My name is Carl DEVLIES, and I was born in Kortrijk (Belgium) on 29 June 1958. I'm the oldest son, and have 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
My father was farmer, the fourth generation Devlies at the same farm (since 1850). Now, it's my youngest brother.

When I was young, near all machinery we had on the farm came from International Harvester (IH or IHC) - McCormick, especially due to a very good dealer in our region, but also due to the good quality of the IH-products.
 
 

The first thing I remember vaguely is my father's IH-Farmall H of 1948, with a petrol engine of 22 hp.

In 1962 - I was 4 at that moment! - the Farmall was replaced by an IH D-439 of 42 hp, which I remember much better. It had an Agromatic and a hydraulic system with depth control. On this tractor, we learned our first experiences: low batteries after testing the lightening, flat tyres after examination of the valve, ...  Father would know very soon that I liked tractors and mechanics!
The farm and farm machinery are still some of my greatest hobbies, and still take much of my free time.

In 1963, father bought a little harvester, a IH D8-62 with a 3 cylinder diesel engine, and also a baler press IH B-55T.
The harvester was not very good: There where lots of technical problems, less fiability and it was much too small (compared to the M103 of Claeys for example). After 5 or 6 years, my father did not use it any more, but in 1970, I repaired it once more, so that I could work with it during that season. In 1971, father sold it.
The baler press was a very heavy (too heavy!) machine, and was a PTO driven type (there was also an engine driven model available). I have worked with it during many years, till 1974. Then my father changed it for a old and worn IH Super BWD-6 (the one that I have restored now). Both where 'old iron', and had approximate the same weight (2600 kgs).
The only task for this old tractor was to drive on an irrigation pump, sometimes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with nobody around it. If there was any technical failure, at least it would not cost a fortune when this old tractor was ruined.

In 1965, father bought a stronger tractor, a IH-624 of 62 hp, to replace the D-439, which became too small for our farm activities at that moment.

In 1971, he bought a IH-724 of 72 hp, to replace the IH-624 witch had about 6800 hours, and problems with the Agromatic-S. At the same moment, he sold also his old small harvester.
This tractor is still at the farm, but having about 14.000 hours, it is no longer in service. Two years ago, my bother bought another second hand IH-724 of 1970, having 7900 hours to replace it for doing some light works with machinery especially fitted for this tractor.
He also bought an old IH-844 for other light works.

Since my marriage to Christine in 1987, I do no longer live at the farm. In my professional life, I have always been very close to the agriculture and its machinery. First, I worked 2 years in Volvo Trucks Europe in Ghent, then 10 years in AVR-Machinery (potato harvesters) where I was responsible for the self-propelled machines.

Next, I was production manager during 7 years in Vlamalin, who constructs flax machines, and now I work at Lampaert, Weidemann Belgium, a distributor and constructor of hydraulic components and systems for the industry and agriculture.
 

Hereafter, you will find the history of the restoration of my old IH Super BWD-6. I hope it will please you a little bit.