The Rig Rod

[Hombre]

After spending a few hours today reading a ton of these build threads, I decided to start my own on my newest project.

Came about this new build in a strange way. I was surfin E-Bay about two months ago, you know what I mean just looking at stuff to have something to do late one night. When I came across this really nice truck, the more I looked and studied on the thing the more I liked it. It was a International KB model, and to tell the truth it was the first one I had ever seen. I placed a bid on that truck. After a couple of days I was the high bidder at just south of $10,000 dollars and it had "NO" reserve. I decided to call the owner as the auction was down to a hour or two and I was still the high bidder. Talked to the guy and told him that it looked like I was going to win the auction on his truck. Dude informs me that E-Bay had made a mistake on his auction and it indeed was supposed to be a "Reserve" auction. He told me the asking price was $35,000. I said OK see you later and good luck with your new auction....

Here's a few pic's of that truck.

 

[Hombre]

As you guys can see from those pic's it is a cool truck, it just wasn't a $35,000 truck at least not to me. It needed paint and some other cosmetic stuff, and I thought $35,000 was pushing it a little too much. But hey it was His truck and he gets to ask any amount he wants to. Funny thing is the owner re auctioned the truck on E-Bay started it at $10,000 and never got a bid, not a single one. He then called me two weeks or so later and offered me the truck Delivered for $17,000. By that time I had already bought my project truck and had started work on it. I then noticed a week later the truck on E-Bay for the third time--with a reserve but still sold for $14,000. Hell man I could have saved that cat a ton of time if he had come up with that price when I talked to him the first time!

Well after that deal feel thru I started looking around for one of these. Found one In a barn in Decatur, Tennessee only about 140 miles from my house. Drove up there and me and the Old Farmer hit it off and I hauled it home a couple of days later.

Here's a few pic's of the old girl when I first got her...

 

[Hombre]

Folks, I gotta tell you this old truck is not my first Rodeo, I have built over the years 10 or 12 different old Hot Rods. Today as a retired Marine I like to or "Would" like to build two a year just to keep myself busy and the blood to pumping. I say that becuase I have made a ton of mistakes in the building of those cars. One of the first rules ( ??? ) you should have is a good firm plan of were you want the build to go, I learned that about car number 4, and have always tried to keep that thought in mind at the start of a project.

Then up jumps this KB, and to tell you the truth I am starting this one without a clue of were its going. I guess the problem is there is just nothing out there like this, at least none I can find. Here on the triple "R" there are a couple that do come a little close. So I am going to build this thing one way and with the intention of if I dont like it change the intire build and go a different way. I hate to do it that way, but just can not figure what else to do.

So here's the plan: Leave the sheet metal pretty much alone, No Chop, No Channel, No Section. Convert the rig over to a 4x4 using a 454, Turbo 400 and a part time NP 203 Transfer case. GM full floater dually rear end, Dana 60 front end. Keep the International chassis, and just modify it as required for the 4x4 stuff. The bed I don't have a clue, I am going to shorten it by feets, hell I had to shorten it by three feet just to get it into the shop. Maybe a flat bed if I can figure a way to make that cool looking, if not I could fab up a step side bed and use fenders from like a mid 30's or 40's Chevy as they seem to have fenders that match the front International sheet metal.

I owned a F-650 Ford Pick-up earlier this year, just sold the thing as a matter of fact. I think, and thats a real big-- "I THINK" if I could come out something like it looked it would be good, I'll post a picture of that Ford at the end of this post let me know what you think. As a matter of fact if anyone has any ideas lets here them, I could sure use some opinions on this one.

RS

 

[Hombre]

In rereading that last post about my old F-650 when I said "like that" What I really meant is like that in stance. I have no disire for it to look "like that"

Here's a few pic's of it in the shop and demolition started. Had the help of a feller poster here on the "RRR" The Rev Tex Deville. Good dude and he ended up with a lot of the stuff we took off. The two speed rear end, the front axle ( which has to weigh at least a 1,000 lbs by itself) and the in-line six and 5 speed international tranny, and all six of the tires and wheels, Thanks Tex!!

 

[BigShem]

thats definatly going to be a sweet lil ride.... cant wait to see more..... and the Rev... is definatly a rightous dude!!!!!!!!![cl

 

[Rev Tex Devlle]

In rereading that last post about my old F-650 when I said "like that" What I really meant is like that in stance. I have no disire for it to look "like that"

Here's a few pic's of it in the shop and demolition started. Had the help of a feller poster here on the "RRR" The Rev Tex Deville. Good dude and he ended up with a lot of the stuff we took off. The two speed rear end, the front axle ( which has to weigh at least a 1,000 lbs by itself) and the in-line six and 5 speed international tranny, and all six of the tires and wheels, Thanks Tex!!

hope to come get them after the new year! was a good time working with hombre! this really goin tobe a cool truck ! very solid. funny thing was how easily all the suspention lined up and the steering too!
and the way theres nothing good bout me but Jesus!
the rest needs improvement just like everyone else!
but thanks hombre and shem!
later its late i need my beauty sleep!!!

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

I love kb's. Funny, I have been wrenching on IHCs all my life and maybe its that I have never gone above a 3/4 ton (in the kb models, that would be a kb2) but ive never seen a kb with outside the fender headlight buckets before. Good luck with it.

 

[Hombre]

Muddy Grimes, I know what you mean about the headlights, but in truth I have never been very interested in Internationals. There were to me kinda podgy, you know what I mean? Something that Grand Pa would have. That was until I saw that Black truck on E-Bay. That one really spurned my interest and since I have taken a harder look at International.

My wife bought me a book on International history, and man let me tell you, International has built some of the coolest trucks I have ever seen. The International of the 20's and 30's are a way over looked piece of iron. Most of those years put Ford ( the standared all are measured by) to shame.

But about those headlights...Internationals all were using that external headlight from 1937 in the D models that included pick-ups all the way thru the medium duty trucks up to around 2 1/2 ton. In 1938 it also started including even there over the road trucks in there DS line. The headlight incorporated into the fender like you mentioned your KB2 started first in the International 60 series Gas and was offered in the D60 and DR60, and DR70 of 1939. Then came the K series in 1940 with the inside the fender lights. Only the K6 and above retained the independant headlights of the years before. The K's and KB of 6 or higher all the way thru the KB12 used those independant headlights all the way thru 1950 were the intire K series was dropped and the modern L series International took over.

I only include that here becuase you seem to be an International guy and man you ought to know that stuff......

RS

 

[Thunder1]

That black one looks bad to the bone! The diesel exhaust pouring from the stacks makes it look even meaner. A really good looking truck! I've had the chance to buy several KB's like these. Makes me wish I had when I had the chance.

T1

 

[Reverend D]

Nice truck, personally I'd go a pumped up 5.9 cummins with a 5 or 6 speed and 4x4 if you like (A dodge donor truck would be a slam dunk truth be told for the drivetrain). But the 454 will sound good no question. I'm sure it'll be cool no matter how you go, got a good truck to start with. Good luck with it. [P

Regards,

Rev. D.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

If you are gonna go diesel, you really need to go ford diesel since those are made by IHC. Keep it in the family so to speak.

 

[wampler234]

have you done anythinng else???

 

[postalexpress]

id say use a dodge 5.9 diesel cuz thoes are power houses with a little bit of work and id use the 24valve

good luck looks like a good start

jordon

 

[clamor]

If you are gonna go diesel, you really need to go ford diesel since those are made by IHC. Keep it in the family so to speak.

Yeah, but diesels are supposed to be inline (more rotating mass = more torque)...not sure what's up with this v8 nonsense on the PowerStroke & Duramax engines.

 

[Tim...Ok]

Yeah, but diesels are supposed to be inline (more rotating mass = more torque)...not sure what's up with this v8 nonsense on the PowerStroke & Duramax engines.

I'll second that..6 inline is fine

 

[r00ster]

Holy Crap

Hombre,

If something hapens and you cant finish the build please call me first.

That was my grandfathers truck. I called him to talk about getting it from him just days before you picked it up. We were talkin about what a good price for it would be and I put out a number thinking maby I would be able to buy it from him, he said that was what he was thinking to and that a feller was comming to pick it up. Dont believe me? You got it from Jim Hale, I wont say what you paid but it came with a crap load of saw lumber layin on the frame and was sittin in a metal pole barn on the side of a hill. The old farmer most likely was ridin in a gator with his air tank either straped to his side or layin in the seat.

My grand father passed just reciently and its been hard, but life goes on. Like I said if something happens and you cant finish it and it has to go I would like frist crack at his old truck. You are doing with it what me and him loosely talked about a few times. Buy the way did you look into the engine miss, was it a burnt valve or something else?