Okay, get it out of your system! I'm talking about all the farm implement jokes and sneers that usually surface when the International Harvester brand is mentioned. I speak from personal experience when I tell you that these were some majorly substantial trucks. I purchased a '55 years ago from a guy who was building an addition on his house. Apparently the truck was used as scaffolding, as there were concrete-encrusted Reebok footprints all over the hood and roof with not a dent to be found, and these are not small guys I'm referring to!
These trucks had styling that fell somewhere between mid-'50s F-100, early-'50s Chevy truck, and just a touch of peculiar thrown in for good measure. Some features of note are the double-opening lift-off hood, steel bed floor, and what every hot rod needs, a PTO feature! We thought it was time to show what could be done with one of these monsters (other than farm duties), displaying a couple of varied themes. So pick up a jug, kick off yer boots, and sit a spell!
The yellow combine you see before you is vintage '55-56 tin sitting on a stock and very substantial frame Z'd front and rear for grading bumpy dragstrips throughout the cornbelt. To be really wild, I can see spindle-mount Halibrands holding up a dropped axle with a four-bar up front, while a beefy Currie-built 9-incher resides out back betwixt two 16-inch E.T. mags on dirt trackers or slicks. YEE-HAW! Alright, enough already! Two red tow tabs protruding out the front would really help to drive home the dragster look. Power in the form of a built small-block Chevy with blower and an old Hilborn modified to run EFI backed to a Lenco five-speed would be farm-cool. Inside, where all the life and death decisions are made, a couple of old-school fiberglass buckets upholstered in skinny, black, vertical pleats would fill the seating needs. Hide a four-point cage in there along with a black "foam and chrome" Grant wheel and a big ol' tachometer. Throw that all together with the aforementioned Lenco and you will be telling all your kin you mean business!
I took a bit more subtle approach to our green hay-hauling machine. My main inspiration is a truck being put together by a friend named Ryan Mitchell. Ryan, like myself, acquired a mid-'50s International Harvester. Unlike myself, though, he has really done himself proud. Ryan's truck was used as the test mule for Industrial Chassis' Dakota IFS under an International kit. He also fabricated a unique torque-arm rear suspension that not only lets it sit nice and low, it also hooks up like crazy! Our truck shows off a cool set of 18-inch billet steelies with bullet caps available through Wheel Vintiques as well as Mooneyes. The 18-inch ribbed beauty rings, on the other hand, well, they just look cool, so I've taken liberties and have shown them here. Mr. Mitchell's ride is powered by a 360 Mopar crate motor and automatic trans churning a 9-inch Ford rear. Green paint covers all of the shaved exterior surfaces. Finally, a tan interior plays off the wheels nicely. Yup, Ryan definitely doesn't need to make excuses for his farm truck!
Hey gang, hope y'all enjoyed the down-home flavor this month. Until next time.