RC-160 information and research

Hi Fellas,
I must say my search for a truck has taken me in many many directions. Within the past year I have learned more and more about Medium duty new and vintage trucks from all walks of life. I have looked at Brockway, REO, Freightliner, WHITE, Ford, and of course International Loadstar, Cargostar, R, and KB series. My friends are astounded at how much crazy information I have gleaned from the web about trucks.

Well, in my research I have come across the International RC-160, 185.. series of truck. It is in my best guess IH's first attempt at a cabover- or something of that sort. A bit of an ugly duckling- one could either love it or hate it. Me personally? I think I have found the truck that perfectly embodies my personality...slow, sturdy, and with a bulbous protrusion as a gut. LOL. I think this truck is just awesome!

I have done some research around the web and have found less about it then some of the other models. Also it seems there is a L series IH with similar looks. It looks like IH used the R and L cabs and perched them on top of a platform elevating them far above and over the engines. Is that what they did? Can any L or R cab be adapted or simply plugged into this setup? There also seems to be a few versions. Some are badged just as R series others have the RC. Within these there exists the RC160, the RC180, RC185 and are there more? More specifically more with different engines- diesel, and brake options such as air?

Anyone out there have any more sources for information. Online? Books? Etc for these RC trucks? Many Thanks Greg the Egg

Dan Cornett, a member on this site has 1st hand experience with them. Not to popular as the cab does not raise or tilt, making them hard to work on.
Medium ones with the medium six required a "special block " machined for a low mount distributor making them hard to source an engine for if needed

Thanks '89' (Sorry I dont even know your name. ) Whats dans contact info here? Greg

Go to the top of the page, click on "members" go to the "D's" and look for Dan Cornett in the list.

I'm generally lurking around reading a lot. I don't post a lot. I have a 54 RC-160 and a 55 RC-180. I haven't done a lot with these trucks other than gather parts. I'm working on another truck now and when I get a little more done on it, I'll start on the two RC's. Here's a few pictures and if you have questions, ask away.

Great to meet you Dan, thanks for the reply!

My truck search has led me in many places but I think IH trucks are my thing. They are not the run of the mill rigs and have some original retro and deco style. I like the availability of parts (some) the variations on engines and well, heck they just look nice. I was surprised to read on a few other sites that these arent too popular amongst the collecotr or restorer crowd? Wondering why?

Maybe you've read some of my previous posts- I'm searching for a water truck as well as a general all around farm truck to haul leaves dirt and such. I've had a few trucks slip through my fingers (actually thankfully now that I think on it) and have come to really love the R series Conventional and COE as well as the Cargostar.

I really like the lines and the driving position up a bit higher. I can only imagine they are quite a challenge to work on much like a van. I have seen the "tilt-o-cab" versions and like that idea a whole lot- is that an aftermarket option? Also what exactly were these COEs manufactured for? I assume a lot of cabovers originated their shape from the need to keep overall truck lengths shorter but it seems this machine has not much of an advantage in this realm.

I am a bit confused as to what the designation is of the COE? It has many many variants it seems and I cant seem to logically put them all together: theres the R, RC, ARC, and the L. All seem now to have the COE or snub nose variant of the model. I thought it was also limited to the R160 but can also be the 181 and the 180. Are there more? More specifically is the COE cab merely an R series conventional cab mounted higher? Aside from the obvious interior engine hump and hood- it looks to this newbie to be the same cab- sharing sheetmetal etc? Am I correct, or are there subtle differences?

I am also looking at engines. It looks like the RC according to '89' has a shortened distributor- meaning the block has been cast differently or modified on the 6 cylinder engine. I like the idea of keeping things original but down the line would this be a problem to shoehorn in a more up to date engine? What types did it share with others? Think a DT 466 would cram on into there? LOL. Honestly I would like to keep the truck I buy as stock and vintage as safely possible. What are some quirks it may have that I should look for? Handling issues maybe or brake upgrades to perform- etc? I'm not really into the rat rod thing and wont go that route I dont think.

Suspension wise, rear end and braking can I assume these share systems similar to the R series? There are certain problems I hear with brake units being of the non adjusting lever type...a bit of a pain? I am hoping there may be an airbrake version? Does the R series share the similar dreaded hydrovac system from the Loadstar?

Lastly just where the heck does one find these rigs? I am here in NY and this is the first I have even seen of this particular strange but beautiful truck. I am planning to join the ATHS to meet others with this specific truck and will hopefully concentrate my search on these for my truck purchase eventually. I see a lot of ads online but they seem like those classic car clearinghouse type ads that are not accurate or even real. I am assuming most of these rigs are used and originated from the midwest and West coast as cargo vans and Grain bodies.

Thanks for the photos of your trucks as well as the assistance in my questions.
Greg

Sent you a PM.

The Std 269, 282 and 308 used in conventional truck have the oil pump shaft extended to above the valve cover where they put the distributor. It is an easily recognized feature of the medium six.
With Cab over engine models there wasn't room for this high mount. Instead a pad was cast on the block at cam shaft level and a slot machined into the block so another gear could mesh with the oil pump drive gear on the cam. a small gear box then bolts to the side of the engine to hold and drive the distributor which is at camshaft level.
From what I can see of the few 282 and 308's the pad is on all of them, but the slot is only machined on the engines installed in cabovers. The high mount distributor is used in all application other than the cabover, so unless the engine cam from a cabover, it will not have the machine work nor the gearbox/distributor to work in a cabover.
If you had a cabover with a complete but bad engine, it should be possible to replace the block with another block by having the slot machined into a conventional block, then swapping over the cabover parts. The block would have to be a later BD 282 or 308 as the earlier BLD series doesn't have the pad.
If you find a cabover truck without the complete engine, finding the cabover only parts for a 282 or 308 would be very difficult.

It appears from the questions you’re asking that the research you’ve done, so far, is just scratched the surface of what is to be learned about International trucks. Frederick W. Crimson compiled a rather extensive historical book about International trucks from 1907 through being published in the mid 1990’s. I’ve included a photo of the cover of the hard bound book and a photo of the page containing the ISBN so it should be easier for you to find. I also think this book may be available soft bound, but I’m not certain of it.

It seems apparent from your questions, that you haven’t quite figured out the sequence that International produced trucks and the meaning of the numerals associated with the models produced. The L model, the R model and the S model were all produced in the 1950’s thru early ‘60’s. Beginning with the L, then the R, then the S. The numerals indicate relative size of the truck. A model 110 (or 100 in an S model) is the pick-up truck size whereas a 160 is going to be at least a medium sized truck and a 190 is a really large truck. When a truck number is, say 161 or 162, etc., that means it is a variant of the 160 size and has different (heavier duty) chassis components of the 160 class of trucks. Dealerships were also involved with adding options and custom pieces based on the customers desires. So there could be variations to each class of truck that are unique to that truck alone, but most trucks followed a general set of guidelines for that model.

As for the Cab-over-engine models. As you’ve already learned, Dan Carpenter, whom I’ve met on a couple occasions, is very knowledgeable. I am by no stretch of the imagination a knowledgeable person when it comes to the larger trucks. I’m strictly a small truck guy and hope that I’ve given you some basic insight into this world of International trucks. There are truck meets in various parts of the country from time to time. By going on web sites like the Antique Truck Club of America can possibly lead you to meets being held in the New England area. I know Dan is in Kentucky most of the year and gets here to Florida in the winter months when there is a truck meet that I go to. Sounds like you’re on your way to discovery and increased knowledge.

I'll second WeW, Crimson's book is well worth buying.