While in Reno in May, I came across a car show directly across from my hotel and naturally had to take a look. The first thing I saw was this 1954 International R-100, and I made a beeline for it. It’s easy to see that it’s no ordinary restoration: beneath that old-school International body was a newer powerplant and four-wheel-drive setup. I spent about half an hour with the young owner going over his creation, and learned that his thoroughly reworked 1954 truck isn’t a trailer queen or weekend plaything—it’s his daily driver to work.
The owner, I’d guess, was somewhere between 28 and 33 years old. As luck would have it, he works for Peterbilt Truck Parts & Equipment in Reno. The man has skills. Let’s see who can piece together what he did through the pictures as I make my way around the truck.
Here we have the original R-series front clip, a 1953 update of International Harvester’s L-series. The R-series represented the first major redesign of IH’s postwar light-duty trucks, giving them a much more modern face.
Details and more details, steeped in age.
The cabin still retains its original mission, with just enough concessions to modernity.
Putting all that new power to the ground. The modern setup is obviously a long way from what this truck left the factory with, although International Harvester was actually a pioneer in offering four-wheel drive on its trucks during this era, starting in 1953 with the R-Series. So, in a way, the conversion is carrying on a bit of IH tradition.
Ah, we are getting to what is under the hood,
A Cummins diesel. A modern transplant, but a fitting one: plenty of torque, plenty of durability, and exactly the sort of engine you’d want in a 1954 work truck that has been given a whole new lease on life.
Cummins swaps aren’t unusual in the vintage-truck world, and this International makes a particularly convincing candidate. The company was already supplying Cummins diesels to larger IH trucks in the R-series era, although this light-duty pickup originally had a gas six. So while the engine under this hood is decidedly not original, the combination could be considered curiously appropriate.
Time to say goodbye to Frankn, as he blows past you.
Related CC reading:
Cohort Outtake: 1959-1961 IH B100 Pickup
Museum Classic: 1956 International Harvester S-Series Truck – Brief Refresh
Curbside Classic: 1958-1960 International Harvester Travelall – Workhorse With Grace And Style
Curbside Classic: 1963 IH Scout 80 – The Advance (SUV) Scout
Curbside Classic: 1965 International Travelall 4×4 – The Suburban Of Its Day
No info on the actual frame and running gear? Typically these types of heavily modified trucks sit on a more modern frame and chassis. Given the coil spring front suspension, it’s fairly safe that this one does too.
Yes, there was. It is on a 1994 Dodge pickup frame. The story has been altered some so I cannot go back and see the original text as I wrote it.
Good for this young man! How to enjoy the old with the new! Is he married? If not, what does a young lady think when he comes to her door in this? I am not much for patina. I think that this gem would look great with a fresh gleaming paint job in an appropriate IH color – or ven a tw-tone with white. Thanks for the presentation.
If a young lady isn’t willing to climb up in this beast be best to leave her standing on the curb.
I like this Resto-Mod .
Ready for hard work as any Cornbinder should be =8-) .
-Nate
You have to love old ‘Binders. Comfo-Vision cab, Buick style open-from-either-side hood. Mounting old cabs and beds on 1994-2001 Ram chassis is kind of a ‘thing’ these days, plenty of solid Ram HD Cummins pickups around with badly rusted cabs and beds.