The nineteen-twenties and thirties were periods of innovation and growth for International-Harvester. Their 1924 introduction of removable wet-sleeve cylinders that substantially reduced the time and cost of engine rebuilding was an industry first. The superior hill climbing ability that the two-speed rear end offered in the 1928 Six-Speed Special proved to be very popular. Custom extra heavy duty rock trucks built for the Hoover Dam project in 1931 ran twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The company was one of the earliest producers of diesel engines introducing the four cylinder D-4o in their TD-40 crawler tractors in 1933 and their first diesel truck, the D-80, in 1937.
But their modern thinking was not confined exclusively to mechanical systems. Our photos show a variety of “A” and “C” models from the nineteen-thirties and an “S” model from the previous decade. The handsome “C” model marked the company’s first foray into styling that would reach it’s peak with the streamlined 1937 “D” model. From that point until the present day, I-H has been in the business of producing trucks for both on and off-road applications, from half ton pickups to some of the heaviest mining and quarry equipment in the world. You will find more posts about unusual trucks, buses and equipment on The Old Motor. Photos courtesy of the City of Vancouver.
