1978 International Cub Cadet 1450
S/N 622960
Original Dealership: Hargraeve International, Jerseyville, IL
I "got" this Cub Cadet when I moved to Barrington. I'm
interested in preserving it rather than a full restoration for showing.
Even in poor shape it put the neighbors' green and brand X machines to
shame.
When I found it parts were missing or replaced with non-original parts.
The tail lights were from a boat trailer, the seat was a "universal" seat,
which eventually cracked the battery cover and the side panels were AWOL. It now has proper
lights, seat, side panels, a working neutral safety switch and a utility/weight box.
The paint had bleached to a stark white, and there were rusty scratches
all over. I've repainted the fenders, hood, grille, side panels, wheels
and frame cover. A new set of decals were applied. I also repainted the 50A
mower, with a new decals.
I found a QA-42A barely covered behind the shed - it had been there for
a number of years. A little cleanup and grease and it works great.
It performed quite well during the New Year's Day 1999 snow, and it did even
better once I got the engine running at the proper speed.
Now I've got a Deluxe Cab and a 1A tiller. The cab has exacerbated a preexisting
problem. There was a small crack in the rear of the fenders - that crack is now
almost 2" long. As the tractor goes over bumps, the cab rocks from side to side,
causing the fenders to flex, thus the crack gets bigger. I have a set of replacement
fenders waiting to be blasted and primed. Meanwhile, I don't trailer the 1450 if I
don't have to.
Due to almost daily use, she's not looking as good as it did the day I finished
repainting her - scratches abound, especially where trees hit the cab. But there's
no stopping her!
Here's a gallery of pictures of the 1450...