IH dealership truck comes to Half Century in Illinois

This year’s Half Century Progress Show was back on Aug. 25-28. This biennial event started in 2003 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Farm Progress Show.

Half Century has since grown to one of the largest working farm shows around. The show is at the National Aviation Center in Rantoul, Ill.; the airport and former Chanute Air Force Base was selected because of the immense amount of room available for parking, vendors, displays and demonstrations.

While tractors and their implements were the main focus, antique trucks of all sizes, makes and models were also at the show. For those International Harvester collectors, one truck truly stood out. That was the one that traveled from Valparaiso, Ind., to the show.

The beautiful truck was owned by Charles Hardesty, who made his 1955 3/4-ton four-wheel-drive IH into a dealership truck.

“I bought this truck 19 years ago, about 15 miles from my house in Portage, Indiana,” he shared.

The truck wasn’t purchased originally to be a dealership truck: “When I bought the truck in 1974, I was going to use it in sand dunes. Then I got married (to Mary Lou) and had kids, and went classic.”

The truck sat for many years, but when the Red Power Roundup – the granddaddy show for IH – was going to be close by in La Porte, Ind., Charles decided to get rolling. The truck was completed right before the June 2010 show date.

This restoration was a big job that had to take place from the bottom up, Charles said. “It has been a total frame-off restoration.”

Upon learning about Charles’ history, it seems natural for him to want an IH. “I started out in 1973 at a Case IH dealership as a mechanic,” he explained.

After working at the dealership and farming, he moved on to a water utility company where he worked as a mechanic for 25 years. “Then I came back to the Case IH dealership for my brother. It is H&P Sales in Valparaiso. I drive my IH truck to and from work, 12 miles.”

The eye-catching truck was a hit at the Half Century Show and is a head-turner wherever Charles heads out. While obviously into Farmall red, Charles is well-rounded in the antique tractor and truck hobby. He surprised some of his truck admirers by saying, “I’m also a Ford guy and I have a Model T, too.”

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.