IHC show truck

[Mike F]

im restoring a 1946 ihc k1 truck to pull my ihc engine to local shows.
any ideas on if this truck could tow a 2000 lb engine safely.
p.s aslo looking for parts for this truck, so everyone look in your barn.

thanks


mike

[MoRo]

OldIHC.org could very well have a member who can help you out. I think the K 1 is a lighter duty half-ton, so I think if you're hauling your engine on a trailer it'd do pretty well.

[Andrew Mackey]

Your K-1 has poured bearings on the rods and crank. Don't push it. It should do well if you keep below 40 MPH. I had an early L-120 with the Silver Diamond engine - 1950 model, long bed, dual tanks, 240 CID, 410 3/4 ton rear, 750 - 16" split rims. Actual manufacturing date was 1949. S/N was F-9108, and it was the 108th one of the model built. The 1950 to 1952 SD engines also had poured lowers and rods. You could do 45 MPH before blowing the bottom end out of the engine. In late1952, IHC went to the modern inserts. Then you could do 50 MPH, at which point the sodium filled Stellite exhaust valves would break, and then you popped the entire motor! In 1956 IHC redesigned the entire engine, and came out with the S series truck.
Andrew

[Colin Rush]

I do not think it would be a problem, but you will not be able to run at 65 MPH all day like modern traffic, nor will you have great acceleration with that little low-comp Green Diamond motor. It is either a 213, or a 232 if you are lucky. However, I do not think that pulling that 2000 pound motor would be detrimental to the truck's performance.

If you do not mind swapping in a newer motor, find yourself a Blue-Grey 241 or 265, or one of the Black Diamond 240, 264, or 308 motors. The BG motors were better than the BD or the SD, in that they had redesigned heads, with tilted valves, and had much better longevity. They were built until 1968, and are a direct bolt-in for the GRD motor you have. The Blue Diamond and Red Diamonds are nice big motors, but will not physically fit your truck. The SD, BD, and BG engines will bolt right in. Not exactly OEM stock, but about as good as you can find without butchering your pickup.

I would visit the Old IHC website for better info about this, or even better yet, the Binder Bulletin. There is a thread there from another guy who is contemplating virtually the exact same thing with his KB-3, for the same reason. Let me know if you would like the link to that thread. Both of those sites are explicitly IHC truck, so the folks there are quite focussed on trucks like yours.

International House of Harvester had contemplated making aftermarket exhaust headers and intake manifolds for the GRD, SD, BD, and BG engines. If you are interested, let me know, and I will connect you with them.

What parts are you looking for? If you are looking for engine parts, you can still get them new.

[Mike F]

thank for all the info guys.

this restoration is possibly over my head, i;m not a auto-nut

but thought it would be nice to haul a ihc engine with this truck.

my dad traded a shot gun for this truck in 1969 i have no title nor

do i know its exact year. dad says he was told a 1947 but in doing some

research it has to be 41 to 1946. it was never registered in dads name.

it was used on the farm, we parked it on a hill and rolled it off to start it.

one day when dad rolled it down the hill it never fired and thats where it set

for thirty years.

the truck is intact but would like to find front fenders to save myself some metal work.

tag inside the door reads hf 195211 engine green diomond


thanks guys for all your help


mike f

[Colin Rush]

If it is a K-series truck, it was made before World War II. During the war, some were sold to the civilian market if the need was deemed great enough. In 1946, the truck got a new front end treatment (slightly redesigned grille), and was rechristened the KB-series. (Think of the old McCormick L, LA, and LB engines, and how they are more or less the same motor but with gradual improvements, and you have the right idea.) The KBs were made from 1946 to 1949, when the L-series came out. (IHC liked to use the progression of the alphabet when they could.)

It sounds to me like you got a job on your hands finding front fenders, and a title, all for a truck that is underpowered for what you want to do. I would sell or give it away to someone who is a little more keyed into that type of truck, that may already have the parts and paperwork required, and then go get another truck that has more oomph. If you like the body style, then get a K or KB-5 or 6. Those looked virtually identical, but came with better gearing, heavier springs, and either Blue or Red Diamond engines. A BLD was around 240 or 318 (would have to go home to check), and the Red Diamonds ranged from 361 to 501 CID. The Red Diamonds were some of the best truck engines made, and versions of it were made from the early 1930s to the 1970s. And the KB-5 and 6 are fairly easy to find still, many still in running condition, and with titles as a result.

By the way, all of the books for the K and KB trucks are still available new from Binder Books. There is a service manual, a parts manual, and an O&M manual. If you are interested, call Carl or Jack at 503-684-2024. If you are lucky, you may even be able to get a linesetting ticket, although availability of those is spotty for trucks made in the 1940s.

[KidDynamo]

Originally Posted by Andrew Mackey

Your K-1 has poured bearings on the rods and crank. Don't push it. It should do well if you keep below 40 MPH. I had an early L-120 with the Silver Diamond engine - 1950 model, long bed, dual tanks, 240 CID, 410 3/4 ton rear, 750 - 16" split rims. Actual manufacturing date was 1949. S/N was F-9108, and it was the 108th one of the model built. The 1950 to 1952 SD engines also had poured lowers and rods. You could do 45 MPH before blowing the bottom end out of the engine. In late1952, IHC went to the modern inserts. Then you could do 50 MPH, at which point the sodium filled Stellite exhaust valves would break, and then you popped the entire motor! In 1956 IHC redesigned the entire engine, and came out with the S series truck.
Andrew

Baloney.........or Bologna, if you prefer.......!!!!!

[Ray Forrer]

Somebody forgot to tell our KB3 it wasn't suspose to hold up. Would run 55 mph with 2 tons of stoker coal for 30 miles, usually once a month, because I could only afford 2 tons at a time!
Dad finally bought a new GMC in 1963 & we retired the Binder. Wish I still had it, it would haul anything you could put in the box.
Ray

[Andrew Mackey]

I bought the L 120 with 28000 miles, poured bearings on mains, and rods. Mains over 100 thousandths out, 2 rods over ,040 under. Found a place that would true crank and pour bearings - in truck, $100 per journal (1973 prices) ! talked to several drivers, and the Drakes Bakery IHC head fleet mechanic. they gave me detailed info on the GD engines The initials to the mechanic did not mean Green Diamond either! He showed me a coffee can full of busted valves he still had in his garage. (the shop closed in 1983) I personally looked over 13 SD engines at a junk yard that specialized in trucks, most early ones had bad bearings, no matter what the milage, and 2 later ones had broken exhaust valves. (later than 1952). Rather than mess with a low speed engine, I installed a chevy 250-6 ( the 292 wouldn't fit), and a 3 speed trans. The truck was wrecked in 1994 with over 200000 miles on the chassis. The truck would do highway speed with the chevy, and I got 18 MPG on it too (with a modified manifold and carb.) biggest problem - keeping king pins in it. Had the axles overbores to accept 1" pins, as the 7/8" originals were worn when I got the truck, and a replacement set wiped out after 5000 miles. the 1" pins helped, but running these big wheels out of balance would tear up the pins . I finally got an on the truck spin balancer, and it trebeled the life if the pins! Most running gear is still available, as it was used until 1968, when the DOT eliminated split rim production. (I picked up a Ross steering box for a L110 last at a dealer here in NJ!) Prices on the old gear stuff has gone thru the roof though.
Andrew

[Mark Mohney]

I am also Restoring a 1946 Ihc KB 7 That i am also putting a engine on to go to shows with. International trucks were very heavy duty including the Little guys. It should tow great but International's were weak on the Breaks but if you have modern brakes you should be fine if not definately have two master brakes on it, at least have trailer brakes.
Good luck, Love the IHC truck line!