International 300 utility

Hey guys, I hope this is the right place for this. I ran across an
international 300 utility tractor. The owner wants to give it to
me but before I took on a new project I had a couple of
questions. It has the 3 point lift on it but the lift arm ends, that
hold the ball to hook to an implement, are missing. Are these
parts still available? Also, I?m sure it will need a gas tank. Are
those available or would I have to clean and work with the
factory one?

I?ve always had fords so anything you can tell me about these
tractors would be well appreciated. It?s very straight, has all
the gauges in place, doesn?t look patched up, and was
running when parked. Tires are even holding air.

Thanks!

I own one and they are pretty good tractors but there are some things to consider. I think the hitch you are describing is a 2 pt hitch used by IH. Implements had prongs and you simply backed up the tractor and inserted the prongs. You can get the adapter arms to make it a 3 pt hitch. Its a little awkward as the arms won't spread to put them over the hitch pins. If the tractor had anything like a loader then there could be steering issues. They don't steer easy anyway without power steering and they came with and without power steering. Long loader usage can damage parts of the steering and they are hard to replace. Being an IH tractor it could have a torque amplifier which may or may not be working. When they go they go out its usually on the low range and the tractor still works in the high range which is normally where you would have it anyway. If you want one to work they are fixable. A normal 300 would have had a TA, live pto and at least one hydraulic valve. Since you have a hitch you have hydraulics but you could buy the tractor without a TA which met the tractor did not have live hydraulics either. Other than that almost all parts are available unless they are listed as an assessor and what can't be found new can be found in junk yards with the exception of adding a power steering unit - those can be scarce. Of course there is normal stuff like condition of tires, etc. Hope you can get it.

I?ll have to look a little closer, I didn?t notice if the arms swung or not but I did notice it had a bracket behind the seat for a top link pin. At least that what it appeared to be as I glanced it over.

Yes they had a top link. Some of the early 2pt implements still used the top link like a 3 pt does.

if someone wants to "give" you the tractor take it quick!!

Yeah I'm all about the free tractors! As for the 2 point vs 3 point, I actually found I prefer the IH 2 point for my hay work. I like being able to raise and lower a 2 point draw bar for raking and adjusting to different implement heights that us the PTO. The fast hitch draw bars are very solid compared to the drawbars typically added between 3 point arms. I don't have years and years of experience and know there are advantages to both and I use both.

Not sure on the fuel tanks. Do you think yours is dirty or rotten?

Dave: I had the same problem only worse, mine has a Wagner loader so tank removal is a royal pain so I water washed it as good as I could and air blew it too and installed 10 gallon of discount store white vinegar for almost 24 hours and washed and blew that out and put in a box of baking soda and fresh water and the next morning flushed and blew that out good and installed 5 gallon of gas and a can of WD40. It starts and runs fine now and sediment bowl looks very clean!