1957 International Harvester V-196

According to its Line Set Ticket. this International truck cab and chassis was driven off the assembly line at Ft. Wayne. Indiana. nbsp;on Valentine's Day. February 14. nbsp;1957. the year Elvis was well on the way to become King of Rock 'n Roll and the same year the Russians launched Sputnik. the first man-made satellite to emit signals while orbiting the earth.

Several equipment options include an IH V-549 gas engine rated at 250 hp. 75 amp generator. power steering. straight 5-speed manual transmission. and a single speed limited slip differential with a 7:16 ratio ring and pinion.   Top speed was approximately 50 MPH when outfitted as a fire truck with a Luverne pumper body capable of pumping 1. 00 gallons of water per minute (GPM).  

This fire truck faithfully served St. Joseph. WI. and the surrounding community for nearly 50 years before being retired from service in 1994.   A local farmer bought the retired fire truck for the purpose of removing the pumper body to install a lime spreader bed conversion.   However. after realizing this truck was in such good condition he decided to re-sell it rather than expose the truck to the corrosive effects of lime.    

This fire truck was purchased with the idea of making it the center piece of my 1950s Farmall/ McCormick/International tractor collection.   By removing the pumper body and replacing it with a custom made platform tilt/dump bed. the truck would be capable of transporting my International TD-6 crawler/dozer or any tractor in my collection to various events. parades. nbsp;tractor pulls. and/or other shows appreciated by truck and tractor enthusiasts.  

This 1957 International truck has very low actual mileage of 16. 36. It is a medium duty truck that is under CDL license requirements at 25. 00 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).   The empty weight is under 12. 00 pounds which allows over 6 tons to be loaded before reaching 25. 00 pound GVR. To cruise at 65 mph highway speeds. nbsp;a New Old Stock (NOS) Eaton 4:88 ratio ring and pinion has been installed to replace the slower 7:16 ratio.   The addition of a vertical exhaust goes well with the six spoke Dayton wheels and 11R22. 5 tires having less than 400 miles since installed.

It important to note that the indicated odometer miles increased whenever the fire truck's 1. 00 GPM water pump was operated. because the water pump was driven by the truck's transmission.   Engaging the water pump contol disengaged the differential.   Therefore. actual road mileage is less than indicated on the odometer.  

Please scroll and see all 24-photos for this auction. Note: The engine and firewall still have original factory paint. The outside of this truck cab and chassis has been cleaned and repainted with the best matching red Pittsburg Plate Glass (PPG). The tilt/dump bed was cleaned. primed. and painted black. The durable results are seen in the attached photos. One minor area of rust was found on the bottom 2-inches of both fenders. The rusty metal was cut off and replaced with new metal before paint was applied. The cab overall. including floor pans. bottom of the doors. lower cab corners. windshield cab corners. are all rust free.

The conversion to a platform tilt/dump bed required removal of the original 1. 00 GPM water pump and pumper body before replacement with a single cylinder hoist under a custom built platform tilt/dump bed equipment hauler. A custom made short drive shaft. supported by an additional cross-member and hanger bearing. has replaced the gap created when the pumper body and water pump were removed.  

The tilt/dump bed was designed and constructed to be heavy duty. The designed backbone of strength consists of two steel 9-inch X 15 foot -beams. with steel 4-inch X 2-inch X 7 ½ foot rectangular tube cross members with 12-inches on center spacing. The floor of the truck bed is covered with 4-foot X 8 foot sheets of 3/16-inch steel plate to prevent the usual sagging between cross-members as normally seen on used diamond plate decks. A new 12. 00 winch has been installed at the front of the truck bed.

The hydro-vac/brake booster has been removed and reinstalled after a professional rebuild.   A new vacuum tank and new wheel cylinders installed.   No wear is evident on brake shoes and/or drums.   The 1957 vintage V-8 engine runs best. smooth. and strong without smoking when using major brands of gasoline that do not contain gasohol. The cab has a new floor mat. The 12-volt battery was originally located in the cab. however. it has been relocated to the left side of the truck frame behind the cab. The amber beacon. spotlights. headlights. tail lights. brake lights. turn signals. and interior lights all work.  

After completing the conversion from a fire truck to a platform tilt/dump everything had to be inspected by a Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) inspector authorized by the State of Minnesota before issuing a new transferrable title certificate so it could be licensed. insured. and operated on the highway. The DMV inspector documented that this truck passed the inspection and that all requirements were met after determining that the serial number on the truck frame matched the serial number on the cab data plate as well as on the copy of the Line Set Ticket for this International Truck.

The last picture shows a nearly identical 1962 International fire truck purchased as a complete parts resource for the International platform tilt/dump conversion. The 1962 fire truck also runs great with components believed to be serviceable at this time. The highest bidder wins both trucks! 

Please ask any questions before bidding and well before the auction ends. Both trucks are stored inside an enclosed shed. Shelter will continue without cost for 30-days unless other arrangements have been agreed upon. Thanks for looking and good luck on your bidding!

Also published at eBay.com

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