March/April 2020 Vintage Truck

/

The March/April 2020 issue of Vintage Truck magazine will soon be available on newsstands. Our cover story about Tom Thayer’s 1974 International Series 200 All-Wheel Drive Camper Special was written by Robert Gabrick and photographed by Brad Bowling.

How does a company put a positive spin on finishing fourth in its industry’s sales race? If the company is International Harvester, the solution is to wear its non-Big Three status as a badge of honor and declare its product to be “The Other Pickup,” as it did for model year 1974.

International earned its reputation as a quality manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks for commercial users and light-duty models for farm and delivery applications. However, following World War II, light-duty trucks began shifting from work-related functionality to personal and recreational enjoyment by increasingly affluent consumers. In 1965, so much had changed in the category that Popular Science magazine ran a headline declaring, “Suddenly, Pickup Trucks Are In.” The article, written by Jan P. Norbye, noted that pickups were just as popular as ever with commercial users, but another trend had spread across the nation. Norbye stated, “Many people have rejected the conventional American passenger car.” It was even suggested that a truck in the driveway was a sign of a strong work ethic and astute business sense.

From our perch in 2020, it is clear that International was not ultimately successful in gaining a significant share of the pleasure-oriented, light-duty truck market. Its efforts were hurt in part by the rural locations of its dealerships. Light-duty truck buyers wanted to compare trucks close to where they lived, but there were very few International dealerships to visit in the suburbs. Despite the company’s post-World War II efforts to modernize its existing dealerships around Raymond Loewy’s Basic Standard Number One design, the typical International dealership was still a worn-looking building at the edge of a small town.

photo Brad Bowling

photo Brad Bowling

To read more about our featured 1974 International Series 200 All-Wheel Drive Camper Special, pick up a copy of the March/April 2020 issue of Vintage Truck magazine!

Articles in this issue include:

  • Weatherworn in Washington
    Gene Stuckle has owned his 1928 Chevrolet Capitol LP for 72 years!
    Text and photos by Candace Brown

  • The Other Pickup
    Tom Thayer’s 1974 International Series 200 All-Wheel Drive Camper Special
    By Robert Gabrick, Photos by Brad Bowling

  • A Pickup Just Like Dad’s
    Sam Bledsoe’s 1979 Dodge Palomino 4X4 is the rolling realization of his childhood dream!
    By Loren Hoekema, Photos by Eric Arnold

  • The Squirrel Family Doesn’t Live Here, Anymore
    Sam McGhee’s 1965 Ford F-350 is no longer pet friendly!
    By Candace Brown, Photos by Brad Bowling

  • Letter from the Editor

  • Letters to the Editor

  • Chevy Talk: 1987 GMC Fenderside Pickup

  • Dodge Garage: 1965 D-100

  • Delivery Designs: 1933 Chevrolet-Montpelier Side-Aisle Deliveries

  • The Road Less Traveled: American Austin and American Bantam

  • Hey Loren!

  • Aid for the Anxious Amateur: Steering Linkage Replacement

  • Classifieds

  • Show Guide

  • Granny Gear: Manure Musings

  • Gallery: Photo courtesy Leondia Walchle

  • If you can't find Vintage Truck on a newsstand near you, call 800-767-5828 or visit our Gift Shop to order current or back issues. To subscribe, call 888-760-8108 or click here.