International Harvester CompanyChicago, Illinois
Styling of this 1948 KB Series is typical of conventional-cab trucks of the era. The owner has removed the cab doors to improve access, a modification seen mostly in Western states. The body is a locally-made enclosed dump type.
"Comfovision" cab was featured on this light-duty 1950 model, following a gradual industry trend towards one-piece windshields for trucks. Body is a Leach Refuse Getter.
This style of heavy-duty conventional cab was very popular in the 1950s, and lasted into the 1960s. This a 1960 R-Series with a Gar Wood Load-packer 600.
Far less common were the L/R/S-Series cabovers, which was basically just the conventional cab lifted up, and placed over the engine bay. This has a first-generation Leach Packmaster mounted, from about 1953
Most Internationals, including the CO Series, sprouted quad headlamps for 1959, aping the trend in cars and trucks of the era, and kept them until the mid-60s. This is a 1963 DCO (Diesel Cab Over) equipped with a Cummins engine and Daybrook Power Packer rear loader.
Another four-eyed cabover was the amazing Sightliner, a 48" BBC with twin lower windshields at floor level. These are very rare (1959-1965) and were most typically used as over-the-road (OTR) goods haulers. Fivecoate Disposal installed a Pak-Mor container handler on this rare example of a Sightliner doing refuse duty.
Big hauler BC-220D (diesel) with quad headlights and pulls a 42-yard Hobbs Hyd-Pak trailer.
Lighter-duty models, typically up to 1-1/2 tons, were often paired with smaller bodies
such as this 1961 B-172 with a Pak-Mor side loader.
The Metro was a walk-in parcel delivery van with stand-up drive which had been acquired by International in 1948 . A cab-and chassis version was well-suited for use as a one-man light-duty refuse truck. At left is a 1959 SM-160 with a 14-yard M-B packer side loader, at right is a 1962 model with a Gar Wood LP-613.
Yet another of the many cab styles used by IHC during the fifties and sixties was the V-Series, featuring V-8 engines up to 257 HP. This sleek V-200 from 1961 has a 20-yard Heil Colectomatic Mark II body installed.
In 1962, the medium line become the Loadstar, and got a new grille treatment that would last until it was
discontinued at the end of the 1970s. This one sports a 20-yard Gar Wood model 700 Load-Packer body.
1963 saw the first CO Loadstar, and all-new tilt-cab with a one-piece windscreen. The old Diamond T-based CO series cabover would remain in production alongside this new in-house design. Shown above is an early version with an H-Series Pak-Mor Handi-Lift.
The maneuverable little Scout even saw refuse duty occasionally. Here, one pulls a container train for a Lodal Load-a-Matic front loader, circa 1963.
As the venerable old CO series was phased out in the early 70s, the CO Loadstar was widened and re-named Cargostar for 1971. Body is a Heil Colectomatic Mark III.
By the 1970s, the Loadstar Series added a fibreglass tilt-hood as an option. This one is equipped with a Gar Wood LP-720-9 rear load packer.
Light-duty models received new squared-off styling in the 1970s, such as this one with a Truxmore Tecorp-10.
Orbital Systems rotary loader shows off new grille used on Cargostar models from 1974 forward.
Light-duty models and the Scout had disappeared by 1980. A weak economy, coupled with financial and labor troubles nearly finished off International Harvester in the early part of the decade. The company was reorganized, and the agricultural and construction equipment divisions were sold off and merged with J.I. Case company. Henceforth, the remainder of the company was to concentrate solely on truck and engine production. By mid-decade, the name was changed to Navistar International.
Heavy-duty versions of the S-Series had longer hoods to accommodate big diesels from Caterpillar, Cummins and Detroit Diesel. This example carries a big 32-yard Dempster Route King II body.
Set-back front axle could ordered on the S-series for improved weight distribution and shorter wheelbase. Body is a high-compaction Loadmaster LM-425
S-Series models received a restyled tilt-hood for 1988. Body is a Dempster RK II
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Photos from factory brochures/trade advertisem*nts except as noted
