As a lifelong resident of the Great Lake State of Michigan, I’ve had access to some of the greatest museums in America, including the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. When I was a teenager, I recall looking into the “face” of a 1939 Dodge Airflow Tank Truck and feeling a vague uneasiness: the feeling that something was slipping through our fingers. As I got older and educated myself in 20th-century history, I realized that that “something” was style. The truck standing in front of me a few decades ago (it’s still there, by the way) was a product of a golden age of industrial design; after all, there’s no need for a tanker truck to be beautiful, but it was, and is. So is this 1947 International Tank KB-10 Tanker. Brought to us by longtime Barn Finds reader Howard A, it has been fully restored, and it’s being offered here on Marketplace in Richfield, Utah, for $33,000.
International Harvester was obviously a perennial staple in the heavy truck and tractor business. Although most people think “diesel” when they think of big trucks, it wasn’t at all uncommon to see a big gas engine thrumming away under the hood; in this case, it’s International’s 401-cubic-inch “Red Diamond” six, which produced 140 horsepower and (more importantly) 310 lb.-ft. of torque. (Side question: How did International get away with calling its engines “Red Diamond,” when a gleaming red Diamond T was another staple of the trucking industry?) The Red Diamond six was used clear into the 1970s, so I’d say it was a good engine.
The KB-10 had a GVWR of up to 29,250 pounds, so it’s no surprise that this one appears to have air brakes.
It’s easy to romanticize the old days of trucking. The thought of a trucker driving through the night on a two-lane road, delivering fuel oil to some small town, evokes a certain peaceful nostalgia; however, that’s not really rooted in reality. Think about it, someone had to muscle this rough-riding tanker down city streets for thousands of miles a month, and less thought was almost certainly given to driver comfort than it was to styling. The transmission is a five-speed, and as usual, there were many options when it came to rear-end gearing. The tallest began with “6,” so you know that the drive would be a slow, noisy one. Luckily, the new buyer can park it when they get tired, a luxury not afforded to the truckers of the old days.
The only thing missing from this tanker truck is a brand name on the tank itself. While I have a thing for “Sinclair” oil memorabilia, that would require a completely new paint job, something nobody’s going to do with a shiny $33,000 truck. “Richfield Oil” would be appropriate based on the name of the city where the truck is located, but the colors don’t match that either. It’s up to the new buyer for sure…what would you paint on the side of this stylish piece of American industrial design?
P.S. Here’s a neat video of a 1949 KB-10 in action.
:0 !!! And here I was just about to go back to bed,,,thanks Aaron, you don’t have to write up the toilet I submitted,,,as a joke,,ha, ha,,oh sure, now it’s a joke,,,ha, ha,, well the staff must have thought so, I’m still here,,
Naturally, the video was pretty cool, I’ve repeated that scenario a thousand times, and a new day was always refreshing, it’s why I did it for 35 years, regardless of what might have happened the previous day. The KB line was the replacement for K series, and while there was no “K9”, because IH thought it would be a “dog”, there was a KB9, but no KB13, because of superstition. The KB14 I think was the biggest. The KB 10 was the bottom of the HD models. To be clear, someone did an outstanding job on a truck that likely had little use. It’s very possible, this truck never left an airport or fueling facility and has no road use. The author is spot on, in a rural setting, the fuel truck driver was considered a God. Without them, it was 1899 all over again. Generally, these had several compartments, for different products. The side compartments often carried small containers of oil or a/f. If just one big one, probably just for one type of fuel. While our fuel consumption in 1947 isn’t what it is today( 376 million gallons/day) it was still close to 4 million and these, and their drivers, were the unsung heroes that made it happen. This also has a 2 speed rear axle, and with 140 HP, it was surely used. Always loved a 4 spoke steering wheel.
Always had a deep respect for “suicide jockeys”, why I myself hauled 1( one) load of gas in my life, squeezing the color out of the steering wheel, I was, and figured, it wasn’t for me. I know, I kvetch incessantly about the gall of someone asking $75 grand for a mere Mustang, when there is this even less useful for half the price, is somehow more justified in my eyes. When you figure out why that is, let me know, eh? Thanks Aaron, I was hoping someone would pick this up. Careful what you wish for, huh? Beautiful truck and you old gear jammers or wannabes, please let the staff know how much we enjoy these posts, we don’t have a lot in our lives except our memories. Thanks again Aaron, made my day, doesn’t take much.
What a beauty! And why can’t we have style anymore? It makes life a little more enjoyable
First off. I would like to say a huge thank to Aaron for writing this beauty up, and having a bit of his history too, and also Howard A. For finding this gem. What a gorgeous International. You got your fuel delivered in style with this rig. And I’m with Howard. I never tried hauling gasoline or Diesel. Just high pressure medical gas cylinders ( kicking them two at a time) and that was nerve wracking enough. This restoration is amazing, and I’m ok with no lettering on it. Its just beautiful to look at. Thanks again Aaron, great write up!!!
-Dave