Lee Klancher on Espionage, Prototypes, and Ag History - The Secret History of JD vs IH

This Farm4Profit Podcast episode takes listeners deep into one of the most dramatic rivalries in agricultural history: the tractor wars of the 1970s and 80s. Our guest, Lee Klancher, is an award-winning author, photographer, and publisher of Octane Press, whose new book Snoopy and the Spy tells the story of International Harvester vs. John Deere during the height of the farm crisis.

We explore:

Lee’s Journey: How his early passions for machinery, photography, and storytelling led to a 30-year career publishing more than 30 books, teaching writing, and founding Octane Press from his garage in Austin.

Adventures Behind the Lens: From climbing the Julian Alps to photographing 30 rare John Deere tractors in a custom-built studio, Lee shares wild experiences that shape his work.

Snoopy & the Spy Storyline:

The bold espionage of Bud Youle sneaking into John Deere’s Superdome showcase in 1982.

The innovative but short-lived IH 2+2 “Snoopy” lineage and the canceled Super 70 prototypes (7288, 7488, rumored 7888).

Deere’s counterpunch: the 15-speed PowerShift transmission and factory MFWD on high-hp row crops.

How espionage fueled innovation but couldn’t save IH from its financial collapse and eventual merger into Case IH.

Wider Themes: Loyalty, desperation, and ethics during a time when the survival of whole companies—and farm livelihoods—hung in the balance.

The conversation also highlights Lee’s reflections: espionage and secret prototyping accelerated tractor innovation and shaped the machines we know today, even if IH itself didn’t survive.

We close with lighter fare: Lee’s dream tractor test drive, favorite adventures from around the globe, and what hidden book projects might be next.

This episode blends ag history, corporate drama, and personal adventure—showing how tractors and their stories are as much about people and passion as they are about horsepower.

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