A tad off topic, but still IHC - 1949 KBS5

Well, it has been awhile since I have posted about the 1949 KBS5, thought I would share a couple of pictures of the progress

From this 1 year ago:








To this last week:

WoW Tom! That is one sweet truck! Are you going to
drive it to Huron?

LOL, Howard, I would love to, but I would have to leave 2 weeks ahead of time! top speed in the old girl is 47 MPH, and I surely don't want to run it WOT all the way. 1200 miles at 40 mph is 30 hours. Since I have the original seat in her, more that 6 hours per day just won't work. 5 days minimum! LOL

If I do bring her out, she will be on a lowboy 40' trailer with other tractors (if a friend of mine goes).

While that would be a very very cool trip, I can't afford the time or the fuel cost. I estimate the old girl is going to get around 8-10 MPG. At best that is 250 gals of gasoline, which is $800-$1000.

That truck looks awesome!

I am just old enough to remember Dad having '36 and '39 "Binder" pickups.... pretty cool looking trucks. Great to see one being resurrected.

Looks great Topm. Can't wait to see pics of it finished. Is it going to be a flat bed? Kent

(quoted from post at 11:53:44 09/26/13) ...top speed in the old girl is 47 MPH, and I surely don't want to run it WOT all the way....

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My Uncle (and grandpa) had a 1946 Dodge with a 14' bed on it back in late 1970's early 1980's that was used to haul soybeans to the elevator. About 46 mph was top speed on it too at WOT. That truck was eventually replaced with a 1967 GMC with a 16' bed. While it was an improvement truck-wise it did not have the character -LOL.

Very nice!!
I remember that vintage of truck (& earlier) while growing up SW of Williston, ND. You would see Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, IHC, Diamond T, Reo, & maybe others hauling grain to the elevator but mostly hauling sugar beets to the piling station at Dore, ND.
Now all you see there is crude oil tankers unloading at a railcar loading facility. My sister lives across the tracks & says the there is no let-up in truck/train traffic 24/7!!!

That brings back a lot of old memories of Pappy's WWII vintage '44 K-5 that he hauled tractors and implements on from the late 1940's through about 1969.

Lookin' good!

That is such an awesome truck! How do you tell the weight rating on the old KB series?

When my mom married my step-dad,he was a long haul trucker and drove a IH KB7 and pulled a 30' trailer. I was lucky enough to go on a couple of trips with him. He had a sleeper cab put on it incorporated into the cab. Looked real good. The only pic of it is on a 35mm slide. I once overheard him telling another trucker that he had put a KB8 engine in it.

Guys, thanks for all the kind comments. Let me see if I can answer all the questions. Yes, it was a flatbed and is going to stay a flatbed. I have already rebuilt the bed, just took it off to finish up on the rear axle. The GVW on this is 17,500 and the chassis without the bed is 4950. I estimate the bed weighs in at 1000 the way I built it. I plan to take this to the local scrap yard and have them weigh it (scared you there for a minute, didn't I?!!!! LOL).

My plan is to use this to haul the tractor that I plan to show. I thought it would be really cool to show an IHC Farmall tractor and bring it in on a period correct IHC truck. Yeah, I will only do that for local shows (50 miles or less), but there are about 7 of those a year and 3 fairs. I also plan to hit a few car shows as well.

All in all, I have put the most time and effort into restoring this as of any of my tractors. I am NOT a card carrying member of the correct police, but as a decision, the KBS5 was absolutely a restoration......by choice. Everything on it is IH NOS or IH good used. Any bolt that wasn't a dot bolt was replaced. Only the tires, hoses, and belts are not period. Otherwise, she is exactly as she came from the factory. That drove my parts costs through the roof, but as I said, it was a decision I made, for better or worse. I am pleased with my decision, and humbled by all the kind words.

Lastly, this project is dedicated to my dad (and best friend). I lost him in 2002, but we always talked about restoring an old truck or car. Well Dad, we did. your teachings and inspiration made this possible......I just supplied the labor.

My dad was driving a KB-7 with a Leach packer body
on it about the time I was born, Grandma & Grandpa
owned half the company, they died, he went to work
for UPS on a package car. Thanks for posting the
pictures of your truck, reminds me of Dad & Grandpa.

Hello Tom,

I have not long ago bought a 1949 KBS-5 International but this one is different. It has a pick up bed and it's not a dually wheel. I have check the frame serial number and it matches with the hood plate information; as well as the engine serial #. I am looking for more information about it i don't know if you can help me? Also i see you restore yours, did you rebuild the motor? if so where did you find the parts for it? mine is a GRD-233.

First off, Welcome Franco95. Happy to assist however I can. Send me a note and we can trade phone numbers. flemingt AT consolidated DOT net.

(reply to post at 11:33:52 09/26/13)

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Your truck really looks nice. Back in the early 80's I had a chance to buy a 47 international flat bed truck for $500.00 dollars. It would have been about a 1 ton model, and had a hand crank tilting bed. I was looking for something to haul my antique tractor to area pulls with. For some reason I passed on buying the truck. I've often kicked myself for not buying it. It would have made an excellent restoration project for me in later years. Live and learn they always say, but by the time anyone learns anything life has passed one by. Lesson to any young men out there, the time to buy anything like this is when you find it.