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What color should my tractor be?

We honestly don't know, but please let us try to explain. We provide this page for new Cub and Cub Lo-Boy owners who want to overhaul their tractors and are not sure where to start. We offer the basic color schemes, hood decals and emblems as a guide. Although we cannot say EXACTLY what color your tractor should be, we can provide basic information. The final decision for color and color scheme, is up to you. Here's what we know and what we believe to be fact, but it would not be hard to find folks with different opinions.

This page covers tractors from the beginning of production in 1947 up to the hood style change in late 1963. Implement color schemes will not be addressed at this time, as color changes occurred often in response to competition and to improve sales appeal. We will not address the front square hood style Cub or Cub Lo-Boy tractors at this time either.

Many decisions were documented by the International Harvester Paint Committee and Product Identification Committee from 1924 to 1964. These decisions can be viewed at the Wisconsin Historical Society web site, www.wisconsinhistory.org search the word "paint" and follow the instructions. These decision documents contain both specific and general decisions, and we interpreted them as best we could. In most cases, the documents are supported by our own experience with Cub and Lo-Boy tractors, so we are comfortable passing along the information. We did not use sales literature, operator manuals or old brochures during research, as these were sometimes preproduction or artistic renderings, not photos of actual production tractors. Also note that tractors could have been ordered through the dealer and painted different colors based on their applications or whatever the customer wanted. Orange and yellow were not uncommon for industrial, municipal or highway department use.

Paint Codes, Case IH used several different paint color codes for the Cub and Cub Lo-Boy tractors. Harvester Red (Red) and Harvester White (Cream) are the most common names associated to these codes. Paint color code #483 Federal Yellow was introduced in the 1960's. Paint color codes for red #50, #1102B, #201, #2150 (Case IH currently uses Harvester Red #2150⁽⁹⁾) and white #901 can probably be translated to specific paint color codes for current paint companies.

Hopefully the information presented below will help you make the best decision possible.

	To use this page, you'll need to know the year of your tractor (or your best guess), or the tractor serial number. If you're not sure where to get this information, see the pictures and charts on our How to Identify Your Tractor pages.

►	Farmall Cub Tractors - 1947 s/n 501 to 1954 s/n 185000 The following items were RED: tractor, hood and wire grille, front wheels and rear wheel discs, wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been black or silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The two-tone color plain seat, red and white fabric, was not used. Hood decal for the first production Cub tractors read "McCORMICK - DEERING FARMALL" and the radiator grille sides included the model symbol "circle Cub decal", from the beginning of production, May 1947⁽⁵⁾, until July 28, 1947^(1). After this brief run, the circle Cub decal was eliminated and "Cub" was added to the hood decal to read "McCORMICK - DEERING FARMALL CUB" Hood decal from July 28, 1947 until September 12, 1949⁽¹⁾read "McCORMICK - DEERING FARMALL CUB". There was no decal on the radiator grille side. Hood decal from September 12, 1949 to May 12, 1954⁽¹⁾read "McCORMICK - FARMALL CUB". There was no decal on the radiator grille side. Demonstrator Cubs in 1950 only, were paint color "White Cap White"⁽⁶⁾. Although the tractor was painted white, there were some red parts. "The exact serial numbers of the demonstrator tractors is not known, but it is believed to include serial numbers 99536-106511"⁽⁶⁾. They were believed to have been produced in the first three (3) months of 1950.
►	Farmall Cub Tractors - 1954 s/n 185001 to 1956 s/n 197824⁽²⁾ The following items were RED: tractor, hood and multi-bar grille with 11 horizontal bars on each side, front wheels and rear wheel discs, wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The deluxe seat cushions could have been silver. Stainless steel name plates attached to the indented area of the hood read "McCORMICK" and "FARMALL CUB". "IH" hood emblem was attached to the front of the hood. There were no decals or nameplates on the radiator grille sides.
►	Farmall Cub Tractors - 1956 s/n 197825 to 1958 s/n 210000 The following items were RED: tractor, hood (with white decal, see below), front wheels, rear wheel discs, fast-hitch, drawbar⁽⁴⁾ and wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was WHITE: multi-bar grille with 11 horizontal bars on each side⁽⁴⁾⁽⁷⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The deluxe seat cushions could have been silver. There was a white hood decal on these tractors in the indented area.⁽⁴⁾ Stainless steel name plates attached to the indented area of the hood (with the white decal as background), read "McCORMICK" and "FARMALL CUB". "IH" hood emblem was attached to the front of the hood. There were no decals or name plates on the radiator grille sides.
►	International Cub Lo-Boy Tractors - 1955 s/n 501 to 1956 s/n 3771⁽²⁾ The following items were RED: tractor, hood and multi-bar grille with 11 horizontal bars on each side, front wheels and rear wheel discs, wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The deluxe seat cushions could have been silver. Stainless steel name plate attached to the indented area of the hood read "INTERNATIONAL CUB". "IH" hood emblem was attached to the front of the hood. There were vertical stainless steel name plates on the radiator grille sides which read "LO-BOY".
►	International Cub Lo-Boy Tractors - 1956 s/n 3772 to 1958 s/n 10000 The following items were RED: tractor including wheel hubs, hood (with white decal, see below), fast-hitch and drawbar⁽⁴⁾ The following items were WHITE: multi-bar grille with 11 horizontal bars on each side, rear wheel discs, front rims only⁽⁴⁾, wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The deluxe seat cushions could have been silver. There was a white hood decal on these tractors in the indented area.⁽⁴⁾Stainless steel name plate attached to the indented area of the hood read "INTERNATIONAL CUB". "IH" hood emblem was attached to the front of the hood. There were vertical stainless steel name plates on the radiator grille sides which read "LO-BOY".
►	Farmall Cub Tractors - 1958 s/n 210001 to 1963 s/n 222500 August 1960 - Standard tractor color #201 Harvester Red and #901 Harvester White⁽⁸⁾ August 1960 - Optional tractor Color #483 Federal Yellow⁽⁸⁾ October 1961 - new paint color #2150 Harvester Red⁽⁹⁾ The following items were RED: tractor⁽⁷⁾, hood, front wheels and rear wheel discs, wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was WHITE: grille with 4 horizontal bars⁽⁷⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The deluxe seat cushions could have been silver. Raised aluminum name plate attached to the side of the hood read "McCORMICK FARMALL". "IH" hood emblem was attached to the front of the hood. There were oval aluminum raised "CUB" symbol plates attached to the radiator grille sides.
►	International Cub Lo-Boy Tractors - 1958 s/n 10001 to 1963 s/n 17200 August 1960 - Standard tractor Color #483 Federal Yellow⁽⁸⁾ August 1960 - Optional tractor color #201 Harvester Red and #901 Harvester White⁽⁸⁾ October 1961 - new paint color #2150 Harvester Red⁽⁹⁾ The following items were RED: tractor including wheel hubs⁽⁷⁾, hood. The following items were WHITE: grille with 4 horizontal bars⁽⁷⁾, front wheels, rear wheel discs, wheel weights⁽³⁾ The following item was galvanized or some similar silver-looking finish: rear wheel rim The plain seat fabric could have been silver canvas with a drain hole grommet. The deluxe seat cushions could have been silver. Raised aluminum name plate attached to the side of the hood read "INTERNATIONAL". "IH" hood emblem was attached to the front of the hood. There were oval aluminum raised "CUB LO-BOY" symbol plates attached to the radiator grille sides.

Special thanks to Jim Becker for his assistance and technical review of this page.

(1) information from Farmall Letter Series Tractors by Guy Fay and Andy Kraushaar, �1998, published by MBI Publishing Company.

(2) information from Red Power Magazine, Volume 18, Number 4, November-December 2003, "Cub Design Changes" by Jim Becker.

(3) wheel weight information based on Paint Committee decision #166, September 24, 1946 and Product Identification Committee decision # 29, July 17, 1956.

(4) paint color based on Product Identification Committee and the Farm Tractor Committee meeting, decision # 37, July 30, 1956 for the 1957 production.

(5) information from Farmall Cub & Cub Cadet by Kenneth Updike, �2002, published by MBI Publishing Company.

(6) information from FAQ on Farmall Cubs by Bob Brooks, updated by Jim Becker, October 2004, published by Antique Tractor Internet Services.

(7) paint color based on Product Identification Committee, decision #278, April 18, 1958 paint colors - new line of tractors.

(8) paint colors based on Product Identification Committee, decision #500, August 17, 1960 paint colors Cub and Cub Lo-boy.

(9) paint color based on Product Identification Committee, decision #580, October 16, 1961 Improved Harvester Red Paint.

TM Tractor Parts is not the final authority, and cannot be held liable for any consequences or damages resulting from your use of the information contained within this web site. If you have noticed an error or misstatement, please bring it to our attention.

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