Line Setting Tickets
From the “Triple Diamond Treatise” column by B. Mitchell Carlson on page 28 of the January/February 2010 edition (Vol 17-No. 6) of Vintage Truck Magazine:
Cornelia's Line Setting Ticket - Click to View Larger Image
A LINE SETTING TICKET represents the “build sheet” for your truck. It is the final word on how a truck was made and where it was shipped to when new. Until a couple of years ago, Navistar would reproduce a copy of an original line setting ticket for post-war trucks. The company no longer performs this service and instead has donated more than 3,000 reels of microfilm containing the ticket information to the Wisconsin Historical Society’s McCormick/International Harvester Corp. Archives. The society has organized the material, which is now available to the public.
Similarly to Navistar’s process, the Wisconsin Historical Society will look up a serial number from the cataloged list and make a photocopy of the information on the microfilm. Copies are available for $20 for each serial number. The cost is comparable to what International dealers had been charging at an earlier time. When dealers were the source of this information, they charged whatever they felt appropriate, and the cost ranged from $15 to $45. Some didn’t want to bother with the process at all.
Currently, the line setting tickets are available only by mail order—not from the historical society’s website. Requests are processed as quickly as possible, but the organization is involved with a number or projects with a limited amount of staff, so you should allow extra time for the service. Requests can be made in person, but only staff members are allowed to handle the fragile original films.
The microfilm information covers the post-war era, generally starting with the R-series, but there are a few gaps until the late ’50s at which time it appears that all U.S. production is available through the early’80s. To order a line setting ticket, contact the archives at:
Wisconsin Historical Society
McCormick/IHC Archives
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706-1482
As an alternative, and I do not know their source (for all I know they too go to the International Archives) Binder Books offers Line Setting Tickets for $19.95 through their web site as well.
John (Jupes) Hansen
May 23, 2010
PDF 
http://oldihc.org/main/truck-talk/general-discussion/canadian-truck-lst
Just a note for Canadian 1968, and earlier truck owners who might be trying to find their LST. Some dealers still have LST info for the later units. The above has responses to my attempts to obtain LSTs.
Mike
The only source for the lineset tickts is the IH-McCormick Collection.
You can buy a copy of the lineset from a light line dealer or a Navistar dealer but they have to order them from the Ih-McCormick archives. After 1986 your Navistar dealer should have them. IH was really cheap when they microfilmed the lineset tickets. The put them on 16 mm film and did not do the best job. The people at the WHS scan the lineset and then put it in Photoshop and try and clean them up as best they can. What they provide is a lot better than Navistar did. On many of the trucks and Scouts you also get the inspection report.
Mike
Hi Mike, Afew months ago i purchased a 37 d2 in amazing shape with some tlc ive got it back on the road. What is my best chance of getting a line set ticket. thank you , Bill
wildwill, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they do not have line setting tickets for anything from the 40′s back. I just got email from WHS this past week on an inquiry I made.
would it be possible to get a line setting ticket for my 1967 scout 800?
They have the line setting tickets up through the 1980′s.
the true and honest factsare is that whs has no line setting tickets for any truck built prior to 1957.
just though this should be posted to let others know.
but after 1958 up to 1986 the wsh has the line setting tickets.
than after 1986 you need to go to your local navstar dealer to get a line setting ticket.
kb48
LST’s were also on Microfiche & microfilm as were part’s manual’s so if you have a long established dealer nearby they may still have them.All you need is the VIN from the letter(s) plus the digit’s that follow.ie;H123456,CHB123456
Also if you know the original dealer and they’re still around they may have a copy on file,BUT you’d probably need to original buyer’s name.
I worked for 4 IH dealer’s and the common practice was for the part’s dept. to get a copy which was filed under the MODEL (1000D,1010,R-195 etc.)with the customer name written on top.Fleet’s would have their own file with the truck’s fleet number on it as well.
Seems that the WHS is either misleading people who make inquiries, or has found some new info recently. KB48, you state that LST is unavailable for pre 57 trucks. I recently requested confirmation that there would be an LST for my 1953 truck, and was offered this positive reply:
Thank you for your request for a line set ticket for a 1953 International R-180 truck serial #10698. This serial number is within a range of line set ticket numbers we do have. Unfortunately, our line set tickets are stored on microfilm, and occasionally individual tickets will be missing. If we do not find your ticket, you will not be charged.
I will be asking for this info to be looked for soon, and wil post the result.
Mike
Mike,
It is possible that they have your ticket but I doubt it. I know the linesets at the WHS better than any body since I have been through reels and reels of the microfilm.
There are some rolls of microfilm prior to the start of the A model but not many.
Some people (work study students) get a bit confused because they see R models listed on the reference sheets. They think R models were just built in the early 50s not knowing the the large R models trucks wer built into the 60s. I can look up your truck for you if you like.
Mike
Mike, Can you still look up the line set tickets?
Thanks for the offer Mike, but I was able to get LST for my truck. They even made a mistake, and sent me the ticket for the truck who’s chassis # was my engine #. Both were 53 trucks, and both were 180s. There was no trouble finding those pre 56 numbers, as they had advised me.
They even tried to look up one of my Canadian trucks, but the chassis# brought up a completely unrelated truck, so the question about WHS having Canadian info was set to rest.
Mike
hi every one the info i posted about the avaliblity of the line setting tickets was based off the info that the W.S.H.told me when i inquired about trying to detrimine the year of my KB1 ihc truck over 3 years ago.
but like a week are 2 after i contacted the W.S.H the guy i bought the truck from found the title which he had misplaced.
SO I HAVE THE YEAR OF MY TRUCK AS TO WHAT THE TITLE SAYS THE YEAR IS.
so the info i posted is only as acurate as what the W.S.H told me and it apears what the W.H.S told me is either inacurate are they have found more info since i contacted them.
lastly who ever moderates this topic can you please post this response as i want to help and post correct and honest info.
thanks much kb48
McCormick-International Harvester Collection
Library-Archives Division
Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
office 608.264.6410
fax 608.264.6486
email askmccormick@wisconsinhistory.org
web http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/ihc/search.asp
Collecting, Preserving and Sharing Stories Since 1846
All,I see there has been much discussion here regarding the line setting tickets. I apologize if I am sharing old news. I sent email to WHS last week concerning a line setting ticket on my 1940 D-3. He did confirm to me that they DO NOT have information for trucks in the 40′s and back from there. He did send me the spec sheets for a 1937 D35, 1940 D3 and D300 or something like that (basically he was trying to cover several trucks…they do have other truck spec sheets for those without them). Useful stuff, as they do show some fluid requirements and some other good tidbits of info. Super nice folks and very quick on their replies. I still have the emails if anyone wants to see them or wants me to post the spec sheets for those vehicles here. Send me a PM.