The inception of the International Harvester Company dates all the way back to 1909 when the company began and initially marketed its trucks to farmers. It took little time for the trucks to become successful in the farming industry, and soon after businesses were purchasing International brand trucks for commercial use in cities. They’re still being produced to this day, and if you are looking for an older but nicely preserved example this 1971 International Harvester Cargostar would certainly be worth taking a look at. Located in Itaska, Illinois, it can be found here on eBay with a buy-it-now price of $19,900. There’s also an option to make an offer, so you may be able to make a better deal if you catch the seller on a good day.
International introduced the Cargostar in 1970 and produced it all the way up until 1986, so the 1971 model being offered here is pretty early in the run. It was billed as a medium-duty hauler and featured a forward-control cab-over-engine. The seller says that he and his father bought this Cargostar with the intention of using it to transport their cars to and from shows, but due to a change in their plans it is now being offered for sale.
Both the last two owners and the current owner believe that this vehicle has only accumulated 11,771 miles over the course of its life and that this truck was supposedly originally used in the International factory yard. It is equipped with a 392 cubic inch V8 engine which the seller says runs fantastic, and also offers to provide potential buyers a video of the motor running if requested. This truck was put into indoor storage 5 years ago and is said to need both the brakes and clutch bled.
Things are looking all business on the inside and overall pretty well preserved for a work truck. Those blue seats stand out like a sore thumb, as they match literally nothing on either the outside or inside of the truck! The seller claims that his International is rock solid from top to bottom with some minor rust on the body. The vehicle comes with a 9000-pound electric superwinch with remote control, but the next owner will have to find a set of ramps because they have unfortunately been stolen.
You’ve got to love that forward-tilting cab, but being 50 years old I’d probably put some kind of sturdy support under the back before I crawled into the engine compartment to work on it. What are your thoughts on this 1971 International Harvester Cargostar?
Where to start? It’s okay, love the trucks, but tis’ no ’71. In ’74 IH redesigned the front, and the mileage, ( shaking head without using those letters to show that) 11,000 miles,, good heavens, no foolin’. Some of these truck speedometers didn’t have tenths, and 117K is much more plausible, and broke with alarming regularity, and since you were never in danger of a speeding ticket, most were left unrepaired. No 2 speed rear, which is probably just as well, and lose the “widow maker” wheels, could still be a useful car or classic hauler, they do get around great in tight places,, if they drop the last zero, that is.
I had a ’63 CO 1800 with a 345 v8 and 5spd on the tree. Air brakes and a magnesium dipped cab; no rust. Loved the truck just didn’t have the garage space or heavy duty tools to work on it. Wish I still had it today.
What he said in above comment. Grill looks newer that 71. Also a pick up with a trailer would be more practical. Price is kinda steep Getting parts for it would be tuff also. My hobby is old trucks and we used to work on a fleet of these with beverage bodies. Back then they were good but today not too practical.
11k miles? They must think were idiots!
The hits keep on coming. I’m inclined to think that, like Howard and Tim have said, it’s newer than ’71. I’m going to say ’74 or newer but a line-setting ticket would nail it down pretty solid. I highly recommend getting a lineset; it is your truck’s DNA and tells you everything about it that you were afraid to ask. Probe further and you might not only get the names of the line workers but find out what graffiti they wrote on the bathroom wall. Not really but then you never know. Good trucks these were but parts for the cabs are getting somewhat picked over. A windshield is a special order and will cost you an arm, a leg, and the first-born male child so try to preserve it. Wheel cylinders and wheel bearings are no problem. You’ll have to find a truck/trailer/brake shop to reline the shoes. Drums are hit and miss, mostly miss but I’ve pulled some rabbits out of hats for customers. When that fails there are some places that will recondition the drums. Actually, most of the driveline is easy to get parts for. Some delays in getting some engine parts but I understand that that area is coming around again. I won’t bother to elaborate here because it would be rather extensive. The availability of the brake master cylinder was down and out then by some sudden miracle, I was able to land some. Clutch master cylinder is hit and miss. If you need to fix either one with a good degree of certainty you might be looking at sending the masters to a place like White Post Restorations and let them have at it. Clutch slave cylinder is common to all Binders and some other makes and is easy to come by. Overall I like what I see but it is out of my budget; I need to luck out in the Power Ball or some other game of chance to be able to do much to this. If this came my way, I’d fix it and use it. It’ll probably outlast me…
I agree that the thing to do is get a line sheet. I got one easily for my ’73 IH COE, just googled it and found one to download within minutes, just entered my VIN and paid a few bucks.
My master cylinder is suspect, but was just going to figure the bore and do a little research. I suspect you can find a suitable replacement without too much trouble. I have done that on some older vehicles – usually to go to a dual reservoir master to replace a single circuit master. You may have to do some adapting for mounting, but in the case of my IH it looks to be pretty simple.
For 20k, it should be turnkey,get the brakes fixed.
It says it’s a Model 1850 . IIRC those were the diesels and the 1810 were the gas jobs .
Hey Tim, it says “1950B” and the 1850B’s were diesels, 1950B’s , I believe could be had with either.
1950 would have been a heavier chassis. The (50) meant diesel and the 10s were gas jobs. Between the grill being newer than the advertised year and the emblems being questionable I wonder if the cab is original. That style grill came out in 73 and was used well into the next decade. Most of beverage (7up) trucks and Milk trucks we worked on were 1810B with 404s . The bigger ones were 1850s and 1950s with DTs and one with a V8 CAT. The axles on this truck are pretty small for a 1950B.
Mike—————All tilt cabs have a support arm to keep the cab from dropping when up. At least by the time this was built. Of course somebody had to get crushed to have that mandated. But I’m sure someone also got crushed because they didn’t use it.
Corn binder is what they were Calle and I agree with Howard that it is a 74 and the odometer didn’t show tenths, so you are looking at a 117,000 mile vehicle BTW to the writer, the cab has a lock out bracket to keep the cab tilted so it doesn’t fall on you.
The ergonomics of these things made them miserable to drive for in town driving. The location of the pedals in relation to the driver seat & steering wheel was terrible.
I have a 1972 CO1610a w/ 18 ft box and maxon 2000# lift gate with 117000mi fun to drive and slow very slow by todays standards, will go 60 though it needs the 5 and 2spd rea it has. id love to believe it’s worth 19000, it should be but its not,