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Travelette Crew Cab: 1971 International Harvester IH 1210

This 1971 International Harvester 1210 Travelette features a unique combination of the crew cab with a short bed, and as an added bonus, is claimed to be a dry New Mexico truck. The cosmetics are obviously somewhat ragged, but there’s no extensive rust to contend with. The seller notes the 392 V8 runs well but it should still be trailered home. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $4K and the reserve unmet.

The seller has listed a Buy-It-Now price of $10,500, so the current bid is well shy of that amount. The body does look as decent as the seller describes. with the typically vulnerable can corners and lower rear quarters all in good shape. You can just make out the tailgate tethered to the bed, but the seller doesn’t explain whether any hardware is included.

The 392 V8 fills up the engine bay nicely and is said to run well. With 4WD and a four-speed manual, it should get out of its own way, and out of any off-road predicament it finds itself in. Combined with a PTO winch on the front, this International has all the markings of a great overland or camping vehicle – it’s far too nice to become a mud bogger.

The interior also remains in surprisingly good shape, and I don’t think you have to worry about restoring the cabin. Actually, you don’t have to restore any of it if you don’t want to, but the seller does recommend a thorough going-over mechanically before being driven long distance. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Ikey H. for the find.

Comments

  1. Avatar Clay Harvey

    I bet it rides like an iron wheeled wagon. It is different from the trucks of the big three, more of a workhorse. After a closer look it appears this truck had an automatic shifter on the column when new. I can picture US Forestry Service decals on the doors.

    Like 6
    • Avatar Dave

      Pretty much every highway department had these back then. So did the utilities, as they were great for hauling men and tools from site to site. This one is almost too nice to drive.

      Like 4
    • Avatar Sam

      Drove one of these one summer while working for a wood products company in their logging division. Yep, like an iron wheeled wagon, but man it would go anywhere. Rode some logging roads you could barely call a road and got everywhere we needed go.

      Like 8
  2. Avatar BeeMoe

    I had one of these years ago. Rode great, but I had street tires, not those knobbies. The long wheelbase was perfect for towing duty and the 345 had plenty of grunt.

    Mine had drum brakes all around that stopped better than any truck I’ve ever driven. Nearly put my friend through the windshield when I test drove it. Of course, the prior owner was a brake mechanic, so there was no excuse for them to be anything but perfect.

    Like 8
  3. Avatar CraigR

    Needs a windshield for sure.

    Like 1
  4. Avatar Howard A. Member

    I’m sure this was a forestry or highway dept. truck. This was the truck the crew went to the job site with shovels in the back to lean on until the dump truck got there. Very few people in the public sector would have any use for a truck like this at the time. I’m sure some semis got better mileage. Keeping this truck in a straight line would be a challenge. Red Green would be proud of that transmission cover.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Mark M.

    Wish it had an 8 foot bed, more useful, great strong looking truck

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Little_Cars

    I see it has the optional silver duct tape floor covering. That makes it for me! For someone who is taking delivery of a new 2019 short bed crew cab truck this evening, I like this one coming in at the price point it is. No need to let the financing stretch out for a decade — and you still get all the utility! I would say $10k is about all the money for an I-H presenting itself as this one does.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar geomechs Member

    I miss the day when these were around in numbers; you would see lots of them. Binder was unfortunate to not have the connections the mainstream had. I wouldn’t be surprised if the light duty version of the venerable workhorse would still be around. Good engine, built to last but not the most economical in the world. This is one of those trucks I wish I had a place for…

    Like 4
  8. Avatar SEAN

    Oh man I love this thing. Back in the day, I owned two Scout Travelers: awesome vehicles.

    Like 1

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