Darryl S
It's not known at this time which one was the first proto or concept Cub Cadet, although a picture in the IH Retiree News Letter I spoke of said this was the first "Cub Cadet". Here is another picture of it
The Farm Equipment Division, Tractor Committee Report NO.49 says there were 3 Experimental models built at Engineering Center (Hinsdale,IL) for engineering test, and S/N 411 which belonged to Harold Schramm, is believed to be one of these 3. It is older than S/N 409. 411 and maybe the other 2 looked basically like the production Originals, as did the 10 Louisville proto's, which is the group 409 is from. Where this "concept" tractor and two similar ones fit in I'm not sure. They may have been mockups only, or they may have run, although I have asked three of the enginers that were involved in the design of the Cub Cadet about them (Harold Schramn, Allen Wolka, and William (Bill) Teaford) and they do not remember them as being running tractors. Mr. Teaford said he remembered that the powers to be did not like the rounded hood/grill and wanted it done again with a cast grill and cast front axle. The concept tractors with the Cub hood and or grill were probably built in Louisville, and the 3 engineering models built at Hinsdale were probably all similar to the production tractor because another tractor committee report (# 37 dated June 2, 1960) tells of the number of hours of testing done on the 3 experimental models. The 10 Louisville prototypes (409) were built Oct 5-14, 1960.
This is another version of the Cubette with a Cub grill
and this is a version with a cast grill
This is a recreation of the Cubette above that was built by Tim Delooza built from the bicture above. It should be at RPRU.
It's not known at this time which one was the first proto or concept Cub Cadet, although a picture in the IH Retiree News Letter I spoke of said this was the first "Cub Cadet". Here is another picture of it
The Farm Equipment Division, Tractor Committee Report NO.49 says there were 3 Experimental models built at Engineering Center (Hinsdale,IL) for engineering test, and S/N 411 which belonged to Harold Schramm, is believed to be one of these 3. It is older than S/N 409. 411 and maybe the other 2 looked basically like the production Originals, as did the 10 Louisville proto's, which is the group 409 is from. Where this "concept" tractor and two similar ones fit in I'm not sure. They may have been mockups only, or they may have run, although I have asked three of the enginers that were involved in the design of the Cub Cadet about them (Harold Schramn, Allen Wolka, and William (Bill) Teaford) and they do not remember them as being running tractors. Mr. Teaford said he remembered that the powers to be did not like the rounded hood/grill and wanted it done again with a cast grill and cast front axle. The concept tractors with the Cub hood and or grill were probably built in Louisville, and the 3 engineering models built at Hinsdale were probably all similar to the production tractor because another tractor committee report (# 37 dated June 2, 1960) tells of the number of hours of testing done on the 3 experimental models. The 10 Louisville prototypes (409) were built Oct 5-14, 1960.
This is another version of the Cubette with a Cub grill
and this is a version with a cast grill
This is a recreation of the Cubette above that was built by Tim Delooza built from the bicture above. It should be at RPRU.
