In Farmall 100 Years, award-winning tractor author, photographer, and historian Randy Leffingwell and prolific tractor historian Robert N. Pripps offer a richly illustrated and detailed book that captures the full story of the iconic tractors.
Farmall tractors are among the most influential and iconic farm machines in history. From the first model in 1923 to their final model year in 1973, International Harvester revolutionized the tractor world by conceiving the Farmall brand, revolutionary all-purpose tractors designed for small- to medium-sized farms.
Beautiful, contemporary photos and rare historical images accompany in-depth analyses of milestone tractors. The engaging text examines engineering developments, their historical context, and key figures. Farmall 100 even examines pre-1923 predecessors such as McCormick-Deerings and the International Motor Cultivator. From the first Farmalls to the legendary and best-selling Letter Series unveiled in the 1930s, the entry-market Cub launched in 1947, the Hundred Series introduced in 1954, and beyond, Leffingwell and Pripps provide a unique, unprecedented perspective on a farming giant. Also included are tenty-first-century offerings from Case IH, New Hlland, and Steyr.
By 1947, Farmall had built over 1 million tractors. Amazingly, many are still in use today as collector vehicles as well as working farm tractors. Farmall 100 Years brings the story to life in the ultimate tribute to these enduring machines.
Randy Leffingwell wrote his first book, American Muscle, while still on staff at the Los Angeles Times. The book examined Times’ publisher Otis Chandler’s growing collection of muscle cars. American Muscle, published in September 1990, jump-started a love of book creation that ultimately led Leffingwell to leave the Times in 1995. By then, he and Motorbooks had published Porsche Legends and six other books.
Since 1990, Leffingwell has authored more than 60 titles, most of them automotive-oriented. Over 30-plus years, these include a dozen Porsche titles ranging from general overviews—Porsche 75 Years: Expect the Unexpected, and The Complete Book of Porsche 911—to deeper explorations in Porsche Turbo and Porsche 911: 50 Years. During this time, he has regularly traveled to Germany to continue his research regarding Porsche’s history. To date, Leffingwell has interviewed more than 200 Porsche engineers, stylists, model makers, racers, and managers.
While he has tackled other subjects, including John Deere tractors, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and West Coast lighthouses, Leffingwell admits he is almost addicted to the Porsche story. In addition to his book work, he is historical editor for 000 magazine and PorschePanorama. And for the past decade, he has been researching and writing an encyclopedic history of Porsche’s motorsports endeavors.
Leffingwell lives near Santa Barbara, California.
