Hay season waits for no one, especially not Derek Bieri. On this week’s Roadworthy Rescues, the Tennessee farmer faces a familiar dilemma: he needs more horsepower. Not the four-wheeled kind that usually occupies his shop, but the kind that pulls heavy equipment across fields. Enter the 1978 International Harvester 1086, a vintage tractor that catches Derek’s eye.
This time, the rescue isn’t a barn find or a junkyard gem. This Harvester, thankfully, is already running, which should make the 50-mile trip back to the farm slightly less… complicated. Still, a journey of that distance with a machine of that age is bound to offer a few hiccups, right?
The allure of this episode isn’t just about getting the tractor home. It’s about the practicality of restoration. Bieri isn’t just shining up chrome bumpers; he’s finding tools that are integral to running his farm. This isn’t a hobby; it’s a necessity.
Roadworthy Rescues continues to bridge the gap between gearhead enthusiasm and real-world application. It’s one thing to restore a classic car for weekend cruises. It’s entirely another to rely on a decades-old piece of machinery to get a job done, especially during the time-sensitive demands of hay season. Will this International Harvester earn its keep? Tune in to find out.
Roadworthy Rescues airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on MotorTrend.
