(CC Reader Steve Earl sent this in) My project truck is a ’56 Diamond T Series 536. This series was a ‘fire truck’ using this cab and chassis, beginning in 1950 and ending sometime about 1957. This is truck number 15 in the series and was equipped with a pump out front and duals in the rear with a simple tank. It has 23k original miles and has a International Red Diamond 450 CID straight six gasoline engine.
Body metal and cab in amazingly good, rust free condition. Tank and pump removed and the original steel bed was narrowed and shortened. This is a BIG truck– wheels are 20″– we did single wheel in the rear by flipping the inside portion of the wheel. Left it for the summer while working out of town, so really looking forward to finishing it up. Its likely unique– we used the famous 1949 REO Speedwagon pickup (CC here) as the role model for this. The Diamond T register has no other Series 536 listed– I do know of one fully equipped fire truck done in the same series. Butterfly hood with all original louvers top and sides. More later when I get back to work on it– soon!
Diamond T CC here
Is that an International cab? I haven’t heard much about this brand.
It sure does look like a mid fifties IHC. Guess you would need a side by side to know. Have a friend that had one of these and he sure didn’t ever mention it. Is the engine a flathead? Pistons must be a GMC sort of huge whatever it is.
Yes, you are correct– the basic cab is from IHC. The hood and grille are Diamond T only. The engine is also IHC, is an overhead valve 6, that was often used as a stationary industrial engine.
Both the cab and the Red Diamond engine were among IHC’s most successful products of the post war era. A sweet truck, I can’t wait for more.
Nice truck and being Inter based is a good thing.
Wow, cornbinder cab and cornbinder motor, both stout and advanced for their day, combined with the brawny Diamond T hood and fenders make for a great truck. I like it.
I’ve seen quite a few Diamond T trucks at shows, they are very highly regarded from the early days of long-haul travel when there weren’t proper roads connecting capital cities.
It is a great-looking truck already. I look forward to more photos and info.
Sweet looking pickup truck. It’s a shame that Diamond T discontinued its pickup truck line. There’s nothing wrong with heavy and medium duty trucks, but what’s wrong with pickup trucks?