Updated January 27, 2023
This interesting old truck sold for the first time in September 2022, but the buyer bailed so it’s been relisted. The location is the same as it was before, but the price has dropped considerably from $8,799 to $5,500 here on eBay. You can find the original classified listing here on Barn Finds and we hope the seller has better luck the second time around as you don’t find trucks like this just any day.
The International Harvester A-Series debuted in 1957. The name represented the company’s 50th “anniversary” in the truck building business. They were wider than their predecessors and the front fenders were better integrated into the body than before. This example was exported to Peru at some point and more recently brought back to the U.S. Treated to some more recent mechanical work, this looks like a solid truck that could be enjoyed as is. This old workhorse can be found in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
These trucks were offered as A-100 to A-180 models, identified by gross vehicle weight (GVW) ratings that ranged from 4,200 up to 33,000 lbs. The half-ton editions, like the seller’s pickup, were designated A-110 and were powered by a 240 cubic inch OHV inline-6 engine and 4-speed manual. This appears to be the set-up in this truck (and numbers matching) with the mileage reported at 67,000, but the gauges read in kilometers from the truck’s days overseas.
From the first listing, this pickup is nicknamed “Tow Mater” (remember the movie, Cars?) and has been spiffed up to the tune of $3,000 in receipts. That work included a new 12-volt electrical system; servicing the fuel system, cooling system, and brakes; and replacing the bail joints, bearings, exhaust system, and clutch along with new tires. So, it’s set to cruise around town and would likely be the only one you’ll find.
Rust is present in this old gal but it’s not serious. Corrosion lies in the cab corners, tailgate, and lower front fenders, but the undercarriage is solid. This pickup served in the mining industry in Peru and has some dents and dings in the bed and tailgate, where plenty of surface rust also lives. Spare components and repair manuals will come with the truck, so if it needs anything, maybe you won’t have to go looking very far.
Doggone! If this were closer…
The is a perfect representation of every IHC I ever saw out our way on the cattle and alfalfa ranches-solid no nonsense work rig with a stump ripper rear end. This one though needs some sheet metal repair so the field mice don’t winnow their way inside when the temperatures drop.
Interesting that the second time around you notice more things. I saw in the last listing that the air cleaner had been changed but this time I see the carburetor as well. It should have a Holley 1904 but someone stuck one from a Chevy in its place. No real harm done other than the fuel inlet had to be skewed around to the other side. Hope this truck finds a good home.
Geo, where you been? I was hoping you’d get in on that Diamond T cabover from last week. Had a lot of fun with that. Sadly, my advice here is keep dropping( the price) With every death notice( hey, at 68 you notice those things more) the steam has all but gone away for these. This a tired old gal, and no bids tells a story, one I remind everyone of all the time, the interest just isn’t there anymore. If it were a 4×4, maybe more, but even IF someone makes it to the “test drive”, I all but guarantee, it will be an unpleasant experience for them. A shame, it really is a great find.
I missed a D-T? How the devil did I manage that? I admit that I was busier than a cat trying to cover its ‘business’ on a tin roof but I always try to tune in just in case I miss something. Anyways, here’s a shot of what THIS truck could look like. It’s desireable even in its no-frills livery…
Yeah, it’s pretty far back already, and naturally I was the big mouth touting my trucking shenanigans, but opened up a can of worms of response. Not many sites are dedicated to older big trucks, and was a welcome sight for these old eyes,,
https://barnfinds.com/gear-jammer-1956-diamond-t-cab-over/
You don’t need 4×4. Just put a few sandbags just behind the cab and a pair of tire chains and that should keep you between the ditches. Looks functional enough and a lot of power train stuff is taken care of. Perfect for running up to Menard’s for some river rock or Brew n Chew for fish fry night, and cruise night. Looks like most of the Binders I saw as a kid, clapped out and driven by penny pinching old men.
It’s also missing its instrument cluster.
The owner-supplied gauges are out of a much-later IH. You’d have to retrofit a C or later dash in there, and even if you could, you’d destroy historical interest (I was gonna say “value” but that doesn’t seem to be in here, now)…
Tired old gal? Perhaps more so even than we can see in the photos. A new carb is promising; that would have been work, and wouldn’t have been done if it didn’t run. But you could be months or longer sorting out the dash.
Actually, JPT, the wiring on these is as simple as it gets. Like a dozen wires and can clearly see where they go. Now, finding that cluster could be a challenge. A quick check shows someone has the glass replacement, but no cluster.I suppose an aftermarket cluster wouldn’t be the end of the world, but that’s the charm that shouldn’t be replaced,,I feel. I wouldn’t spend a nickel on this motor, but could be updated into a nice truck.
These IH trucks remind me of my youth. I rode to school on a bigger model (same styling) school bus back in the day.