How can one possibly resist the allure of this gorgeous truck? I laid eyes on it a few weeks ago, or, better yet, it laid eyes on me and just sucked me in with the way it was looking at me and I can’t seem to forget about it. Sure, it’s led a hard working life, but there’s some warmth left there, isn’t there?
Weathered and slowly sinking into the ground, but still carrying its loadbed proudly, this fine example of International’s KB-6 is one of the latter K/KB series trucks of the 1940’s and as a -6 one of the lighter ones.
But just look at all that personality, it’s like a big labrador retriever coming up and sticking its nose all up in your business…you just want to hug it and pet it and feed it something. The coloring on this one is just spectacular too, the way the green is slowly turning into orange or maybe the orange is turning into green. Or whatever, it’s just great.
No, I’m sorry, we just can’t take you with us this time. But maybe we can visit again. You’re not going to run off anywhere, I don’t think. Those wheels are gorgeous, all of the little (and big) details just want to be studied, everything is just so right. International really nailed it with this series. Amazing that it’s at least 70 years old, the KB’s being built from 1947-1949.
As we like to say, all cars have a story. Well, I’ll bet this one has a lot of stories already but somehow I think it wants to have even more, it’s not ready to end just yet. There’s still hope though, it’s pretty complete!
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The rounded side windows, the thick-edged v windshield, the heavy purposefulness out front: I hear the big sputter of radial engine coming to life, to transport this landlocked carrier to another life. Why, it’s half Dakota and half late-Deco truck, or train, and all combined in glory.
Add some little decay, some fade, and that colour, and it climbs even further than the Douglas it seems time-welded to.
Quite perfect photos, Mr K. And I must admit, I spied it as my hidden choice from the Benz selection the other day. A baby I do want.
I’ve always thought that the inspiration for this trucks styling had to be the 1938 Cadillac.
I’ve never correlated old work trucks with wet-nosed labs, but now that you mention it… yes, I sort of see the similarities.
Incidentally, in my opinion International has had some great logos. I think there were various versions of the triple-diamond logo like on this truck, and then the more famous IH logo. These logos are always something I look for on the rare occasional when I come across International trucks.
Wonderful truck. I’ve long wondered where the “International” in IH came from. A perusal of its history looks pretty American.
I’m not positive about this, but I think it’s because IH’s predecessor company was the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. (founded by Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical reaper). That company did have a worldwide reach.
Oddly, Mack Trucks were once sold as Internationals as well, but it was a completely different company. The Mack brothers’ company soon realized there was confusion having two truck companies with essentially similar names, so they became known as Macks.
A little fussing and you could be driving it home. That one looks quite restorable.
I’m really not a truck person, but this is almost a work of art. The patina, the rust, the wheels — and that logo to top it off. Gorgeous!
Loverley old truck – thanks for the closer look!
These old single axle farm trucks make me sad. This isn’t so much an old Labrador as it is an old rhinoceros. You can take a Lab home, but there is nowhere at anyone’s house for a rhino. That’s the way it is with these that were once on practically every farm. Every one of the Big 5 (GM Ford Dodge IH Studebaker) made tons of them and they have all either reverted to ore or are moldering behind a barn that has not yet fallen down.
They will probably mostly become donors for lighter duty trucks that will actually fit in someone’s garage.
I agree. And I admire those who DO have room for them and restore/revive them. They’re rolling pieces of history!
I like it, theres a tidy survivor KB6 in use around here it seems to get driven occasionally though not worked hard, I keep seeing it in various locations with no tow vehicle around, Good old trucks Inters were most of them got worked to death especially after WW2 when supply of new trucks was very restricted what did turn up worked well past their normal retirement time.
Love those old Binders. I had a ’48 KB4 myself. Wish I kept it.
I love those old International’s. I particularly like the famous R series that followed the KB line. Those International’s were real workhorses for sure. A no nonsense truck that’s good looking, tough, reliable and gets the job done. I always get kind of a sick feeling when I see old trucks that are largely original, intact, with little rust like the one pictured, and some hotrodder gets ahold of it and turns it into one of those horrible looking rat rods! Hopefully someday somebody will buy the old International and do a proper quality restoration on that rare beauty.