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More “UV” than “SUV”: 1969 International Harvester Travelall

For me, this is perhaps the ultimate “UV” – a no-frills, massive, simple Utility Vehicle built for cargo capacity and not creature comforts. Sure it’s got seats, windows, a couple of necessary things like a speedometer and a steering wheel – but other than that the classic Fourth Generation International Harvester Travelalls, like the one found here on eBay thanks to reader Matt Williams, were streamlined and elementary compared to modern incarnations. In today’s terms, they would be marketed as “The perfect machine for your minimalist lifestyle.”

But in 1969 the Travelall advertisements read “…sleeps 4, rides 9, tows 3 tons…goes anywhere beautifully.” That year was the first complete redesign for the Travelall model – with the first through third generations (those built from 1953 – 1968) all featuring bulbous, almost chubby styling, and massive surrounding glass from front to back. The redesign was highly influenced by International Harvesters Scout 800 series – the small, jeep inspired classic that IH was having great success with.

This particular survivor seems to come from a caring seller, who details quite a bit of upkeep and period appropriate work, including replacing the A/C compressor, new muffler and shocks, brake repair and new white walls, and buffing up the original paint. At the same time, front and rear fuel tanks were professionally cleaned, and the cloth centers on front and back seats have new period correct cloth. The odometer reads just a bit over 65k miles, and the seller has service records that seem to corroborate those as total original miles. Considering almost everything, including radio, interior, and exterior lights, and even rear tailgate power window still works – it’s a decent bet the 65k mile read-out is real.

Having grown up with a few International Harvesters in our neighborhood and circle of family friends, I’ve always had fond memories of Travelalls. I can say for certain that 5 ten-year-old boys and as many Schwinn Sting-Ray bikes fit comfortably in Mrs. Guys old 1968 1100C with cardboard covering the window accidentally shot out by a stray BB from “someones” Daisy Red Ryder. Good memories, and a great vehicle from a by-gone era!

 

Comments

  1. Avatar PatrickM

    Stout vehicle. But, you must have a heart for them. Not as “stylish” as others, but could do the job. Wish there were more pics…underside, cargo area, rear sesas, floorboards, dash close up.

    Like 4
  2. Avatar jimbunte Member

    We had one in the late 1970s, a 71 model. Absolutely awesome vehicle. Whoever buys this one is going to be very happy.

    Like 7
  3. Avatar Neal

    I am more of a Scout fan, but I’ve always loved the Travelalls too.
    This is a dreamy machine. Love the plain original look!

    Like 2
  4. Avatar geomechs Member

    My dad had a ’69 1200 Crew Cab. It was fairly well made, with a 392/auto. Absolutely horrible fuel economy (somewhere between 8-10 if you babied it) but it handled any load you could throw at it. The A-C was one thing they just couldn’t seem to figure out. Evacuate it and leave it the entire weekend to find it holding a 24 inches. Yet fill it with freon and it would be empty in 8 miles. I remember Binder getting so fed up that they ordered every component replaced, one at a time. Compressor, condenser, lines. Finally they opened everytthing up and replaced the evaporator and expansion valve. Problem finally solved. But by then, Dad was fed up and traded it for a ’71 Ford F250 with a 390. No more power than the Binder, but half the fuel consumption, and the A-C worked….

    Like 2
  5. Avatar Miguel

    The 1969/1970 Galaxie hub caps look oddly in place on this one.

    Like 4
  6. Avatar TMel

    We love our ’70… “Moose”

    Like 2
  7. Avatar Howard A Member

    The old man had a Travelall like this to pull our campers. He hated it, it never ran right, wreaked of gas, always ran hot. IH made great trucks, and my old mans poor ( if any) maintenance probably didn’t help. I think when the tranny puked, he went with the Chevy Suburban, and those took his abuse much better. You probably saw 20 Suburbans for every Travelall, so this is an incredible find, and the local “AutoPlace” has all the parts, you’ll probably get to be on a 1st name basis with the counter person with this.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar RickyRover

    I had a ’71 IHC Travelall 1210 4×4 with the 392 V8 4bbl Holley carb, got an honest 7mpg, nothing like a “binder” to suck down the fuel….. Great trucks though!!

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Jack Quantrill

    Had a ‘72, model 1010 in “gas-chamber” metallic green. In the 70’s , this was de riguere for towing!

    Like 1
    • Avatar Kimm Greenwell

      I have a ’72 in metallic green that I just got back from being restored. I actually own 2 more but they’re ’73 models. Anyway I thought you might appreciate this picture.

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Richard Fortney

    By VIN this appears to be a 1967 model

    Like 0
    • Avatar duaney

      Wrong, it’s clearly a 69. 67 has entirely different body.

      Like 1
  11. Avatar Steve H.

    What an awesome survivor. Beautiful, I really like it! The only downside would, I’m sure, be the mileage. Go on a trip and prolly would not pass many gas stations.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Miguel

      You get to meet a lot of interesting people that way when you have to stop for gas every 150 miles.

      Also you can earn a lot of air miles on your credit card. That way you can fly next time.

      Like 3
  12. Avatar PRA4SNW

    My wife wants a bigger SUV / Wagon vehicle. Too bad I couldn’t talk her into something like this. It sure beats the non-descript crap they sell for 40Gs.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar AZPLUMBER

    Forget the corn binder, I want the orange and white 72 Chevy pickup setting​ next to it looks l exactly like the one I sold two years ago

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Skip

    Nice! It’s got he restyled body. When our standby ambulance service was up and running years ago we had two TravelAlls: a ’62 that was “born” in MT and ended up in Odessa, TX, and then on to Lubbock; and a ’63 that originated in Amarillo and was featured on RoundUp herbicide’s national TV commercials back in the ’70s. Both were excellent “workhorses”.

    Like 2
  15. Avatar Vair Guy

    My family had a Metro Step Van and a late model 4X4 truck. They were both amazing trucks! I recall crossing a creek in the Superstition Mountains in the Metro one time. There was a 4WD Ford on the other side. The driver didn’t look too sure about crossing. We simply stopped, shifted into the granny gear and waded across. Take that Ford guy! :) My family sold the 4X4 a while back but we’ve still got the Metro and it’s still running strong!

    Like 1
  16. Avatar James

    Ahhh, brings back memories, not of this especially, but my job interview with IH in 1973, just before I went to work with them in the Vehicle Concept Group at the Design Center in Fort Wayne, IN..

    My ‘to be’ boss, Joe, took me out to the back of the facility where a medium blue Travelall sat, sort of in a corner of the lot – in its nondescript condition – he took me over to view it, opened the hood and I couldn’t see the engine air cleaner,, I moved closer to the front of the vehicle and immediately saw “Oldsmobile Toronado” on the dual snorkel air cleaner.. They had purchased a wrecked Toronado and spliced the front end with engine onto the Travelall chassis – quite a surprise!

    This particular vehicle was one of the initial ‘test beds’ for front-wheel drive vans; “Unit X” that we were developing that never made production. This particular vehicle, though, became the ride of choice of the executives for their 165 mile trips to and from IH Headquarters in Chicago – and with nearly 400 HP, rightly so….

    Like 2
  17. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Ended: May 12, 2018 , 1:36PM
    Winning bid:US $21,000.00
    [ 40 bids ]

    Like 0

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