International "barn yard find" Do you have a Salt Flat/ Dirt Push Truck or opinion?

Hey everybody. Here's an update on the Travelall.

It did make it to the Norco Cruisers donut run last Saturday on the cracked tires. You know "the economy" is hitting everywhere

Will have to wait to get the wheels handled but its fun driving it around town. I'm so tired of the new crap. It may be an ugly duckling but at least it has some character.

Dropped it 3 in front and 1.5 in the rear. My friend Steve has got most of the mechanicals done and were stealing the seats and stereo out of my later model dually.

Anyhow here's some pix for you.

Happy tinkering



She washed up "nice" Even the moss came off with the tire scrub brush and Simple Green



Got to get that 2 x 12 Oak Plank soon

Maybe even some basic bodywork... Nahh



Still think the top is just to tall. I'm 6'4" and I have over 7 inches of head clearance Might have to do something about that some day...

Thanks

Mike

www.Customikes.com

 

I remember those red Dodge newspaper trucks well, the sound of those LA Mopar engines through the dual exhausts on a cold, quiet night....could hear them for miles.

 

That did clean up nicely. Whatever happened to the front fender must've happened up near top speed. Those are sturdy beasts.

What do you suppose it weighs?

I've been watching these things and their parts on craigslist locally for a few months. Man, there's some deals to be had. Be a good model of truck to get into if you wanted to drive a different "parts" truck home every 6 months until you had your personal version of the ultimate optioned-out International.

 

Great thought and it sounds like a great idea right now but I probably should not bring home anything else for awhile

Got lots of projects for sale or trade if anyone is interested...

Thanks

Mike

www.Customikes.com

 

Well, I'm sure that I'm not the only one but another engine bit the "bad gas scenario". Lost 6 intake push rods from the valves getting stuck in the guides. Its like the intake ports were lined with thick plastic

I know, I "shudda known better". I've kicked myself in the ass from here to the truck for the last couple of months...

Kind of lost traction after that .

I ended up having my buddy Steve with the 56 Ranchwagon that we are working on, rip into the motor.

The heads came back this week and Steve should have it back together again soon. Nothing is coming easy on this one.

Anyone know where we can get a vacum advance for a 68 345? My normal parts guy have run out of options...

Mike

 

The 345 was around for years I had one in a '77 Scout SSII and I know they came out of the Med. duty big trucks you might try checking with an International truck parts place or a big truck yard, check on line I am sure there is some place in So.Cal that has IH parts,
When it comes to most parts you need to think "truck" I found very few auto parts stores that carried much for IH... good luck

 

What ever color you pic, don't forget the corn husks ?" Keep chug-A lugin"

 

Ok. Thats funny

Thanks I needed a laugh tonight

 

It would be a natural for a E85 conversion, or straight ethanol...
pour on the corn...
seriously, I just aquired one of these, a '68 3/4 tn 4 wheel drive flat bed. it was donated to our grandsons school, we will try to sell it as a fund rasier. it is in real good shape, and is a beast! so I am researching the net for info about these trucks.
good luck with yours.

 

Sorry about the lack of updates. Been swamped.

Thanks to the patient staff at the Norco Parts Plus I found a close looking late model vacuum advance and with some mods it worked great.

Steve got the heads back on and the motor fired back up but would'nt you know it, the oil pressure did not reach earlier levels... Son of a %$$!! This thing's killing me.

Got the pan off and the #1 and 2 cam bearings decided to chuck a couple of chunks rathers than taking everything else with it. (thank heaven).

So the block is now at Carl's mashine shop in Norco.

Needless to say. now we are spending silly time and money after good and what we are doing to her no longer make any economic sense, so we might as well get even "worse"

If I'm going to drive this "ugly" girl for a while to get a return on my investment, I'm going to have my way with her ...

Have a couple of "like minded" Swede's visiting and they asked me what I wanted for my birthday and after thinking about it I decided that I need a chop top party next week.

Did some preliminary tape layouts and have been studying at her for a few nights out back. She'll loose about 5 inches next week. Pics will follow.

Just thinking about "having my way with her" is better than therapy.

Mike

 

How much longer til you take a foot out of the bed in front of the tires?

 

Nice lookin rig, this is my old Aussie Dodge/inter, its a bitsa, inter cab dodge front, re radiused front fenders, pity we never got the same models as you guys ,only problem with it was the hotrod look didnt suit it with the newer style front but hey it got some looks when cruizin

 

you washed the mold off??? oh-no!might as well put billet wheels on it now

 

Nope, That's not going to happen I like longbeds...

Mike

 

Yes I scrubbed it off! Maybe Moon disc's is as close to billet as I'll go on this one.

 

Here's a mock up picture from Last night after we set the roof back on.

She lost 5 inches. I'm really happy with it.

Adding a picture this late is not working. Not sure why so here's a link to one: http://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwCustomikescom/110301641849

Mike

 

you really chopped it? pic is pretty small on my puter,but I LIKE IT. WICKED! moon disc will be coolkeep us updated!

 

I love that beast!! The beige is perfect, get some advertisers to paint on the brute ie- Ned's Auto Repair- Westside Auto Salvage- PushRods Racing Club- you get the idea! a wood push plank with tire tread cushion would be hip.Just some of my thoughts! The vehicle is a rare one, don't apologise for it , just flaunt it!! Go Cat Go!! How many others are you seeing around? ~Sololobo~

 

Damn, it is a shame what you did to that Cornbinder on that top! It's your truck, granted, but all I'd have done to it was what you did to it up to the point of chopping it!!! I'd have shot the truck in a tan or cream color, tossed some Moon discs or some big chrome wheels on it, and a nice dual exhaust under it and called it a day.

Sorry, dude, the chop ruined the truck.

 

Satin black paint. Moon discs, lower it, give it a rake , tint the windows, add some pinstriping, give it a name and the hell with what every body else thinks! PS DURAMAX DEISEL POWER YEA!!

 

Here we go... I like this...more or less cool???

 

Been grinding, measuring, fitting and welding with my visiting friends for the last three days and I have not had more fun in a long time. Apologize for it? Hell no. If you do not like me cutting it up, grow up. I'm putting in more hours and money than "stupid is as stupid does" cause the truck tickles my fancy

I'm loving every second of slicing the five offending inches out of this ugly beast to make it my cool truck that I'll never apologize for...

I appreciate all of the support

Mike

 

Hi Mike!
I photochopped it a couple inches with a couple degrees of rake and lowered it a few too. How's it look like this?

 

Torchman, Thanks . Appreciate the time you spent putting this picture up. Its really close. Will try to get pix on here and my website next week.

We ended up not splitting the roof and just angling the posts and window frames. The roof is actually even a tad lower, we removed the vent windows and ditched the hidious mirrors.

The lowering job looks great. A 3x12 oak plank, better tires and maybe a set of lake pipes would look great too but I'm getting ahead of my available budget for both labor and parts

We finished all the mods and tacking all the needed outside bits back on today. Now its only the inside panels, glass and a bunch of welding and grinding to do .

The contrast from the rear with the angled posts with the retained featureline framed by the large bed is awesome. Maybe some Tbird tailights rims and lenses....

Its really hard to pull this off by yourself with out getting discouraged halfway thru it so I'd like to officially thank my visiting brother in law Bo and my great friend Bo that are here from Sweden on "vacation" and Scott from Utah that helped made this chop possible in the last 4 days.

Its also really cool to be able to share this with you all, razzing me and all I'm cutting it for myself and my family so bring it.

Thanks again T-Man

Mike

 

After being sick with sinus and ear infection for a bit I finally got some time to upload the pix from the "Top Chop Party". There's multiple links on our international web page http://customikes.com/international.aspx If you click on the chopped picture it will take you to Facebook were there's a short story with comments. If you want details, use the Picasa screen show on the bottom of the page. You got about a 100 pics. No it won't be done for a while . Still waiting for the block and my mechanic Steve to come back from vacation.

For all the rest that has a short attention span like me , here's a couple of pix.




Thanks,

Mike

 

Hey y'all crazy swede,

amazing response on the "mildew". Many pros and cons about 50/50 or so. We go back several years and i know you will appreciate my keen sense of finding a "diamond in the rough". My suggestion: Take it out on the driveway, bring the family out, wash it from head to toe. Don't forget to pay special attention to the chrome and trim, wheels and hubcaps. They will sparkle in the sunshine. Take several pictures and put them on craig'slist. When you use words like "barn-find" and "mildew" it will get a lot of attention. So bring the family out to admire it before it's gone. Put the wooden bumper on the hurst! It will make a bad-ass pushtruck!! Rebel51