Tom’s scale 1952 Studebaker from earlier today is downright neat—I pass one on the way to work that I think is of early ’60s vintage—I’ll need to stop and photograph it sometime. We’ve of course had a good bit of coverage here on CC on the International Comfovision cab (which the Stude’s cab reminds me of a little), but that has nothing to do with the answer to the riddle presented with this photograph, which is…
One can draw a line of connection between these three trucks (think “six degrees of separation”). Two of them are directly related (duh!), but what then links the third?
Well I can’t get the picture large enough to make out the badges on the SD but I’ll make a guess it is like most and is powered by a Diesel which of course was built by International and was originally intended for the same class of truck as your L.
I’m testing a vague memory here, of something Dad told me once…the older Ford has the 300 I6 which is related to an IH diesel?
One-piece curved windshield.
Navistar diesel was fitted to Fords but its already been said. I had a 110 L series International, loved it despite problems caused moving the steering tree across the cab to create the AL the tree shift remained on the right of the column no biggie you guys say but the quarter vent when open lies between 2nd and top lots of barked knucles like a phase one Standard Vanguard. and NO one piece windscreen.
Eric & Bryce got it… The L-170 is an International Harvester product. IH sold off most of itself in the 1980s and adopted the name Navistar International (the IH name went along with the agricultural products).
Navistar subsequently developed the 7.3l Power Stroke diesel engine which Ford used in their Econoline and Heavy Duty trucks starting in 1994. Air-to-air intercooling was introduced in 1999 (which is the model of my F250).
The virtually indestructible Ford “Big Six” has no linkage that I could find to any IH or Navistar product. The confusion may come from the fact that UPS trucks used 300s for years before UPS started switching to diesels – in fact, there are still 300s still working hard for Big Brown…
So the linkage is:
*Ford* F150 –> *Ford* F250 with *Navistar* 7.3l diesel engine –> *Navistar* = *International Harvester* –> *IH* L-170 truck
And there you have it!
I used to drive a 2000 model Navistar day cab but full aero kit called ‘On a Mission” I linehauled swap trailers with it B trains 43footers and self steering quad axle trailers C 12 under the hood 430 horses but torque for Africa it would pull down to 900 rpm then take a whole gear rinse and repeat utill the revcounter settles usually 1300 or so and thats your climbing gear and in the wet climbing go half a gear too low and use a light foot @ 1600 and you dont get wheelspin and plenty of revs on if you have to lift off to get traction mind once yer in low box the difflocks work and they climb on icy roads not too bad, definitely an Inter fan here Ed
What is the white sphere on the hood of the International and why?
My, what sharp eyes you have! It’s a baseball. Son Number Two was doing a little hitting and lost the ball. I found it the next day under the truck, and stuck it on top of the hood to see if Son would notice it there (he didn’t).
That’s funny. I tried to imagine what function it served.
Another possible link. Ford -> Ford, Cab roof lights -> Cab roof lights
I was really just being a wiseass when I said “One-piece curved windshield” above, but when I got to thinking about that I remembered that IH was definitely a pioneer among truck manufacturers in this respect, introducing this feature with the new cab styling in 1950. Ford – 1952 for cars, 53 for trucks. GM – 1948 for cars, 54 for trucks. Chrysler Corp – 1953 for cars, 1954 for trucks.
I saw the ball on the hood too.