1948 International IHC KB5/KB1 Original - spoke wheels
1948 International Harvester Other for sale in Great Bend, Kansas, United States
Condition: | Used |
Item location: | Great Bend, Kansas, United States |
Make: | International Harvester |
Model: | Other |
Year: | 1948 |
Mileage: | 99,000 |
Engine size: | Flat 6 |
Number of cylinders: | 6 |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Transmission: | Manual |
Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Want to buy? | Contact seller! |
Description for International Harvester Other 1948
1948 International IHC KB5/KB1 Original - spoke wheelsWow! Take a look at this truck and I think you will be as impressed as I was when I first saw it. This truck is 99.9% orginal, and 99.9%rust free. It doesn't get much better than that.
I actually bought a pair of these trucks, nearly identical, from a farm in northwest Kansas, a very dry part of the state. The other one was red, and sold here a couple of weeks ago, now I am offering for sale, at NO RESERVE, this beautiful green '48 KB5.
This truck was actually still being used up until approximately 10 years ago, when it got parked in the barn, and eventually sold at the farm sale. This is an ideal project truck for the novice mechanic as there should be no major mechanical surprises with this one, and no major body work/rust repair either. This truck simply needs the typical things that a truck needs when it has sat for a few years.
First of all, I have had this truck running, and it sounds great, carries 40lbs of oil pressure, doesn't smoke excessively, etc. I flushed out the fuel tank and got fuel to the fuel pump, it worked for a little while and then quit, so I used an auxiliary jug with an electric fuel pump. I also had to file the points to get them to make good contact. It ran a little rough to start, and then smoothed out once the carb cleared itself of the old fuel & varnish. It idled smooth as glass. It warmed up to proper temp (approx 180 degree) and stayed there. While running I drove it around the yard, tried all gears, and the dump bed. It all works as it should. Then I noticed water leaking out. I opened the hood - and the water pump had started leaking. So, as I said, here is a project that should have few if any surprises. It needs a fuel pump, and a water pump to start and run properly. I would also recommend plugs, points, condenser simply due to age, although it does sound good now. It will also probably need a master cylinder, as the brakes try to pump up, but are very soft. A good bleeding may also fix this, as I have not done that yet.
I stated before, that this is 99.9% original, and the only thing i can see that has been changed is the seat. It has two more modern bucket seats in place of the original bench seat. As for the body, in my opinion, it is truly exceptional for being 68 years old, let alone being a 68 year old farm truck. Of course there are some dings here and there, but no sharp dents, or other major damage. It is missing a couple of chrome strips from the grill, but most of them are there, and they can be found individually on Ebay, and elsewhere. The doors shut like the hatch on a tank, and are very tight. All the gauges work, even the fuel gauge! The truck will need some glass, it's all in tact, just cracked, delaminated, etc. - but it is all flat glass and very cheap.
The rust I mentioned is nearly non-existent. It isn't even all the way through, but there is a spot on the bottom of each fender. I put these in the pictures. I have found ZERO rust anywhere else on this truck.
When I got this truck it came without a key, so I just used a jumper wire on the back side of the ignition switch. There are only 3 wires there, power in, power out to ignition, power out to gauges, very simple. I didn't replace the switch because there is a pretty good chance that if you have a few old keys laying around, one will work. They were pretty generic back then, a new ignition switchis pretty cheap also. I even got the heater motor to work when I was playing with it.
Although both trucks I purchased were in similar condition, the one thing that sets this one apart, for me at least, are the spoke wheels. They just give it that classic look, and all four original hubcaps are still in place. Pretty amazing. All in all, this is a truck you should be able to spend a weekend or two working on in your garage, and have a great, fun cruiser.
Hopefully between my description and the pictures, you know exactly what you are getting, but feel free to call Cort at 620-786-5172 with any questions. I will load this onto a trailer for free of charge, and don't mind it sitting here awhile as long as it is paid for. I've sold several trucks on eBay with no disappointments, so please check my feedback and bid with confidence. Do keep in mind, however, this truck is nearly 70 years old, as are all of its components, so plan on some tinkering as you go. Thank you and good luck.