Detroit Diesel 5-Speed! 1973 International Travelall
With all of the reintroductions and reinventions of either current or former vehicles, I keep waiting for International – or Navistar International – to reintroduce a modern version of the Travelall. This unique diesel-powered 5-speed 1973 International 1210 Travelall is posted here as a Barn Finds Classified. It’s located in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the seller doesn’t list an asking price so you’ll have to get in touch about that or any other questions.
These big, boxy trucks/wagons/SUVs were from the era when owners wanted functional, comfortable, practical, and tough vehicles. It would be hard to find anything like this today. People, including me to an extent, want a little more luxury and more features in our regular vehicles. For a weekend truck, this would be fantastic to own. It looks big but it’s only eight inches longer than a new Honda Accord. No lie.
The fourth and last-generation International Travelall was made from 1969 to 1975 when they were discontinued. International continued on with the Scout II until the 1980 model year after which time they pulled out of the personal vehicle market. You can see that there is some significant rust on this Travelall, it seems like mainly around the rear wheel wells but we don’t see any underside photos. The 1210 model is a 3/4-ton version and in case you were wondering about the tires, here’s a close-up photo of one. They could be changed for sure.
This Travelall is rear-wheel-drive and that long, snaking thing that you see next to the steering wheel is actually a floor shifter for a 5-speed manual transmission! I know, cool. The front bench seat looks a little faded and worn but the backseat looks great. The rear cargo area is as big as you thought it would be and other than the rear window not rolling down, everything else works according to the seller. I’m assuming that the speakers back there go with the sale?
The big thing with this Travelall, other than having a 5-speed manual transmission, is that according to the seller, this one received a Detroit Diesel engine when it was new. That’s all we know and they don’t give any sizes or displacements or anything so your guess is as good as mine – probably better. Hopefully, Howard, Geo and other diesel truck experts will weigh in on what is chugging away under the hood. Any thoughts on this Travelall?
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Comments
That’s a interesting engine choice. Someone paid a lot of money to convert the Travelall. The installation looks tidy it’s kind of hard to tell how long the valve cover is but I’m leaning towards a 3-71 Detroit I looked at 4-71 pictures and the cover looked longer. They list power of the 3-71 at 109hp and 300 torques. Those engines weigh a lot more than the International engine so they would have beefed up the front end for sure. I will leave the door open for Howard to comment and set me straight. Fun trivia for sure.
One other possibility is 4-53, had a customer with an early 70’s single axle Louisville, factory 4-53. Great engines but man are they noisey.
In todays news, it’s ALWAYS refreshing to start the day with a chuckle. I’ve seen a LOT of “Cornbinders”, but never a “fuel converter”( converts diesel fuel into noise) in a wagon. Apparently, this is a 3-53, meaning, “3”cylinders-“53” ci/cylinder. A “V” would obviously indicate a V6, 8, 12, 16, and so on. Otherwise all were inline. I read you could get a Detroit inline in any number of cylinders, in this case 3. About 131 hp. in it’s best day, probably more like 100hp, and why someone would go this route, is beyond me. It was a factory option, and I also read, the “392” gas V8 was in short supply, and began offering AMC motors, and Detroits, like this. If you don’t have to pull 40,000 pounds with one, Detroits can be a lot of fun, if you can stand the noise, that is. I suggest, either slamming your finger in the door, or eating a live frog, to get you in the right frame of mind. You had to drive them like you were pixxed off at them. And after about 9 hours of holding your foot to the floor, needle against the pin( tachometer needle) you probably will be pixxed off anyway. Cool find.
@Howard, nothing like the sound of a DD screaming like a banshee as it climbs I70 into the mountains. LOL
That’s what I was hoping for – thanks, Howard!
Oh, not done yet, pal, you forced me to bring out the big guns. THIS, is what you are in for with this truck. In 15 seconds, I have to turn it off,,,the truck in this video is a squarebody GM, but must be a tow truck or something HD, as he appears to shift it more than 5 times, enjoy,,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kko2xd8nk4E
your right,” why anyone would go that route, is beyond me”…A friend of mine put a 4-53 in his 3/4 ton chevy shortbed, required 1 ton springs and a whole lot of fab work for a truck that ended up with a 50 mph top speed with the truck 4spd and 3.73 gears. after changing gearset into the lowest possible he could fit in his carriers, 3.07 I think, changing to 16.5 rims he got into the upper 60s but slowwww is being kind. might of been all right with original gears and a gearvendors overdrive or 2 spd rear diff but he already had bunch of $ into a slow, noisy, smokey almost useless conversation piece. on the other hand, they were a pretty simple motor to work on, when I was a logger in my younger years we broke a piston in 3-53 in a Timberjack an swapped out sleeve and piston out in the woods in a day and back to logging next day….
We’re missing a key ingredient to this conversation, geomechs always can add a lot. To be clear, 2 cycle Detroits are actually very dependable motors. In marine or industrial applications, where they don’t have to go up hills with 40g’s in the box( which I’ve done, btw), they spin for years. I’ve known a few drivers that had BIG Detroits, V-12’s called the “Buzzin’ Dozen”, claimed about 475 hp, and blew everybody’s doors off, but were constantly working on them. These small Detroits didn’t have any more power than the gas jobs, but cut maintenance costs, and for a fleet that can make a difference.
Is it because some people are lonely and just want to have someone – anyone – call them to chat about a vehicle that they offer one for sale with no asking price?
Barn Finds should really make listing a price a prerequisite before listing anything in the classifieds section.
Awesome looking IH Travelall. I’ve always loved the Travelall. It’s my favourite SUV produced. It’s too damn bad they were discontinued when they were. It’s also too bad they weren’t available with diesel engine. I’d buy it and have a specialist install a Turbo Diesel engine, and a compatible auto gearbox.
Later model Scouts were available with a six cylinder Nissan Diesel.
That would have a two stroke also if I’m not mistaken.
Definitely a 53 series motor , interesting old swap , those old binders are neat vehicles also
we got the 2 stroke ona pallet out back. Can reverse it and swap exh and intake (etc). Too big for this engine bay I’d imagine. Good for hwy truck and thats just what they went in (marine’n army tanks too).
Wonder if the MB mil mi motor w/its turbo would have been the 1 for this (same era late 70s/early 80s).
Love the clean dash all these IH had back then. The glass in the rear 3 windows in “wagons” did not go dwn on any (well the rear would). Moving up from the 3 dor got closer to ‘right’ And a slight lift brought closer to perfection, still a ways to go. Compair to others of the era and many will pass it up.
Had a couple of trucks with them. 6-53 and 8v-72. Sometimes a driver would drop the clutch too quick and then apply it again and they ran in reverse. How can ya tell? Exhaust coming out the air cleaner assembly. Stopped a guy driving down the street that way.