International Trucks, Greenville, South Carolina.
Kallen’s Garage, Van Nuys, California.
Posca’s Service Center, Tarrytown, New York.
Moore’s Equipment, Michigan City, Indiana.
Rosenber-Todd, 427 West Travis St., La Grange, Texas.
Roedel Brothers, Inc., Kirkwood, Missouri.
International Harvester, Ideco, Cummings dealership (on the right), at Casper, Wyoming.
1977 models on display.
Red River International, Fargo, North Dakota.
R.H. House, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, in 1979.
Thanks for the wonderful International pictures. In Van Nuys, those are 1955-56 S series, note the service truck with the sideboards and white wall tires. In Tarrytown those are 1957-58 A series trucks.
Very nice .
In 1959 Pops bought Mom a new Travelall to haul us six screaming brats ’round in .
-Nate
Last picture in Canada, in the used truck section, third truck from the left looks like a Diamond Reo, if I’m wrong Jim or Howard will correct me I hope. Under the sign is a Farmal Cub with wheel weight on the rear, wonder what they used it for or if it’s for sale?
That’s a White Western Star, built in Kelowna BC. Same cab as a number of other White products, including Diamond Reo. I don’t recall ever seeing a Diamond Reo in western Canada.
Thanks, I knew somebody would know. My first thought was White, then I saw the length of the letters on the side of the hood and changed my mind to Diamond Reo.
Hey JoAnn, the little Farmall tractor is an A with Cultivision, operators seat and controls shifted to the right for better sight when cultivating. My guess is they use it to push snow, hence the wheel weights.
Jim, thanks for the correction and explanation “Cultivision”
on the Farmall, I didn’t give it much thought, glanced at it and said Cub. Under the U in used equipment, there is another piece of equipment with a bucket on the front of it. Maybe you can zoom in on that and tell us what it is.
Hey again, JoAnn, the other machine is a skid-steer loader with a low-pro bucket.
Hi JoAnn, you’d be close with a DR, as by then they were essentially a rebadged WS or Autocar. The Mack looks like a R700 “Western”. The Rosenberg photo has a red early 60s R190, the 1st HD truck I drove. The dark green pickups look forestry dept. bound. The 4070 Transtars and 4300 conv. dominated the class 8 truck market. Most of the trucks I drove then were IH.
Location dictated what IH dealers sold what, for example, we had one IH truck dealer in Milwaukee I remember, Lakeside IH, and dealt strictly with trucks. In my small hometown of Lake Mills, Wis, we had Topels Towing/IH, and he dealt with anything IH. He had a “3 Diamond” IH sign I wanted but he wouldn’t sell. Also, most auto parts stores then, did not carry IH parts. Filters, plugs all had to be bought at an IH dealer, not unlike a foreign car then. IH dominated the highways until a certain 5 letter word came about, Volvo, and decimated IHs truck business.
By the way, I’ve found, some may not like the word “Cummings” for Cummins, but as an old timer, it’s perfectly allowable.
Hi Howard, thanks for your input. So did Topels sell refrigerators and freezers? See my latest comment about Irma Harding. Search her, you will like it.
Hi JoAnn, I don’t recall them selling appliances, and I read IH sold the refrigerator biz to Whirlpool in 1955, just as they were starting. The farm I lived on N.Wis. actually had an IH fridge, the 1st I’d ever seen. Being 40 years old at the time, it still worked fine.
I’m curious whether these dealers were also involved in the sale of IH tractors and agricultural machinery – or if there was a separate sales network for that?
Anyone here who can answer that?
Now that you mentioned it, I realized the big sign has a farm tractor, road tractor and a pickup on it
Here in the Shenandoah Valley I worked for an IH dealer we sold Scouts and mid-size trucks. 30 miles north was a class 8 truck dealer and a separate IH Ag dealer. I think if you got out west the dealers sold everything, even freezers.
I forgot all about Staunton Tractor, they were an IH Ag dealer, 1/2 a mile down on the other side of the road from the dealer I worked for.
I have read that out west, in the late 1940’s International started selling refrigerators and freezers to the farmers wives. Look up Irma Harding to see and read about their sales methods and efforts to get the farmers wife to switch from canning food to freezing food. Very interesting. Of course this all came about shortly after most farmer got electricity. A friend told us that his grandparents had an International kitchen in the farm house.
Jim, you must have worked for Carey International. I bought a 1975 Scout II pickup from Mr. Carey. Tanbark color, buckskin interior, 4wd, 304 V8, 5-speed with granny low gear, and dual exhaust. A great bear hunting truck!
Hey Randy, I did! From spring of 85 till he sold out at Christmas of 86. By that time he had moved on the hill next to Staunton Machine. The name is familiar, are you west of Fort below Pisgah?
My understanding is that it depended on various factors. There were some that sold both and others that sold just ag or trucks. Location, competition, existing IH dealers, all that was taken into account. Generally, they tended to be one or the other. All of these look like they were truck only, except the last one in Canada.
Our local IH dealer was full-line, selling trucks, tractors, combines, and farm implements.
On our farm all we had was Farmall and International, when I was a kid. A big regret was when I sold my ‘74 IHC pickup with the 345 cid. They were reliable. And easy to work on. Mine was Harvest Gold with matching interior. That thing would climb a tree.
I would love to find all the different vertical sign variants for dealers that sold just tractors, tractors and Light Line pickups, tractors and semis, etc.
Looks like the location of Red River International in Fargo is still an International dealer. Red River itself was sold in 1987, and became Nelson International – that company is still in business. The building looks a bit different, and has been added on to, but it’s still the same structure.
Then-and-now comparison, and Google StreetView link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dckeB2g33do8592k6
Thanks for the interesting post. Can’t help but think photo #4 looks like a row of Nissan Cubes at first glance….?
Starting in the late 60’s, International made a serious effort to increase their light truck and Scout sales by giving special franchises to sell those models to independent and import car dealerships. Some AMC/Rambler dealers went for it as it was an easy way to get some truck and SUV sales, at least until AMC bought Jeep in 1970.
Full line (light truck, heavy truck, ag.) dealers were common in rural areas, but as Paul pointed out such francises were dependent on local business conditions.
I wonder if there were ever any International truck dealerships paired with International construction equipment?
The dealer in Casper Wyoming has a new IH backhoe on the front line.
My dad bought my mom. The 1974 International 4 by 4 scout. How is 4 years old? My Sis was 5 I remember getting slapped.
Because we were picking at the plastic on the seats. On the way home, mom is passed and dad is past The 74 lives on. Here at my house, 6 miles from where it was bought. Brand new and Moscow Idaho.
I worked as a young truck mechanic at the International dealer in Casper WYOMING in 1974 it was called Western Equipment when I worked there
Love the sign with Reddy Kilowatt riding a bucking bronco.
My grandfather was an IH mechanic in Western Kansas. When the Depression hit work became scarce. With children and a wife to house and feed he did what he could. The Dustbowl announced its presence and took many jobs related to farming. Eventually, no work: just wind, dust and more wind. They made the decision to move to Southern California. He eventually found work there, again at IH at Bremen – Dickerson IH in my hometown of Riverside. I remember the shop where he worked. The tools, the smells, the sound of engines.
My grandparents are long gone as is the dealership. But I have some good memories.
In our small town, the local IH agency sold everything. Appliances ranged from IH branded room AC units to IH branded refrigerators. Tractor offerings ranged from big IH combines right down to IH lawn tractors & even push mowers. Trucks ranged from Class 8 heavies down to Scouts. Our dealership even offered IH stationary power units.
I think that range of products tended to limit IH’s light truck. Farmers & truck drivers were certainly exposed to IH light trucks cross shopping. But up through the 70s, light trucks weren’t uniformly accepted as an alternative to the family car. This despite IH being an early innovator in offering a crew cab pickup – a format that dominates today’s light truck sales. Someone wanting an IH pickup had to seek out an IH dealer whose salesmen were probably more comfortable talking tractors or heavy trucks. IH had good light trucks, but that wasn’t enough to overcome the floor traffic advantage a GM or Ford dealer had by offering cars.
IH might have ad more success pairing their light truck sales channel with other car dealers who whose lineup lacked a light truck. I suspect having so many dealers handle the full line of IH products may have limited IH in offering separate light truck franchises.
My Father had an IH Travelall back in the early 70’s. The only vehicle he ever bought new. That vehicle was big. Big motor too.
He let me use it a couple times when my car broke down. I loved it.
As an IH specialist starting Back Country Binders 4×4 28 years ago in Pullman, WA. While attending WSU, I can’t help the sense of pride I feel in helping families continue to use their light line vehicle. I love the stories everyone tells from way back up into today. They fuel my inspiration. Shout out to Rodell Brothers for being shown in the pics. I appreciate you. Howard A. did you work for International, you know allot. Reminds me of my friend Howard Pletcher!!
Thank you to all those “binderphiles” & fans before me for building such a network of tradition and pride. Keep the stories coming.
If anyone needs any used or new parts, or wants to buy a 1961-1980 IH don’t hesitate to contact me. If I can’t help, I can refer you to who can. 😉Happy Harvesting
Sincerest Regards
John L. Fleck
bcb4x4 @ gmail (you know to add .com)
http://WWW.BCB4X4.COM
36zero-6two0 then 84 and 27
The vintage photos of the old IH dealerships bring back memories. My dad was an IH truck salesman starting shortly after WWII until the mid eighties. He started in south Louisiana and ended up at an IH dealer in central Mississippi. I have a suitcase full of 8×10 dealership photos, truck literature, bulletins, calendars, sale brochures for Scouts, PU trucks, metro trucks, transport trucks from the 40’s- late 70’s. I would be interested in selling these if someone is interested. I’m in my 70’s and would like for this history to be pasted on.
Those red sign pylon dealerships were designed by Raymond Lowey Associates at the same time as the man on a tractor logo. Our local dealer only sold trucks out of a street-side dealership that flanked a service court. Pretty much everything was ordered; he didn’t have room to keep stock on hand. But all of our school buses were Lodestars.