The International A series replaced the S series in April 1957. The letter stood for Anniversary, because 1957 was the fiftieth year of truck production by International Harvester. Underneath, it was largely a rebodied light and medium S-series truck, but the body was new: a wider cab, more integrated wings and a panoramic windscreen.
International A series at a glance
| Maker | International Harvester |
|---|---|
| Introduced | April 1957 |
| Predecessor | International S series |
| Meaning of A | Anniversary — fifty years of IH truck production |
| Models | A-100 to A-180 |
| Gross vehicle weight | 4,200 to 33,000 lb (1,900–15,000 kg) |
| Assembly | Springfield, Ohio (Champion Works) |
| Body features | wide cab, panoramic windscreen, rear-hinged bonnet |
| Beds | step-side as standard, flush-sided Bonus Load as an option |
| Special package | Golden Jubilee Custom Pickup in gold and white |
| Successor | B series, from 1959 |
| Australian version | AA series, 1958–1962 |
Written from the English Wikipedia article on the International A series, a single source. No free photographs of the model were found, so the previous cover image is kept.
History of the International A series
The A series was the first all-new design to appear after Ted Ornas took charge of International Harvester styling in 1953. It replaced the S series in April 1957 and was largely a rebodied version of the light and medium S-series truck, with a wide cab and more integrated wings. The lower body line required a slight hump in the cab floor, and the bonnet was now hinged at the rear instead of being lifted off as a complete unit.
The face of the truck was thoroughly modern for the later 1950s: running boards were deleted, the windscreen was panoramic, and the parking lights were mounted above the headlights. Buyers could choose between the familiar step-side bed and, for the first time, a new flush-sided Bonus Load bed. The A series also continued the Travelall station wagon derivative that had been developed from the S-series range.
The range ran from the A-100 to the A-180, with gross vehicle weight ratings from 4,200 to 33,000 lb. To mark the anniversary there was a two-tone Golden Jubilee Custom Pickup package in gold and white with special equipment. Trucks were assembled in Springfield, Ohio, at the former Warder, Bushnell & Glessner works off Lagonda Avenue, known as the Champion Works.
The A series was short-lived in North America. For 1959 the B series replaced it, adding the first optional V8 engines of the line — 304 or 345 cubic inches — alongside International’s Diamond inline-sixes, and offering four-wheel drive in the B-120. The B series kept the same weight ratings and lasted until 1961, when the C series took over. In Australia the A series was built as the AA series from 1958 to 1962, at first with S-series grilles and twin headlights and later with a mesh grille close to the North American B series; the following AB series of 1961 used locally developed bodywork and Australian-built “ABD” engines, and about 700 off-highway AB trucks were built for the Australian Wheat Board between 1963 and 1965.
Design and features
- New cab: wider than the S series, with more integrated wings.
- Panoramic windscreen: part of a modern front end with parking lights above the headlights.
- Bonus Load bed: a flush-sided body offered for the first time.
- Rear-hinged bonnet: easier access than the lift-off unit of earlier trucks.
- Golden Jubilee package: a gold and white Custom Pickup for the anniversary year.
International A series versions
- A-100 to A-180: the light and medium range.
- Travelall: station wagon derivative of the same chassis.
- Golden Jubilee Custom Pickup: anniversary two-tone package.
- AA series (Australia, 1958–1962): locally built version.
- B series (1959–1961): successor with optional V8 engines.
The A series followed the S series and was replaced by the C series in 1961; the station-wagon version is described with the Travelall. More trucks are in the collection.
Video: international harvester rimex
Video by Northmec on YouTube.
Sources
- International A series, English Wikipedia: design, range, assembly, Australian production
