Rare And Classic: 1963 International C-1200
Things change. There was a time when almost all pickup trucks had two doors; a four-door, or crew cab such as this 1963 International C-1200 was an oddity. Try finding a two-door pickup today – they’re available but not commonplace. Offered between 1961 and 1968, this International truck, today, could be considered a survivor simply because it still exists – they are rarely encountered! This example has undergone some mechanical improvements and still presents itself as an apt work truck so let’s give it a review. Located in Southlake, Texas, you’ll find this rare discovery, here on eBay for a current bid of $7,601 with the reserve not yet met.
Research indicates that International was the first, in 1961, to introduce a four-door pickup truck, one that we casually refer to today as a crew cab. Technically it was labeled by International as a “Travelette”. Oh, and one thought regarding model nomenclature, in ’63 and ’64 the letter “C” preceded the model number “1200”, but starting in ’65, it was reversed.
The exterior presentation, finished in dark gray primer, is pretty fair though the seller mentions, “On the passenger side front fender where there was body work done (surface rust). Some rust in the passenger side cowl and under the dash. There has been bodywork in the front passenger fender, the front driver-side floor panel“. OK, so that sort of thing is expected and not unusual. It’s also stated that there is some surface rust in what the seller thinks is a non-original cargo bed.
Powering this rig is a 193 HP, 304 CI, V8 engine but it is said to have been upgraded with an aluminum intake manifold and a Holley carburetor – I didn’t know you could get an aluminum intake manifold for an International engine. Anyway, the seller adds, “(there is) a leak in the engine. It looks like a leak from the oil pan drain plug. The rear differential has a leak. The brake pedal is also a little soft“. As for that brake matter, there is a new master cylinder, brake lines, and power booster in place so the brakes may need to be bled or there could be a leak. Rounding things out is a four-speed manual transmission that, as described, sounds as if it was boosted from a Scout.
The interior is about what one would expect, it’s original and utilitarian. The seating upholstery, which is topped with old-style airplane seatbelts, is experiencing some rear seat split seams (but not the front) and the passenger-side sun visor has exploded. The headliner, however, along with the door panels look fine. There are no images of the wayback and its condition is not disclosed. This truck is equipped with power steering but judging from the diameter of the steering wheel, which could have piloted the Lusitania, was likely designed with manual steering in mind.
Yes, I’ll agree with the seller, this one is rare, and in a sense, a classic. I imagine its driving manners are very truck-like so this one may work for occasional hauling chores but I imagine it would be trying for anything more than that. So, if you were interested in this International C-1200, how would you use it?
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Comments
RPT made them. Nice someone upgraded to dual master, power brakes and prop valve.Would make an awesome farm and hauling supplies truck around town in a rural area.Cool truck .glwts.
I bought one of these online. It looked good overall, but was completely terminally rotted under the dashboard (bottom of cowl), and you couldn’t see it in photos. Beware- this could be a lot of work to repair. The bed appears to be original to me.
If in good shape, these are awesome trucks. Almost as good as a crew cab Power Wagon…😉
Nice truck! Looks like another truck you could drop off at my place and I’d never complain.
Someone went to a lot of trouble setting up a dual brake system. I don’t know if I would have given the effort; you would also have to re-engineer the clutch as the brake and clutch both ran a Siamese master cylinder similar to GM back then.
Saw a few of these around when I was a kid. There was a trend back then that never quit…
Hi Geo, I agree, a lot went into the braking system, and a worthy upgrade. It appears they have a separate master for the hydraulic clutch, so no change there. In a big city, the only time we saw’r these, was when the “chain gangs” were picking up litter. Most, if not all, were relegated to municipal/military use. Very few, if any, made it into the public sector, and why should it? Who in their right mind would buy a 4 door pickup truck?,,,( cough) It’s easy to look back now and think what a colossal blunder it was, but it just wasn’t thought of then. I read, 1963, IH was the 1st pickup with a diesel motor. A wise choice to go with the gas job.
Pretty sure USAF had some of these running around. Think the Navy bought some also, was a novelty back in the sixties today not so much. Don’t understand the size of pickup trucks today. Half ton trucks are larger than this now, I don’t like to drive them but hey I am just one person. I like my small 03 F-150 lightning.
These were widely used by the USAF for ICBM missile crews to get to the silos in the mid west, as well as the Security Police forces guarding them. When I was in SAC, the ride of choice seemed to be Dodge W-200 “six packs”- crew cabs.
Yep! I was at Elmendorf in Alaska, we had plenty of these. Clunky, slow and clumsy. I had a rear axle literally fall out of the differential, and on narrow back-base roads you’d slap door mirrors with oncoming trucks.
Not fun. Hard pass.
Had one of those Dodge crew cabs over 40 years ago. It was an oil guzzling beast until we rebuilt the engine.
Yes, Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet/GMC all had contrived four-doors…all made by outside vendors. Not sure if it was just the cab made, by the aftermarket, or if completed trucks were sent there to be cut-and-pasted.
Ford and Dodge, IIRC, had abbreviated rear doors – the space where the vent-window, and the distance forward where the A-Post angled, was removed. With Dodge’s strange rear-of-the-door window-cutout rake, it looked strange. Ford just had a thick B-post, and then a very-narrow door.
GM pickups just used a second door, including the vent window. Plenty of room, but a jarring visual…a B-post that was narrow and then grew to a thick mass near the top of the door. Obviously contrived, and poor space utilization. I guess it wasn’t workable to use a Suburban rear curbside door, or to leave the crew-cab three-door or fabricate a mirror image for the left side.
Now of course, four-doors is the standard; ridiculously-short beds the standard, and you have to look long and special-order to get a “standard” cab truck.
Back in their days, the Int’l Pick ups were rare enough. As a kid, seeing a ‘crew cab’ set up was a real oddity. This is an amazing survivor and probably appreciated more by us ‘older folk’ because of the rarity of them back then. The younger people today are so used to 4 door pickups because of their popularity that it doesn’t seem so rare as a vehicle. I love its looks.
Actually International’s first crew cab came in late 57 or 58, although it had 3 doors, rather than 4.
Gotta wonder where in this world they found an aluminum intake, that’s even more rare than the truck itself.
No longer available
https://www.superscoutspecialists.com/rpt-aluminum-intake-ih-304
My family had a later version of this truck, a 3/4 ton, 4×4 model. It replaced a small fleet of early, very basic, OHC-6, 4×4 Jeep Wagoneers (a fleet, because at any given moment, only one was operational). We were that weird family with the big, ugly, 4-door truck. Nobody would bat an eye today.
My dad had a 72 Binder PU, and when he passed, it became mine.
That thing left me walking more times than I care to count.
One day, I apparently forgot to set the parking brake and it rolled into a ditch and burned. It took me 15 minutes to call the fire department.
Gotta love the car catch phrases… “Rare and classic” etc etc.. means someone be a sucker and get this lawn ornament outta here for big bucks.
Let’s face it. Just because something is old or you didn’t see many. Usually means they were junk from day one.
Had my fair share and this is one. I had to work on it more than I drove it.
And I thought I had a bad attitude.
My father bought a brand new 66 3/4 ton but it had a 266 ci V8, of course a manual transmission and it was 2 WD. They were good solid pickups during that time!
Thumbs down to John.
Sounds like someone didnt not know how to properly maintain these trucks. IH built excellent engines and only required minor skill to upkeep.
If you were ever in the military you knew the saying DUTY CLUTCH. Many of sailors learned to drive in one of these. I took my International Driving Test in one of these in Rota Spain in 1977. Had a few in China Lake also. The one we had in Key West was so rusted out that the back seat fell out one night between bases. Gotta Love These. Thanks for the memories and good luck to the next owner.