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Anyone Ever See One of These?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:36 am
by Binder Mike
mockup-95c2a0ec_2000x.jpg


Either in person or a real photo? 57? Crew cab, stepside and 4WD! I think I'm in love. Would this have been considered a pick up or a Travelette? My guess is these would be pretty rare, Can anyone fill me on this model?

Re: Anyone Ever See One of These?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:38 am
by Gudgeon Pin
The truck in the picture belongs to IH Gear out of North Carolina. Uses it as a back drop to sell his merchandise at shows. Seen it a lot at Red Power Round Ups. Other than don't know too much about it.

Re: Anyone Ever See One of These?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 1:13 pm
by nikkinutshop
I will agree, the TRAVELETTE is quite rare. IHC started building them in house in 1957. I looked in my big IHC book and as near as I can tell, about 100 of these cabs were built in 1957 and again in 1958.
The crewcab started as a three door and the four door followed shortly. IH listed them as a six man cab. I cannot find it now, but I did read IHC offered one of their AG Diesel engines in the heavier models of this truck.
This cab was available on every a variety of frame lengths to accommodate longer box options up to nine feet. The IHC "good Book" says this cab was available on trucks up to and including the 180 model. There were a variety of engines, transmissions and axle ratios and four wheel drive. My friend has a two wheel drive Travelette pickup. He is restoring his Travelette. IHC offered propane fuel as an option with this crewcab.
These trucks were often found in Western Canada where they were popular with the Hutterites. I have seen quite a few of this model in auctions of logging company assets. Mining companies were another buyer of this crewcab. I have an IHC Dealer's leather bound guide book. The book was designed to give the sales persons all of the information they would need to make a complete and detailed truck order. The Diesel option is not mentioned in this book, or I cannot find it mentioned.
A good read and a book any IHC enthusiast should have is the Fred W. Chrisman's INTERNATIONAL TRUICKS 100 YEARS 1907-2007.
ISBN # 0-9700567-2-0 This number is for the soft cover book. I also have the original hard cover book. If you want the hard cover, be prepared to pay more than twice as much for it. The soft cover is a few years later and had more information added at the back along with colored pictures.
I have a much earlier IHC version of this truck. Mine is a 1954 with the big single rear window. It will be converted to a twin window to repair some heavy mechanic inflicted damage at the top rear of the cab. I prefer the look of the Twindow. My crewcab is a three door and I will chang this to four doors. The door behind the driver is complete, but welded shut and fared in with lead. The suggestion was, this gave the extended cab much needed stability when the driving conditions deteriorated.
Four opening doors were available but not recommended for heavy off-road mining and logging operations. My crewcab was built to IHC specification with IHC supplied body parts, in Orrville, Ohio. The Orrville Metal Specialty Company was responsible for the conversion. My IH crewcab is pictured on their website. The Orrville Metal Specialty workmanship is rough as a badger's arse and nicely covered with lead body filler. The rear cab suspension was a two inch by ten inch maple plank.
I bought an IHC R150 frame for this truck project. The project when complete, will be a 4X4 with Dana 60 disc brake axles, a five speed manual and a Cummins 24 valve for power. I have all of the bits and pieces in my storage.
Pictures of this truck and maybe a little more information is available on the forum in the L-R-S build-off.

Re: Anyone Ever See One of These?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:39 pm
by Binder Mike
Thanks guys for the information.

Nikki,I really should pick up a soft cover copy of that book, I appreciate the ISBN numbers for it and BTW that is going to be one very cool truck when you get it done!

Re: Anyone Ever See One of These?

PostPosted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:57 pm
by WEW51L110
In late 1971 thru early 1973, I was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska in the Air Force. One of the pickups assigned to our detachment was a model similar to the blue truck in the background of the poster. I honestly don’t remember much about it other than it was 4-wheel drive and had 3 doors. For whatever reason, I don’t remember it being a step-side. Seems like it was a smooth sided bed.

Re: Anyone Ever See One of These?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 10:00 am
by waltesefalcon
Travelettes are very cool. A local guy used to have a 70 model propane powered Travelette, part of me kinda wishes I had bought it when we sold it awhile back, I'm just not a fan of that body style though.