspin induced by several serious engineering and marketing errors of the late 1950s. The 706 and 806 were so right on target, they heralded a nearly full reputational recovery.

The 806 was one of the most powerful tractors on the market when it debuted late in 1963 and was a loud and accurate shot over the bows of the new John Deere 4010, another legendary tractor of the era. The 806 came powered with either gas or LPG 301 ci sixes, or a brand new diesel engine that would become legendary in IH circles, the D361. Even better, the 06 tractors featured a new final drive worthy of the name “stout.” It’s the final drive engineers were working on in ‘59 when the ill-fated 560 debuted with it’s rehashed M-Series hind-end that proved so weak behind the then-new 282 and 301 cubic inch IH sixes.

Three Amigos

The 806 was offered in three guises, the Farmall, the Wheatland and the Industrial. All were similar tractors that shared the same engine options and final drive but differed in detail and options. The Farmall, of course, was the rowcrop tractor, and it came equipped with either a narrow front axle or an adjustable wide front and adjustable rear tread width. Typically they also had 3-point hitches, PTOs, flat top fenders, fender-mounted lights and taller, narrower tire choices. The Farmall was the most produced model in the line by far.

The Wheatland and Industrial were the fixed-tread “standard” models. The Wheatland was designed for the heavy tillage of the wheat belt, where tip-toeing through rows of crops was not needed. They typically came only with a swinging drawbar and without a 3-point hitch. They most often had a PTO but it wasn’t standard. The Wheatland also had a heavy, non-adjustable front axle. The fenders were round and covered much of the tire to protect the operator from dust and the tractor had a rear platform which the operator mounted at the rear. There were dust guards that protected the front of the platform. The tire choices were most often shorter and wider than the Farmall to deliver the maximum drawbar performance for the largest implements.

The Industrial was a very rare offshoot of the Wheatland and was given the separate model designation of 2806. It was equipped for duties like pulling equipment around yards or factories, pulling construction equipment on building sites and so on. As a result, they came standard with a fixed drawbar, no PTO, the standard 12-gallon-per-minute hydraulic system but they did have the Deluxe seat. It had different tire sized than the Farmall or Wheatland, and non-ag front tires. It’s most distinctive visual features were the Industrial Yellow Paint, “INDUSTRIAL” badge across the front and an austere grille.

Low Production

The Industrial was not a big seller. The 806 line ran from late ‘63 through 1967, with almost 43,000 Farmall 806s built and just over 8,000 Wheatlands. In that Wheatland production number are the Industrials and reportedly only 124 were built. We have not been able to verify that via primary documentation. The Wheatland and Farmalls had different serial numbers, the Farmall prefix being “F806” and the Wheatland and Industrial being “I806.” Each line started with the typical “501” sequential serial numbers. The Industrial had no separate serial number indicators and while there was probably a list at IH that kept track of them, so far that list has not turned up. Only a handful survive and they are hotly collected.

SPECIFICATIONS

1964 Industrial 806

Engine: D361, NA inline six
Displacement: 361ci
Bore & Stroke: 4.125 x 4.5 in.
*Rated PTO Power: 94.93 hp
*Rated Drawbar Power: 86.30 hp
Compression Ratio: 17.0:1
Transmission: 8-speeds (4×2), opt 16-speeds (4x2x2 w/TA)
Weight: 9,850 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 42 gal.
Tires: 7.50-20 front
23.1-30 rear

*Fuel Consumption: 6.344 GPH @ max power
*Drawbar Pull: 9182 lbs @ 11,895 lbs weight
*Top Speed: 19.84 mph

* Per Nebraska Tractor Test 857, Farmall model