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| The 786 was a very low production tractor - the numbers quoted above are correct. When the series changed to the 88's in 1981, the 786 was replaced by the 3088.
The 786 was the ONLY one of the 86 series not to have a standard cab available. They were open station, with the only option being a 4 post ROP's.
IH made this tractor as it saw it had a 'hole' in it's line-up of the larger framed 80 hp class, to compete with tractors such as the ford 7700 and White 2-85. When they went from the 66 series to the 86 series they dropped the 766, but had 886. Another reason why they brought in the 786 was that it was an 'economical' unit for it's size and hp to compete.
IH had MFD available on the entire 86 series and was either a factory order or dealer install, through a sub-supplier known as Elwood. IIRC, these MFD front ends were the same as used on military 6x6 trucks, and were seen as a viable option for IH. They did not turn very tight so not very popular yet - remember: these were the early years of MFD in North America, so still not as popular compared to about 10 years later (especially with new turning radius designs/technology).
I had the very real pleasure of using one in the summer of 1981: IH loader, MFD and ROPS when I worked a summer job at a local diary farm. It was a GREAT tractor. It pulled like no one's business, and was very handy with the loader. For some reason there were a few in the area (non with MFD though) where I grew up, and very popular with the diary farmers.
The tractor is near bullet proof: it's literally a 986 with a smaller engine, so it's really over built.
This is a very collectable tractor, especially with the MFD on it. I spoke to a large former IH dealer about a year ago and asked if he sold a lot of these, especially with MFD. He only had one 786 and it came factory with MFD. He couldn't sell it at the time!! The reason is that no one liked the MFD in those years as they didn't turn tight and again, the early years of MFD acceptance in North American farming. He actually had to trade it off to another dealer about 6 hours away just to get rid of it. He also reminded me: the 786 was for the budget minded: don't forget the crazy interest rates in those years! Hanging an MFD on it also raised the price!
That 786 I drove in the summer of 1981 was lost in a machine shed fire about 8 years later. The picture of the 786 in this topic is only the second one I've ever seen with MFD on the many internet equipment sales sites in about the last 8 years. VERY rare combo! | |
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IHC 786
