Original Colors 1968 656 Diesel Wheels?

Here's a picture of our 1968 International 656 Diesel. We painted it this past summer and now need to detail the wheels. Several people have told me the front wheels should be IH white and the rear wheels should be silver and red. When we got it the front wheels were yellow. What were the original colors in 1968?

Wow!!! What a beauty!!! You are so darned lucky to have that beast!!!

As usual, these other guys have given you some good, solid information. The rear rims need a shot of aluminum paint and the front panel behind the badge, to my mind, should be the cream color.

I've never seen a 656 with a Swartz front end like yours, but it sure fits like a hand to a glove!

I don't know what the 'correct' color of the front wheels should be, but ours came from the dealer new with one white and one yellow. Go figure. The neighbor's 656 hydro had both wheels red; same year.

You from Nebraska, by any chance?

Allan

Side badge or grille badge? The grille is the right color for a '68, as are the side panels. The early 656 had the same white/cream grille as the 706, but this is the one with the tube grille.

Definitely paint the rims silver.

You can get a reproduction grille emblem on Ebay. They pop up from time to time. Ebay's the only place I've ever seen them.

Dunno, but sure a darned nice lookin' tractor!

Allan

The box is a tool box. I would have taken it off but it's so darn handy.

Shep2

Having said all of this, now I am going to have a look at the 1968 buyers guide I have. There are 5 pictures of 656 in the guide. One a western special is painted exactly as yours, difference is it has pressed steel rear wheels. I think all the western specials had those rear wheels and if I recall correctly they are 34" but real wide. The 656 Utility 2 photos and both have white wheels front and rear. There are 2 Farmall 656s painted exactly as yours except rear rims are silver. I guess we better give you the cigar.

I also checked further into that buyers guide and without exception all Farmall models have red front wheels and all Utilities have white front wheels. That inclules all models from Cub to 1256.

Our 656 gasser has pressed steel rear wheels and always has. I asked dad why it didn"t have the cast center wheels on it and he had no idea, just said "that"s how we bought it".

I had always wondered if it was due to the fact that my grandad wanted to get it cheaper, since this was the first brand new tractor that had ever turned a tire on our place, since grandad was and still is one of the depression-age guys who would rather repair old than pay for new(I"m the same way).

The pressed rims are still working fine even though they have a few weld beads on them due to cracks no doubt caused from it"s years carrying the top-heavy stacker/hydrafork tower. My brother recently bought a loader for the tractor. However, with the bucket attached it"s so darned heavy that it"s hard to get any traction at all, and I"m sure the heavier cast rear wheels would work lots better.

Sounds as though this is the way Westerners wanted these tractors equiped. Most I've seen in photos have 3-4 sets of wheel weights. 3 weights would probably equal the cast wheel in weight. Do these Western Specials have 3 point hitch? I have seen a few listed indicating no 3 point, usually it doesn't say.

Yep, you're right. Good catch!

Allan