300u with backhoe

linemechanic1's post/picture about his 350u with the backhoe got me to remembering something.When I was a kid, we had a 300u with a 34a loader,which I have sold,but still have and use the tractor.There was a cemetery near us which had a 300u with a heavy duty loader,and a fast hitch backhoe.Our 34a was basically a quick attach loader-it could be removed or installed in 5-6 minutes,but their loader was more permanent. They also had a Bushhog 80" mower with a fast hitch adapter.The caretaker would remove the backhoe and mow the cemetery with their 300u and that Bushhog.I remember seeing the backhoe removed a few times because my Dad was friends with the caretaker,and he allowed us to borrow the Bushhog so we could mow our pastures with our 300u. Dad always sharpened the blades before he returned it,so maybe that was part of the deal. I know that at least once we loaned him a plow for him to use with his 300u.Since that was the only other 300u I ever saw,and I was always fascinated by tractors,I had a keen interest in that 300u with the backhoe.But I was probably 8yrs old the last time I saw it, since by then Dad bought his own rotory mower,a Woods Cadet72 which I also have and use.But my point/question is does anyone here remember,or have pictures of a 300u with a fast hitch mounted backhoe? Or even a story about one? It seems the backhoe may have needed more than the 2 fast hitch prongs to mount it,but it must not have been too hard to remove or hook up because he switched it regularly.Thanks,Mark.

50 years ago I had the sales brochure for the International 300 or 350 Utility, IH did offer a heavy duty loader and backhoe for those tractors. I don't remember the hoe mounting on the Fast Hitch but maybe it did.

I'll try and get some close up pics of my 350U and the backhoe attachment in the next few days. It certainly doesn't appear to be any "quick' detach arrangement. The data plate on the bachkhoe says CONOMATIC PIPPIN DIVISION of CONE MANUF in Windsor, Vermont MODEL 350 SERIAL NO. 11245. The loader plate is also Pippin Model 184 Serial no. T110315 or something close.

In 1957, before IH started building their own backhoes and industrial grade loaders, they purchased them to mount to IH Utility tractors from two different suppliers. One was Pippin from Windsor, Vermont and the other was the Wagner Iron Works in Milwaukee, WI. The press release dated November 5th, 1957 stated that the units would be sold through IH dealers and company owned retail outlets and could be purchased by dealers as a complete unit with the tractor from the factory. The assembly bay where these units were added was shown for a few seconds in the Farmington Imp. DVD 8 about the Farmall plant in Rock Island, Ill. When purchased through an IH farm or commercial equipment dealer, they were re-badged as International Wagner or International Pippin backhoes. The tractor, backhoe, and loader were painted red/white as standard up until some time in 1960, when the standard color was changed to industrial yellow. The deal lasted until 1961 or so, and then IH released their own line of industrial loader backhoes and terminated the agreement with the two companies.

The Wagner 60 backhoe had a quick-attach mount that let you take it on and off the tractor with 6 bolts and two hydraulic quick couplers. The backhoe unit fit around the fast hitch, so the hitch could remain on the tractor. Their advertisements claimed that an experienced operator could install or remove the backhoe in 5 to 10 minutes.

Lots of valuable, practical history here, Chadd. Thanks so much!

Chadd-thank you for your response.It has been so long ago,that my memory has faded,and I was only 8yrs old the last time I saw it,but I would have sworn the backhoe used the fast hitch,because I seem to remember the fast hitch prongs.But I distinctly also remember that he had a safety latch that prevented the operator from moving the fast hitch control lever while the backhoe was on.Either way,thanks for helping me.Mark.

(quoted from post at 19:57:12 07/18/18) Lots of valuable, practical history here, Chadd. Thanks so much!

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See below for image of a Model 60 on an International 330 Utility from one of the sales brochures.

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