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1972 International Travelette: Room For Days

harvester

In an era of pickup trucks that are seemingly oriented more towards luxury than utility, it’s refreshing to find an old girl like this 1972 International Harvester Travelette here on eBay. It also goes to show you that extended cabs with comfortable back-seat accommodations are nothing new, and this Travellete combines a stretch-your-legs-out interior with a huge bed that looks like it could swallow dirt bikes and snowmobiles with ease. However, before you take this long wheelbase pickup over hill and dale, there may be some rust issues that would be wise to address sooner than later; but overall, it’s not so far gone as to cause any serious worry. Of course, that depends entirely on what the reserve is set at! Which would you choose – a new $50K (or more) Dodge Ram or a classic hauler like this International?

Comments

  1. Avatar JW

    If his reserve isn’t a collector car price I wouldn’t mind having it and I would use it the way it is and the way pickup trucks are supposed to be used, LIKE A TRUCK !!!

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  2. Avatar Jose

    Agree with JW but why didn’t the seller include where the truck is located and the price? Or, did I miss something?

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  3. Avatar Leon

    Would look better with more traditional style wheels or covers on it

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  4. Avatar James

    My dad had the station wagon style back in the late 70’s early 80’s
    he converted it to diesel and it went well and achieved high 20’s mpg which was good for the size of it. Im not sure what engine he used in it.
    he sadly sold it sometime in the late 80’s and its next owner wrecked it

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  5. Avatar DENIS

    I had one of these with the short box and a plow….took 40 acres to turn around but was UNSTOPPABLE…I think it’s a nice buy…use it as a truck…

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  6. HoA Howard A Member

    The handwriting was on the wall for International pickups, which ended in 1975 ( although, the Scout soldiered on for a few more years) IH was clearly thinking ahead with this. Crew cab pickups were nothing new, but IH tried to gussie up their line, and look at today, these types of trucks are very common.Some people had good luck with these. My experience was, they were awful vehicles. A mere shadow of their heavy duty brethren. My old man had a Travelall like this, and it was nothing but problems ( which may or may not have had anything to do with the truck, as my old man never changed oil or anything) Still, being what they were, why you don’t see many now, this seems like a good deal.

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  7. Avatar David Member

    Or you can go a little fancier for $13,500, with only 37,700 miles. That 454 should haul “most anything.” In Cookville TN and listed on Craigslist here http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/5069093456.html

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    • Avatar Dave Wright

      A. IHC 345 or 392 will pull the doors off a 454….,..,,,,,,,,,

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  8. Avatar jim s

    the IH could be a nice driver/worktruck if the reserve is not to high. it does have rust but if the frame is good everything else is just parts. the C30 would make a great worktruck also. both have room for a dog or two in the cab, no need to put them in the bed or a bag. great finds.

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  9. Avatar Dave Wright

    I love IHC’s in general but this vintage is one of my least favorites, I have owned many of them. These were good trucks that were victims of the smog laws of the era. My dad owned several truck companies in the 60’s and 70’s that used 1 ton dually trucks with van bodies. He bought these trucks new, they work run great for maby 500,000 miles (road miles) but the fuel economy was poor and the replacement engines while available, were 3 times the cost of a premium GM engine that would run 400,000. Some of the trucks would run 6-700 miles a day 7 days a week so he had a really good feel of the most efficient models. The IHC’s required less shifting because of the huge torque the engines produced but the Holly carbs need a lot of attention. The IHC 6.9-7.3 diesels were nearly a direct bolt in replacement engine for these. I think the engines made for Ford was a little different in the way they mounted to the transmission. I always fantasized about doing a conversion but never did it. Like all internationals, these had an incredible number of available options, including a Perkins and later a Nissan Diesel so, each truck is an individual and can be very different than another one.

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  10. Avatar Doug

    Worked for IH for several years, Ft. Wayne plant where the Scout was built. Had two exec. lease Scouts ( great vehicles) and a Travelall. Harvester could never get a handle on the rust issue, so unless the new buyer is willing to do a frame off, he’ll never keep up with the rust. The seller was more than wise to add the paragraph pertaining to the rust. Notwithstanding, these were fantastically strong endurance vehicles capable of handling much abuse. I pulled a 17000 lb boat in and out of steep ramps with my last Scout, and that 345 truck engine and terrific transfer case did it with ease.

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  11. Avatar Charles

    My uncle owned one of these and hauled a large slide in camper on it. The truck did develop some rust issues over the years, but was mechanically sound with the 392 engine and Chrysler 727 torque flight trans. I have owned a couple of Silverado Crew Cabs the vintage of the one for sale in TN. One was a Choo Choo Custom with a 454 and a four speed stick. The other was a Crew Cab Dually 4×4 with a 454 and Turbo 400 auto. Both trucks had factory AC, electric windows, and all of the other goodies. Both were good trucks. My truck now is a 2002 F 350 crew cab dually 4×4 with the 7.3 Power Stroke, and a six speed manual trans. It is in XLT trim. We bought it new in the day and have had zero problems with it. It is by far my favorite truck ever. More torque than a 454, 20 MPG empty, 15 MPG loaded, very comfortable, and extremely dependable. I would not mind owning this IH, however I am not sure what I would do with it.

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