Welcome to Curbside Cafe; may I take your order?
Yes, I’d like an obscure 1950s pickup and one of those futile Cadillac two-seaters from ten years ago.
You mean an XLR?
Yeah, one of those.
You want those together?
Yep, is that available?
Um, I guess so, but you’ll have to wait in the parking lot. We’ll deliver them out to you there.
Did such a conversation actually take place? Doubtful… but is there any more likely explanation for this odd pairing of Curbside Classics to be parked next to each other in a fast-food restaurant’s parking lot?
I saw this unlikely pair of classics as I fueled up my car at a gas station about 100’ away. While watching, I got to see the drivers of both vehicles – the truck was driven by a young man in his early 20s, who was soon joined by a group of friends driving relatively new trucks. The Cadillac was driven by a man of about 60 wearing a golf shirt and shorts… as different as the cars themselves. Let’s take a brief look at these two uncommon vehicles.
If I’d count on seeing an International pickup anywhere, it would be in the rural Midwest, where these pictures were taken. Internationals were popular with farmers when new, and even in recent decades it wasn’t completely unusual to see examples roaming around farm country, since they were fairly indestructible. This is an S-series truck – made only for 1956 & ’57 – and even by farm country standards, seeing one of these in regular use is exceedingly rare.
International’s postwar trucks are an alphabet soup of confusion, with prewar-based KB series superseded by the L series in 1950, followed by the R series in 1953, and then the S series (essentially an updated R) in ’56. The very next year, International started the alphabet anew, as the A series replaced the S.
This rear view provides a good shot of IH’s “Comfo-Vision” cab. S series trucks came in numerous configurations (including a Travelall wagon), but my best guess with this one is that it’s a ¾-ton S-120 4×4. Power came from International’s “Black Diamond” 240 cid 6-cylinder engine, making 131 bhp and 208 lb-ft of torque.
Survivors like this 60+ year-old truck have plenty of stories to tell, likely of a life full of work. Its parking lot neighbor has undoubtedly led a vastly different existence.
Produced between 2004 and 2009, the chiseled XLR was an attempt to inject excitement in Cadillac’s model range in the form of an expensive two-seater. That was a questionable move, coming only a decade after the Allante failed in a similar mission. Selling in the $70,000-$80,000 range, the XLR was never meant to be a big seller, but even so, Cadillac’s initial goal of 5,000 to 7,000 units per year was never realized. Just 16,652 were produced over the XLR’s six-year model run, with 76% of those coming from just the first three years. Our featured car is one of only 1,542 XLRs to have left the Bowling Green, Kentucky assembly plant for 2008.
Part of the XLR’s claim to fame was that it was built alongside the Corvette at Bowling Green, and shared many ’Vette components. The two cars were not quite twins – XLR buyers were treated to more luxurious driving environment, and also to one of the Cadillac’s notable features, a retractable metal hardtop. And while the XLR did not use Corvette’s engine, with its own 326-hp 4.6-liter Northstar V-8, the XLR could certainly xlr8 quickly.
XLR’s angular and flattened design was inspired by Cadillac’s 1999 Evoq show car. One GM designer called this a “contemporary industrial design;” regardless of labels, it was a significant departure from the Eldorado, which bowed out of Cadillac’s lineup when the XLR debuted.
Taken individually, these two vehicles yield interesting perspectives from vastly different angles of automotive history. Viewed together, they yield… bewilderment. It’s hard to imagine ordering up a more divergent pair of curbside classics. But if one did order such a combination, what would be for dessert?
Maybe this: A 1993 Volkswagen Fox that was parked directly across the street. I can’t remember ever coming across a more varied sampling of unusual cars in one small area. So, these vehicles go well together? I think they do — consider this a Curbside Classic Combo.
Photographed in Monroe City, Missouri in April 2019.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
Cool combo, a fellow in my neighborhood has the caddy with that plate on it XLR8.. Also a new beetle and a 70s lotus… Another cool combo
Brilliant! Looks like my driveway, but I prefer the early ’70’s IH myself. Thanks for the pic.
My favorite year International, had one that was a Tow truck, a guy that worked for me had a saying (must have heard a advertisement) ” International makes trucks, anything else is just a big car”
I have always liked the looks of those XLRs. I just wish they would have come with 3 pedals.
Nice car. What engine? A Northstar you say? Thank you for your time.
Not what I expected when I saw the description of the drivers. My first thought on this picture was a first date. Something like “40 yo female executive seeking man who is good with his hands”.
Both are good looking and desirable vehicles in their own way. I’d prefer the Caddy over the Vette, because I prefer things out of the mainstream. Though I’d have to win the lottery to afford ownership of either one.
The International would be tough as nails and should be super easy to fix. And it’s in great shape. Short box but can tow a trailer for bigger things.
And the International has a bad spring on the right front, like its in the Cars movie
I have always liked the looks of those XLRs. I just wish they would have come with 3 pedals.
The grill insert on the International makes it look like a giant pickup truck has a compact car in its mouth — with only the front clip of the compact still showing. Just getting ready to swallow it all down. That’s all I can see now…
While on the subject of XLRs I’d like to suggest website https://www.lov2xlr8.no/ for great photography of the Kristiansand Norway automotive scene and seaside. He also has hundreds of brochure scans of US and European cars and trucks as well.
If you went back 100 years, a 1908 Cadillac and a 1908 IH Autobuggy were a lot more closely matched than these two!
Tony Slivka, his brother Bill and his sons, John and Bob, started production in 1991 of the first release from their “Triple Diamond Replicas” company. It is a 1956 International S-Line pickup truck originally produced by “Product Miniatures Company” of Milwaukee. Tony tracked down the tooling and has conquered all the very difficult and expensive challenges of bringing these great International replicas back to life.
Much more info here:
https://palmeter.com/modelinfotruckstdr/