Stalwarts collide
Looking back, it’s not difficult to imagine how the tractors that set the standard in the 1980s have become the models that enthusiasts treasure today. They may have been common, but they were common because they were good – they would not have been bought in vast quantities had they not offered an impressive list of features and work rate at an attractive price.
The first half of the 1980s was, in many ways, a transition period from two-to four-wheel drive and the models that we are comparing here were available in both configurations to suit the needs of buyers throughout Europe. Both should be considered as evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, but that’s no bad thing – much of their technology was tried and tested and this was considered a plus point for many of those that purchased one.
IH’s first 885XLs were built in 1981 and could trace their lineage back to the World Wide Series models of 1970. The skid unit and panels were finished in red, with off-white for the wheels and cab roof and a point to
