Introduced in 1934, the C-Series was a short-lived but versatile line of trucks produced by International, with numerous models available to suit the buyer’s needs. These were popular for industrial use and a favorite among farmers, but this 1936 International here on Craigslist has taken on a more fun role, having previously served as a popcorn wagon and soft drink dispenser. This is an unusual and interesting relic with several future possibilities, so whatever you’ve got in mind, this one is located in Snohomish, Washington, and we’d like to thank reader Tony Primo for finding it and sending in the tip! The owner is asking $20,000, but the best offer will likely get the seller’s attention.
This 1.5-ton truck is reported to have been stored for the past 30 years, but the seller believes it was once used as a mobile snack unit for patrons along the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Seattle’s Salmon Bay area. Also known as the Ballard Locks, this International must have been a popular sight back in the day, as this area is said to be the busiest lock in the U.S. for boat traffic. Hopefully, somebody will see fit to return it to active duty somewhere, convert it into something entirely different, or maybe just set this International on a museum floor as-is.
The frame and body are described as remaining in great shape, with the seller reporting that the sheet metal has little to no rust. A thorough cleaning might be all it takes to make the red paint shine again, and I’m a fan of all the wood here, both inside and out. Behind the front seat, the interior is all business, with a large popcorn popper in the back and a set of soft drink dispensing handles on the side. Depending on how long ago this truck was made into something so localized and niche, I’m also wondering if the odometer reading of 30,957 may be actual. What do you think?
It’s been more than three decades since the inline-6 engine last ran, and there’s no word on whether or not it was functioning when this truck went into storage. However, it appears mostly complete and in good order under the hood, so perhaps it won’t take an entire rebuild to get this one going again. I can certainly appreciate the fun factor here, and hopefully, this 1936 International will end up in the hands of someone with the vision to make something useful out of it. How do you see moving forward with this retired popcorn wagon?
Yes, you sure don’t see one of these around very often. I might add that you don’t often see the front end of one all that often.
I don’t know what I would do with this if it came my way. Personally, I’d want to restore it and totally repurpose it.
This truck has been through some major modifications. I see that someone has installed a 1-ton rear axle in there, or at least a 3/4 ton. Of course you would need it to support that massive body.
That’s a Green Diamond engine in that bay. The sharp corners on the cylinder head plus the cap screws for head bolts give it away. Nothing wrong with it; just run it like you would run any other vintage Binder.
When the C series first came out it ran mechanical brakes but it wasn’t long before hydraulic units superceded them.
Conversion to 12V is a common change to these old trucks. I choose neither to agree or disagree with that choice. I have encountered some very poorly done conversions that almost ended up with a sizeable Roman Candle so I caution those who do change it to do it right. I do have to say that I might have chosen a Delcotron instead of a Motorola. Much easier to get parts for and are easier to work on.
I wish the new owner good luck with his purchase. He’s going to have somewhat of a challenge finding some of the parts but he isn’t completely out of luck.
Yes super cool!! How much was a bag of popcorn back then? Did they even turn a profit?
I bet it cost as much as a nickel to buy a bag of popcorn from a vendor back in 1936.
Probably had smaller penny bags too.
I bet it cost as much as a nickel to buy a bag of popcorn from a vendor back in 1936.
Probably had smaller penny bags too.
As to the author’s question about the accuracy of the odometer, I think the reading is possibly correct yet probably meaningless as an indicator of engine wear. Measuring hours it ran like a generator would paint a clearer picture of total engine use/wear.
A neat truck!!! I would keep it as is basically and serve up popcorn at local fairs, events and shows.. It is ALL there so it would not take to much to get it operating again.
This vehicle was def running in the late 1990’s – early 2000’s as it was outside the Seattle Science Center by the Space Needle. I used to buy popcorn & treats for my children from the vendor in this truck, I mean how many could there be functioning in the Seattle area at that time?
I can smell the popcorn now! I’ll take a,bag please. How much do I owe you Brocky?
Boy, what a way to make some extra cash by parking this truck near the pool at the complex I live
in! Just think of all those folks stopping by for a cold one while having fun there. I could have my
niece roll up some burritos and tacos. She and my SIL are really
good cooks that handle the tex mex thing really well. Just set up the truck and then bring all the tex mex stuff down in the car when it’s done. Only drawback there would be that my K 5;would
smell like tacos! Their tacos have the ground beef 🍖, taco seasoning, black beans, cubed
tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers if you want ’em. Add cheese 🍕 and sour cream to top it off. Say, I’d better stop thinking
about that stuff. Gettin excited and hungry just thinkin about it. Or open a little donut 🍩 shop and you’ll really be in the dough!
Interesting how sites like this can be a small world. Last year, a guy from Georgia, who recently bought a D-2, phoned our place of business looking for IH parts. I had a good chat with him and found out that he discovered the truck on Barn Finds. Yesterday, I got a call from a guy who told me that he’s looking very seriously at a ’36 IH popcorn truck. I asked him if it was red and he not only confirmed that, but told me that the truck was in WA. Anyways, that all goes to show how easily this world can shrink down to the size of a computer screen. I might add that I really enjoy this group and the friendships that have grown from it…
Me too! I’m amazed at times the depth and breadth of the knowledge of our friends here. We each have our expertise and experiences that build bonds and friendships. I mentioned that I was looking for an item that was not to be found. But one of our “family” here had what I was looking for and sent it to me. FREE including freight! Some of us have found that we both were competing in the same event and have common acquaintances. And you are correct about “our world” shrinking down to the size of a computer screen.
Barn Finds is how I start my day during breakfast. And to lose it would leave a hole in my soul.
Hemmings Motor News in Bennington, VT has a Ford Model AA popcorn truck in their collection. It is completely stock and the use it to make and sell popcorn at their cruise nights.
The AA popcorn wagon might be the one that operated for years in the parking lot of a grocery store in beautiful down-town Goffstown, NH.
Wayne, that would be me too if this site ever closed. Met a lot of
great folks up here and read some fantastic articles and comments too. And the cars? Oh my God the cars! To an auto artist like me, that’s like taking me to a buffet for dinner and having all the steaks I wanted. Every day, there’s always something new and inviting. Oh sure, you might get tired of looking at Mustangs or tri five Chevys, but scroll down a bit and
you’ll see something really mind
blowing like that gas powered pogo stick 🏒 or that you pedal it
portable bar last year. Pure genius and lots of laughs. Say, I’ll
bet you could sell a lot of beer 🍺
from this truck too! Just park it
down by the pool, and watch the money roll in. And now that my
neice got her learners permit today, I’ll be in the market for a nice reliable small sedan for her first car. She might be a slow learner, but she finally got it done
And that was quite an achievement. The car needs to be good on gas ⛽ and able to have someone drive it back to Florida for me as I am not able to do that myself. Anything except
Nissans or Yugos is fine. We all know about Yugos, but NHITSA
is about to ban Nissans due to
window glass that suddenly explodes while you’re driving. It’s
bad enough they have those God
Awful CVT transmissions in them
that crap out and would leave her
stranded. And the cost? $5-10K
just to rebuild one. If you find something that appeals to me, you can reach me here. Thanks
again folks.
I can’t believe that manufacturers still keep trying to make CVT work. SUBARU gave up on it. And now trying to make it live again. Something wrong with metal on metal friction, supposed to not leave metal fragments and making too much heat. Just a snowmobile clutch using a metal belt. Any mechanic worth his salt knows it’s a bad setup to begain with.
Nissan has been trying for 20 years to make it work and all they
did was make it worse. Their build quality is still in the toilet 🚽
because of it. And now, it’s exploding 🤯 windshield glass? All I can say is if my niece wants a Nissan, I”ll do my best to dissuade her from buying one.
These days, it seems like all the
vehicle makers have their issues.
Slapped together with spit and glue and powered by half baked
engineering, and then sold to folks like you and me for anywhere from $60-90K for a sedan and well over that for a pickup truck. Think I’d do better to put her in a Plymouth Valiant with a 225 slant 6, power steering
and A/C. At least I could fix whatever might go wrong with it.
She does like Mustangs, but you’ll
pay through the nose 👃 for insurance on one. Anyway, absolutely NO NISSANS OF ANY KIND ALLOWED IN THIS HOUSE!
There, I said it! And boy do I feel
great 😃!
Getting her a car is one battle. Getting her some experience behind the wheel is next. I’m a volunteer instructor for STREET SURVIVAL. It’s a program put together by Porsche Club of America and sponsored by THE TIRE RACK. And administered by SCCA. It’s only for teenagers to learn car control in their own (sometimes Mom’s) car. It’s a very full day 1/2 in the classroom and the other half on the driving course. All the instructors/coaches are competition/race drivers. We start with basics and in the end we put the whole thing together where they can run the course with their parent in the car. We push the kids hard to find the limit so that In a real world situation they understand what that car can do. The last exercise is high speed lane change where at the last second they are told which lane to take. They have to literally throw the car into the next lane, catch it to straighten it out and then throw it back, catch it to keep it headed back down the original direction path. All while foot to the floor and never letting up. Invariably once the parent takes the final run with their kid. The comment from the parent is “I didn’t know my kid could do that, much less that my car could do that!” We stress that we are not teaching them to drive fast. The speed is needed to get the vehicle to the limit so they know what to expect when a situation arises. Entry is about $100 for the day and lunch is provided. It is very rewarding to me to see the light bulb go on over their head. To find a program near you. Get in touch with your local SCCA (sports car club of America) club for details. You will sleep better at night!
In December of ’25, we bought a new 2026 Toyota Camry XLE and are extremely pleased with it, All Camrys are Hybrids now and we consistently get 48 MPG overall. Our only disappointment was that it is supposedly a 5 passenger and that really doesn’t mean 3 adults in the back seat.
Snohomish, my old home town. Google Rohrer school bus 1936 International. I supplied the parts truck for that restoration including what was a NEW factory engine (not a rebuild). I still have two of those same trucks left to sell. I probably saw this vehicle around town as a kid but don’t remember it.
This actually looks all home made. I do have an original van body here that I was told was originally a United States Post office delivery van. Men working in a coal mine years ago used to sleep in it and then eat there lunch in it to save going back home. I bought it at a ranch auction here in central Montana.