IH one row cotton picker

I have locked down an IH one row cotton picker. I'm going to restore it and harvest 30-40 acres with it next year. It's going to be about 3 weeks before I can see pictures this thing.

The current owner said that he's unsure of the picker model but its a high drum sitting on a Farmall 450 gas. He said the serial number is FHS6997. I cant find anything on cotton picker serial numbers.

Can anyone tell me anything about this?
Picker model number?

Can you still get doffers,moisture pads, spindles,and bars for them?
I'm guessing it should be a 120-A?
By the time I came around we had a fleet of 782 pickers, these models were before me.
Thanks for your help

From the heart of cotton country, I believe everything your looking for can be found but typically ordered. I know the spindles are different from modern pickers. They are much longer on the older picker units. I figure the doffers and moisture pads haven't changed much other than the material they are made of. 30-40 acres would be alot of fun to play with on that machine. I figure you can go to the local Case dealer and they can hook you up. At least get part numbers. Any dealer worth their salt still has the old books. Ours here still can look up my cub parts.

I can probably help you with a year on the picker when you have the picker serial number. Pickers were numbered consecutively from the first picker being 501 on a plate on the row unit and on the frame on the left side ( at least through the first two row machines). I have a spreadsheet with numbers I have put together. Also several parts books that list serial number breaks. I also have a bunch of used row unit parts if you are looking for bar assemblies, etc. New spindles, doffers and moisture pads are different from new machines. Spindles will likely be 9/16 inch diameter unless you have found a California machine with 5/8 diameter spindles. BCH Company (Or BHC) is a company in Israel that produces aftermarket parts for pickers. I think this company has been bought by John Deere. There are numerous Chinese suppliers that I see at our Mid South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis. I have found some older dealerships with inventory they would like to get rid of. I do have some spindle bushings that I bought in west TN. Check with the owner and see if he has extra parts, especially the old style spindle shields. I could use about 300 of those for a picker I hope to rebuild (H-10-H # 502). Email is open.

Herb Willcutt

Thank you folks for the response. Word got out that I'm starting cotton in our area and another farmer asked if I would harvest his if he puts in a few hundred acres. I said that it depends on if I can locate a larger cotton picker. If not, I'm going to stick with this old one row. They are making 4 bale cotton here, it's going to be a lot of dumping

I would like to find an 1822 or a 2022 to custom pick small average here locally. If you know where one is, I'll come get it. Thank you again.

Did you rebuild the picker bar? I have a weird request do you or anyone on here have old picker spindles or spikes as I call them? I m looking for a few hundred to build don t lol Christmas tree stands. I m looking for the 9/16" and 5/8" thick s and tapers down to 1/4" thick and about 4 1/2" long.