'74 108 Garden special, has anyone seen this before

[rkuik]

long time member, just not posting a lot and now i have been doing some research and decided to reach out to you all. i have been told by some they have seen a "Garden Special" others said decal is not original. i have owned this unit since '82, it was a trade in at work. came in with a bad 10 hp, had creeper drive, had the rear top lift link (no bottom 2 point hitch bracket, drawbar only) w/the 44A deck and front blade. i know it was sold to the owner from Chief Equip in Oshkosh. i do not believe the owner would have added the "garden special" decal as it was a lumber yard used to mow the lawn and help plow snow. i am wondering was this a regional special or what? i know the creeper drive could have been added after, but pretty sure it was not. wondering if the Garden Special was the 108 w/creeper and ?????

 

[kmcconaughey]

Interesting. Did you add the headlights? They are not factory equipment, though they appear well integrated. Looks like it has a nicely built home made front weight bracket too. Is that a toolbox mounted on the fender? I don’t recall ever hearing of an IH built Garden Special. Entirely possible that it’s something a dealer came up with but more likely a home brewed custom. Hopefully I am wrong because that would be very cool if it was legitimate.

 

[kmcconaughey]

After a closer look I see it has hydraulic outlets and what appears to be an add on hydraulic pump or something on the right side. That is definitely not factory. Can you post some more photos please?

 

[rkuik]

Yes, I have added a lot over the years to make it my little work horse. When I flipped the 14 hp starter/gen that I put in after I got it, to the 14 hp starter/stator, I cut the big pulley off the PTO can, mounted a smaller one to drive the hydr pump. Added a dual valve like on a hydro with control levers, lift cylinder has a splitter valve on it so I can operate a 3 point (if and when I build it) w/out the center rockshaft moving, the removes are teed so I have remote front and back. All lights I added, along w/the tool box. By removing the manual lift lever, I could put an extension to have more lift for the cable lift of my Sweepster sweeper. I recently added GPS that has hillside compensation for pulling my aerator and will keep spacing or return right on line, even on a hill.

 

[ccarney]

Yes, I have added a lot over the years to make it my little work horse. When I flipped the 14 hp starter/gen that I put in after I got it, to the 14 hp starter/stator, I cut the big pulley off the PTO can, mounted a smaller one to drive the hydr pump. Added a dual valve like on a hydro with control levers, lift cylinder has a splitter valve on it so I can operate a 3 point (if and when I build it) w/out the center rockshaft moving, the removes are teed so I have remote front and back. All lights I added, along w/the tool box. By removing the manual lift lever, I could put an extension to have more lift for the cable lift of my Sweepster sweeper. I recently added GPS that has hillside compensation for pulling my aerator and will keep spacing or return right on line, even on a hill.

Randy if there ever was a question of your cub being a "garden special," there's no doubt now it Definitely is! I see the rear pto too.
craig

 

[ccarney]

Hey Kraig didn't you used to have a Dexter Sweepster attachment?

craig

 

[kmcconaughey]

Craig, yes I still have it. It's buried in the back of my shed. I quit using it because the brush was worn out and I never got around to replacing it. The upper shell/housing was broken and repaired by a previous owner so it looks a bit rough. Here's a couple photos taken years ago.

 

[ccarney]

Was that the one that used to sweep Gillette, where CHS Field/Saints stadium is now??
craig

 

[bjames]

I think the decal may be original. I saw a large dealer display on ebay a few years ago that had a pic of a 1000 with the same decal on the cowl. I think it was a dealer promotion in the mid 70's for a creeper and rear tiller.
This looks like the same but is faded and can't see it clearly.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-1...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

[kmcconaughey]

Bill, excellent find!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Was that the one that used to sweep Gillette, where CHS Field/Saints stadium is now??
craig

Craig, yes it and my #2 125 were previously owned by Gillette Co. Not sure how or where exactly they used it. The 125 had side mirrors, and extra lights mounted on stalks, a windbreaker cab with an amber strobe, wheel weights, chains, a rear mounted battery and big slab weights.

 

[bjames]

Bill, excellent find! View attachment 136205

I believe there was promotion for a free pair of the IH green thumb gloves around the same time.

 

[rkuik]

thank you all for your input. if anyone else knows more, i am interested in hearing about it. i know i have never seen another and some have said they have and others said no. and yes, i did add the rear PTO kit, sometime in the mid 80's, i found a complete pto kit at a price i was willing to pay, dont know why, as i have never had anything hooked up to it w/the PTO.
that sweeper mount is interesting as it looks like a snowblower drive flipped to the right. my mount does not look like that at all.

 

[rkuik]

UPDATE: I finally tracked down a gentleman that not only was the owner of an IH dealer that sold Cub Cadet, was on the CC dealer advisory board. Yesterday I spoke with him and he said he probably not only set it up, but also sold my tractor to the original owner before the dealer I work for traded it in in 1982 and I bought it. He not only worked in the shop and sales, but worked his way to be the president of the company. I started telling him how and where I acquired the unit I have and that it had a decal on the dash by the hood “garden special”. I told him it had the top 3 point link & lift, no lower link bar and he said “and it has a creeper”. I said yes. He said that was a package that could be ordered that way and then was the “Garden Special”. He went on to say how many creepers he put in on the 10HP tractors and with the creeper, would make a good tilling tractor. He then stated IH had a package “Garden Special” that came in the crate a 108, w/creeper & top 3 point link & lift only.

And with seeing Bill James pic of a 1000 poster with it also, just makes me want to find a dealer price book/order options list from the 70’s that much more.

Well I have Red Power Round Up this week and Garden Tractor Daze in Portage next weekend. I have a mission.