First-Ever Axial Flow Still Running Strong

First-Ever Axial Flow Still Running Strong COMBINES Miscellaneous 27-2-13 Buying used machinery can often lead to surprises, but those surprises aren't usually as pleasant as the one brothers Matt and Mike Frey, Pocahontas, Illinois received. Their father Duane bought one of the first new IH Axial Flow combines in 1978. The Freys liked the 1460 rotary so much that Mike and Matt bought a used one of the same vintage from the same dealer in 1982. They had no idea how special that machine would turn out to be. Both combines had four-wheel drive and were able to wade through mud and snow. After harvest in the fall of 2002, Duane's Axial Flow had more than 6,000 hours on it. The one Mike and Matt bought now has more than 4,000 hours. That both combines have performed so well for 25 years with regular routine maintenance and only minimal repairs is enough to qualify them as best buys. But that's not the surprise. The surprise came when Mike and Matt were contacted in 1998 by a Case IH employee. Turns out, the used machine they bought was the very first Axial Flow to come off the assembly line. Case IH was putting together an article and video to commemorate the building of the 100,000th Axial Flow for a dealer's meeting and wanted to know if the first Axial Flow was still in use. "We had no idea the combine had any historical significance," Matt says. "The 1460's are easy to maintain and it's simple to replace worn parts, so we've just kept them going." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Matthew Frey, 136 Locust Creek Rd., Pocahontas, Ill. 62275-3642 (ph 618 669-2361).

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