Spotless Pickup: 1972 International Harvester 1210 4×4
Bidding has taken off and isn’t likely looking back for this 1972 International Harvester 1210 4×4 pickup. There’s a lot working in this truck’s favor, from its rust-free condition to its awesome original color scheme. Then there’s just the stance itself, riding on those white steel wheels and knobby tires – the whole package just works incredibly well. And speaking of packaging, when this truck was ordered new, a lot of desirable boxes were checked in terms of equipment, so it’s of little surprise that bidding has been pushed to over $20,000 here on eBay with no reserve left to clear.
The International has led a seemingly charmed life in Idaho, where the dry climate has helped to preserve that vintage metal. The frame looks brand new underneath, so while Idaho may be a decent state to find a survivor in, it still gets bad weather – which makes it even more likely that this pickup truck didn’t spend much time in the foul weather elements. The truck left the factory with a 345 V8 paired with a four-speed manual gearbox and is also equipped with a limited slip, locking hubs, power steering, and power brakes.
The interior is also a treat, featuring a handsome diamond-stitched bench seat (there’s no way that’s factory, right?) in dark brown with clean carpets and a black dashboard that still houses a factory radio. At some point, it makes sense to mention that this is a 27,000-mile truck, and the seller confirms that it is accurate mileage. This certainly helps to explain the impressive cosmetic condition, along with so many well-preserved details that often get lost or trashed in the average lifespan of a workhorse pickup. It’s clear that when this International Harvester left the dealership, it did not become a job site beater the next day.
Here’s the shot of the frame that just blew me away. Not even a spec of flash surface rust. This tells you all you need to know about the sort of owner(s) this truck had. When you spec a vehicle out with the most desirable options of the day, it’s a pretty solid indication that you’re eager to preserve your investment because you know how unique and/or desirable it is. Truck owners, however, don’t always adhere to that rule because trucks are meant to be worked hard, and optional equipment like a limited slip isn’t just for vanity purposes. This IH 1210 4×4 is the one to buy if you’ve been looking for a true survivor that got all the right stuff when it was ordered, and it comes with the added bonus of being barely broken in.
Auctions Ending Soon
2006 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 SCBid Now7 hours$15,000
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now3 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now3 days$3,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now3 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now5 days$10,500
Comments
Nice truck,& the colors work well on it.
I wonder if it comes with a ladder,to get up
in the cab with?
Very cool International. Tough and heavy-duty. When I see an International of this vintage, I think that maybe an engineer “styled” it (inside and out) — dominated by efficient straight lines, rectangles, and squares.
Excellent photography. Curiosity question: Can someone tell me the shift pattern?
If it’s like the 1962 C-series truck:
R 2 4
1 3 5
Our scout troop had one, with a closed work box on the back.
To this truck: I later worked with a small-town DPW that had a 1975 UG 1200-series. Frankly, alongside the Chevrolets, we found it lacking. The door cutout was such that a tall person would always bash his head on the frame. Not like Chevrolet or Ford of that era. The interior was well laid out, but not as roomy. IIRC, that diamond quilt was available, and our truck had it. No idea why.
But the thing that destroyed it, was rust. This was in New York snow country, but even compared to Fords and Chevys, the International just disappeared. In three years, the pickup box had rusted apart, losing its integrity. The Maintenance supervisor was disgusted, and welded the tailgate to the bed sides, to keep them from folding outward and flapping.
It was sold for a couple hundred dollars after six years. There was probably plenty of life in the V-8 (don’t remember which one) but, in those years, what would you do with it?
It was sad to see IH disappear as a maker of small trucks, but…frankly…they only had themselves to blame.
UG? I meant IH. Fingers slipped on the keyboard.
No, the Auto Workers union wanted way too much money that IHC couldn’t afford.
It had a 5 SPDR?
1 2 OD
R 3 4
This shift pattern would take a few stop signs to get accustomed to, I’d imagine.
I zoomed in on one of the photos in the eBay add, someone did a good job shooting this truck. I never found an engine picture, though. It’s a beautiful 70’s dream truck!
You’re right. I zoomed in, too…got curious.
The position of 1 is no problem – that’s a stump-puller low-low gear. Those trucks were started in 2, on the road. But that other convoluted pattern…start in 2, down to 3, okay. But then up to get out of 3, shove right, and then DOWN again to 4…that makes no sense.
That shift knob, BTW. Doesn’t say OD on that last gear, but H. I wonder if the driver is expected, in normal use, to go from 3 to H, and only take 4 on steeper highway grades.
That’s a NP542 5-speed tranny.
5th gear is OD. It’s a .84 ratio in OD.
1 2 OD
R 3 4
Park this next to the Jeep Gladiator…
r 2 5
1 3 4
Is that the gas cap in the front fender?
This is a gem! It would be most welcome at my place but I need that winning ticket to be able to facilitate that.
Out west Binders didn’t rust any worse than anything else so a lot of trucks this age have still got rebuildable bodies on them. I might add that the popularity of them has gotten to the point where outfits are stamping out sheet metal repair patches and other items. We now sell replacement fuel tanks for these and they work very well although they’re plastic; there isn’t anyone who builds metal tanks–yet.
I came across one a while back when my wife and I were out for a Sunday drive. It was parked at a farm equipment dealership in the used lineup. I called the place first thing Monday and they told me that the truck came in the previous Friday but a guy phoned and pretty much bought it on the spot. That’s too bad because I was ready to dig down and take it to my place, even if I couldn’t afford it. They’re still around.
That orange paintjob has been on Binder’s color palette since 1937. Interesting to see that not everything was dull and drab way back then. Strange how people have lost their flare for color these days.
Is it just me or is it missing the front drive shaft?
IH option aux fuel tank in pass front fender
The thing I noticed with that was that gas would spill out
& eat the paint below the filler cap.
Yes, that is a gas cap in the left front fender. There is another one on the passenger side in the cab for the 2ond tank. I’ve restored a couple of this era.
So nice,you would find it hard to believe just how incredibly tuff these trucks are,tuff! My neighbor used one every day hauling rail road rails and ties to the top of box.yup he welded to axle housing to frame.years and years everyday.real tuff guy too. Few problems at all.
Super cool truck. I had a 1970 3/4 ton 2wd IH back in the day to haul 12 ft camper and motorcycles. It only had a 304 and was a beast to drive but once the pavement ended no Chevy could touch it.
Are those Ford mirrors on the doors?? And yes, I think the front drive shaft is missing. I wonder what is not working.
Those were aftermarket mirrors.A lot of dealer sold them.
They were also used on Toyota pickups in the ’70’s/’80’s.
That R to 1 shift pattern was popular with plow trucks. Back and forth etc, etc.
I had an old jeep CJ with a three speed. The buyer was tickled pink when he saw the R to 1 pattern. He soon had a snow plow installed.
WoW never knew the 2 IH models had 5 speed.
And ‘fender’ tank? How many gals could THAT hold?
Back in the day the light duty like these seemed 1/4 ford, 1/4 cheb, 1/4 dodge’n 1/4 IH (Marathon-like?)
Sure look nice, tho. All ways liked the interior, instruments, dash board’n grill. How the IH gauges were in that nice straight, simple line. Bought a ’70 Bronk in ’80 due to the looks of the 80/800 scout. IH was going outta business then & would only make replacement prts a few more yrs. I can get everything down to the nuts/bolts now (but after mrkt) for the 1st gen’er.