Projects '53 International R110

Hey everyone,

New to the forum. I've always wanted a 50's pickup and finally grabbed one. A '53 R110. It is mostly stock/original except for the wheels/tires, paint, tonneau cover, 12 volt conversion, and a tape deck. I'd like to be able to drive it anywhere...safely. Being that it's low geared, no power steering or brakes...I am debating whether or not to re-gear/swap the rear end and do a brake conversion...or dive all in and do a frame/engine/trans swap.

Any advice or suggestions for a guy new to the old truck scene?

Thanks much in advance!

 

leave it alone ,put an overdrive trans in if rear axle ratio is a problem, brakes are ok if you learn to drive with drum brakes, lots of hot rod trucks out there, keep it basically original,be different

 

The stock rear end gear was wither a 3.73 or a 4.10:1. The compression ratio was 6.5:1.

That said with the stock rear gears it is a good candidate for an OD, especially with the smaller diameter modern tires.

Unless you are road racing the original brakes in good working order will stop it just find.

Here is a link to stock specs.

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/ihc/id/36853

 

I would like to keep it as stock as possible...just want to be able to cruise on the highway at more than 40-45 mph.

Thanks for the info!

 

Are you aware that there is a site devoted to nothing but IH's? old ihc. org

 

Are you aware that there is a site devoted to nothing but IH's? oldihc.org

 

I did not, but I will certainly look into that. Thanks!

 

The trucks stock cruised @55-60. your tires are a little on the short side compared to stock tires which will effect your overall top end. But you should still be able to get on down the road.

One thing to remember is that these old heaps often sound like they are really working because we are used to driving cars that run at low RPM most of the time and are a lot quieter that the older cars and trucks.

 

Drive it as much as you can before you take it apart... if you take it apart.

 

Nice looking International. I have owned a few Internationals over the last few years and currently drive a '54' R100 as pretty much my daily driver. Mine has a mid-60's straight six (has about 20 more horsepower than the stock Silver Diamond), 3 speed and a Ford 9" with 3:50 type gears. It will cruise around town with no problems and on the freeway in the slow lane. Your options are pretty limited for a higher cruising speed (while keeping it pretty much stock), there are overdrive transmissions made for the these trucks but are rare and pricey. The easiest way would be to bolt in a better geared rear end. Ford explorer rear ends are most commonly used. Go to the oldihc.com site and do a search and you will find lots of information on swapping the rear end. I put a dual reservoir master cylinder on my truck, but it still has drums all the way around. They work fine with the power involved in these old trucks. Here's a picture of mine, front axle dropped by Sid's. Dirtcop

 

Nice looking R. More then likely that being a 110 it has a 4.09:1 geared RA5 rear axle. Find a R100-S100 with a Dana rearend and you can gear it 2.72:1-5.38 with cheap and easy parts and its a bolt in job to replace your RA rearend and parts are hard to find. I love my 1956 S112 with a BD240, 4-speed and RA5 geared geared with 4.09's stock height 700-16's and its happy in the 60-65MPH range.

 

How much drop did you do for that look? Do you remember the cost?

 

Sounds like she advice about possible rearend swaps. Other than that, keep it stock as suggested. Be one of the few, if not the only, IHC at a car show.

 

Cool truck.
Sell the wheels and put something cooler on it.
Visit SIDS axles.
Maybe add an OD. Cruise it