Every once in a while, a true mystery machine surfaces, something that’s been quietly sitting for decades, waiting for the right person to figure out its story. That’s the case with this International Six-Speed Special, reportedly discovered in a shed when the current owner purchased their farm, and now it’s listed here on Facebook Marketplace. With production believed to fall somewhere between 1928 and 1931, the exact year remains unknown, adding another layer of intrigue for potential buyers and historians alike. Thanks for the tip, NW Iowa Kevin!
The seller doesn’t provide extensive details beyond the basics, but the core of the story is clear: this is an old International truck that has been off the radar for a long time. It was already on the property when the farm changed hands, and its past remains largely undocumented. That alone makes it an interesting piece, especially for enthusiasts who enjoy digging into serial numbers, components, and historical records to determine originality and production details.
Vehicles from this era weren’t preserved with the same documentation standards collectors rely on today, so uncertainty about the model year isn’t unusual. The International Six-Speed Special designation itself points to a truck built during a period when manufacturers were experimenting with improved drivability, durability, and mechanical refinement for both agricultural and commercial use. For someone familiar with early trucks, identifying the correct year and configuration could become part of the appeal.
One important note from the seller is the lack of a title. That means the next owner would likely need to research local registration requirements and determine what steps are necessary to establish ownership and road eligibility, if that’s even the goal. For some collectors, though, the real value lies in preservation, restoration, or simply owning a genuine early workhorse that has survived this long.
Farm finds like this tend to spark imagination. Was it used for hauling supplies, moving equipment, or serving as a daily work truck decades ago? How long did it sit in that shed before being rediscovered? Those unanswered questions are often what make projects like this especially compelling.
With minimal information and a wide estimated production window, this International Six-Speed Special is very much a blank slate. It’s the kind of project that rewards research, patience, and a genuine appreciation for early commercial vehicles. Would you try to pin down its exact year and bring it back, or preserve it as a piece of working history?
Ah, just a sec, old truck endorphins kicking in, the general consensus of most viewers here, is whether the boss likes to hear it or not, THIS is what many tune in for, and quite frankly, simply not enough featured. You can endorse that by giving a record number of thumbs up, or just say so.
If the author doesn’t mind, more on this is needed, and here it is. The 6 speed International ( Harvester came later) was a groundbreaking truck. It came out at the worst possible time, height of the Depression. Even with the Depression, I read, International made 14,000 of these, and sold for $820 bucks, a hefty sum for 1929, so the folks in Springfield( Ohio) were kept busy, but the world kept turning, and trucks were still needed. The 6 speed, actually, a 3 speed crash box with a 2 speed Eaton rear axle, was novel for the time. It had a top speed of 38 mph, almost unheard of then for a 1 ton truck. 4 wheel 4 wheel brakes, still mechanical, and a cab were also a big plus. The motor is a 173 ci Waukesha XA 4 cylinder flathead of about 40hp, but had torque up the ying yang. Always liked a 4 spoke steering wheel, and title, shmitle, who is going to drive this thing? The International 6 speed was such a special truck, it should be restored with just a velvet rope around it. Bald tire shows someone ran this truck and stashed it away. Think of the stories associated with this truck. One of you old farts got to have a hankerin’ for this, no? Perhaps it’s later than we think.
Oh, one more thing, this truck appears to have a hydraulic dump bed, also unheard of at the time, as most dump beds were either cable lifted or Jethro Bodine powered, aka crank lift. Doesn’t look like much, but was a heck of a truck for 1930.
Thin tires. What a neat truck. Thanks for the article Elizabeth and for the extra information Howard 👍
Now THIS…. Is a Barnfind!!!! It actually came with the barn. First off. Great write up Elizabeth!!! Thank you, and a great tip too NW Iowa Kevin. I saw this on Fast Finds and was hoping to see it written up. I have no knowledge of these, other than looking up some photos of restored International 6 Speed Specials and this would look great restored. Like Howard said, a velvet rope around it. Maybe run it on a nice day on some private property. I like the authors viewpoint here, from a history standpoint, to see if you could dig up who’s it was what it was used for, what was the original color, information like that, and then try to make it as close to original as possible. Digging for information like that would be a deep rabbit hole to go down, almost 100 years worth of time has passed since this was new, and it would be a great winter project too while waiting for some warmer weather to start working on it. Please keep these old trucks coming!!! I really enjoyed it.
-Dave
Hi Dave, just a wild guess, there was another similar vintage dump truck posted almost 10 years ago, a Ford, and it was used for WPA projects. I read, in the 30s, WPA would contract private folks that had a dump trucks for govt. jobs. I don’t think it paid much, and that box doesn’t look very big, but any dump truck was better than shoveling. Perhaps that’s what this truck did. Remember, these trucks were shipped with just a front end, and a cab and dump, or whatever, were added later.
Great display of what went on in the ’30s with wars and recessions restricting everything in our population. Save this old guy for sure.
First of all, great writeup! It seems like you folks outdo yourselves every time. That makes for good reading and conversation.
Lots of these trucks on the farms all across the plains. Unfortunately many of them are in this shape. However, there’s the odd one that lasted through the years. Always glad to see them out and about. I might add that I like to see them restored too…
I can’t open Facebook ads with my phone. Since it’s not shown in the writeup, what is the seller offering to pay to have this truck hauled away?
Steve R