Titans of the Turf
(Page 5 of 6)
April 2004
Oscar H. Will III
The red 82 Series Cub Cadets included two 8-hp gear-driven models, Model 182 and Model 282, two 11-hp gear-driven models, Model 382 and Model 482, and one 16-hp gear-driven version, Model 582. All the gear-driven tractors offered Briggs & Stratton engines, but not all had Farmall Cub transaxles.
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Model 682 and Model 782 were hydrostatic and powered with 17-hp, twin-cylinder Kohler engines.
The largest tractor in the line was the 19-hp Model 982 Super garden tractor, which was based on a longer frame than the other models of the 82 Series and featured an optional Category 0 three-point hitch.
The 782 hydrostatic model was also available with an optional water-cooled, three-cylinder Kubota diesel engine, and designated the Model 782D. Not surprisingly, these tractors are highly sought after by collectors and those who want to work the machines as they were built to be used.
The last Cub Cadet built by IH was most likely a Model 782 with serial no. 694248, built in May of 1981. According to the serial numbers, IH manufactured 693,658 regular production Cub Cadets in a 21-year span. With so many out there, IH Cub Cadets make an excellent, often inexpensive collectible — not to mention a useable, heavy-duty lawn and garden tractor.
Epilogue
High quality notwithstanding, IH fell into deep financial trouble by late 1980, and sold the Cub Cadet line to Machine Tool & Die Co., as the Cub Cadet Corp. in 1981. Red-painted 82 Series IH Cub Cadets continued to be built by CCC for delivery to IH dealers. At the same time, CCC built yellow and white 82 Series tractors, which were sold as Cub Cadets — without IH insignia — by lawn and garden dealers.
Within a few years, CCC was dissolved and the now-exclusively yellow and white Cub Cadet was manufactured directly by MTD, which remains the case today.
None of the Farmall Cub components remain in the new Cub Cadets, but the name lives on for these titans of the turf — as does their reputation of quality, dependability, versatility and power.
Harold Schramm worked as an engineer for IH during 1958-1985 and was directly involved with the Cub Cadet product line for most of those years. He splits his time between his home in Downers Grove, Ill., and his place in Winamac, Ind., where he stores his fleet of vintage Cub Cadets. FC
Oscar “Hank” Will III is an old-iron collector and restorer who retired from farming in 1999 and from academia in 1996. He is now the editor of Grit magazine.
Proliferation of Cub Cadet implements and attachments
From its introduction in 1961, many useful attachments were available to make the Cub Cadet even more versatile. The basic list in the early 1960s included front-, mid- and rear-mounted mowers in rotary, reel, gang, sickle-bar and flail styles. There were front-and mid-mounted grader blades, front-mounted snow throwers as well as front- and rear-mounted carriers.
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