History ***My 2nd old Cornbinder find, 1949 International KB1***

Hey guys! I just wanted to post up some pictures of a sweet old Cornbinder I found this week. It's a 1949 International KB1. It's all original and in amazing condition. It has been in the same family for 50+ years. It's got to be the straightest original truck I own and have seen. It is crazy, not one ding or dent on the whole truck. It's a little different style of truck than what I collect but I could pass it up because of the condition. Iv got 2 IH's in the family now, my 36' hot rod truck and this one. I just shined up the paint. It's got crazy natural rub through to the primer and that the way I'm keeping it. I'm not going to restore it, just keep it original. Clean it up and drive it this summer. Does anybody here work on or have old KB Internationals here?

 

those were never used for hotrods

I have a real cornbinder. It is a horsedrawn farm implement that was made by John Deere

 

Haha ya that thing is no hot rod

 

That thing is awesome! Whats with the 'KNOX' on the gate?

 

A couple days ago I saw you drive by with it on a trailer going down Huffaker Ln.
I was in my dark green '59 Chevy truck.

That's a really cool truck, glad you're keeping it original. Hope to see you cruising it around soon!

 

Usually Knox boxes were made of a heavy plate kinda like diamond plate, but the bumps were small squares. Does yours have the small raised squares all over the flat portions of the box?

 

What I have read about Knox Box's is that they were contracted by International to make some pickup beds for them when they could not keep up with production of the trucks. It's a pretty rare option or whatever on the truck, especially with the original wood slats and as dent free this one is. I have read that there was 3 different variations of the Knox box and most came with the diamond plate look but this one is all smooth. It looks way better.

 

What a difference with all of the oxidation rubbed/wheeled off the paint. If I had that and the engine was sour I'd do a 283/327/t350 install and drive the wheels off it.

Frank

 

Mike, we must be brotehrs. I had a KB2 panel truck and a '64 singlecab VW.

 

Haha oh yeah! I don't think too many people here have vw single or double cabs next to all their hot rods. That one you see is a 63 and the green one behind it is a 62. Those are the other cars I collect. Good stuff!

 

Heard 'em called binders but cornbinders?

 

Nice old IHC. Glad to hear you're keeping it the way it is!

 

Nice truck! I didn't know about Knox boxes, they say you learn something new every day.

 

I have a 47 International pick up, does anyone know of a good source for a windshield gasket and door rubber etc..?

 

Dig the Knox box!

 

Try travelallparts.com. They have everything you need for restorations of these international trucks. They have all the rubber too for the trucks.

 

History: This is a real cornbinder. Its a horsedrawn farm implement that is used to harvest corn stalks and bind them into bundles. The bundles are leaned together to dry and are called corn shocks. The binder was invented in 1872 by Charles Withington long before International started making trucks. I can not imagaine why a truck is called a corn binder. My binder was made by John Deere.


corn binder by farmgate, on Flickr

Here is a picture of a shock of corn
http://davidarmentphoto.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p288417865-3.jpg

 

Very cool and a Knox bed to. Most Knox beds where used in 1946-47 as a option, thats the first 1949 i have seen with one, the short 113" WB Knox beds are rare and they have smooth sides like yours, the long Knox beds 125" WB are more common and are rough on the inside (smilar to tread plate). The knox beds where made from WWII left over steel, IH contacted Knox to build the beds as a anti skid option (since the floors where wood) since there was a shortage of steel after WWII.

 

I think the 'cornbinder' came because of the name itself.....IHC (International Harvester Co), manufacturer of farm and harvesting equipment.

 

How did you shine up the paint?

Any images of the engine bay? I always found the old International bays interesting.

 

that's a really nice truck , what car guy could pass up that sweet old hauler

 

I used a lot of elbow grease and some Turtle Wax color back wax. I hand polished the truck because the paint is cracking a areas and I wanted to preserve it. I'll get some pictures of the engine. It's an old green diamond inline 6. I got the new tires on it today and the brakes rebuilt and bled today too. Hopefully I'll get it on the road next week.

 

I'm the Central CA IHC nut. Have two kb1 pickups right now. Stay positive! Negative people take shots all the time at us IHC guys. Be glad to converse anytime. Good luck, Don

 

Whitewalls mounted up, wheels powder coated and the brakes rebuilt. Hopefully with a carb rebuild and a few other things, she should fire right up. The trucks really cleaning up well.

 

Very cool old girl


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Nice! That shined up well.

 

My brother [Jangleguy here on the HAMB] had a '49 identical to that KB..same color and all except for the knox-box. He bought his at Easy Jacks in Kansas when he worked there.
Some guy in a nearby town drives a bright red KB-1 shortbox like yours with a nasty sounding V/8, slammed with hotrod wheels and tires and a smoothie knox-box...very wicked pickup that's show quality. Looks as nice or nicer than any 40 ford pickup IMHO.

 

I like the KB series Internationals, always thought they were good looking trucks, either stock or hot rodded. Never heard them called Cornbinders, we always called them Haybalers or Combines.

 

Your truck is in amazing condition,,and its all there. The rear bumper is not original,,rear bumpers are rare as they were an option. I am surprised how the paint has survived,,my '41 K1 only had paint on the interior when I dragged it home 5 years ago



I made a few upgrades and painted mine

 

I saw a few at the MSRA Back to the 50's last weekend. I still don't have my 46 K1 on the road but continue to get closer.