The International C series replaced the B series in 1961 and stayed in production until 1968. It looked like another facelift, but underneath it was a new chassis with independent front suspension on torsion bars, which let the cab sit four inches lower and gave the trucks a more car-like ride.
International C series at a glance
| Maker | International Harvester |
|---|---|
| Production | 1961–1968 |
| Predecessor | International B series |
| Range at launch | C-100 to C-130 |
| Gross vehicle weight | 4,200 to 8,800 lb (1,900–4,000 kg) |
| Chassis | new, with independent front torsion-bar suspension |
| Cab | mounted four inches lower than the B series |
| Front end | twin side-by-side headlights and concave egg-crate grille (1961–1962) |
| From 1963 | single headlights, convex grille, renamed C-900 to C-1500 |
| Travelette | four-door crew cab, first American four-door 4×4 production pickup |
| Beds | standard step-side and flush-sided Bonus Load |
| Successors | D series for 1965, then the 900A–1500A and 908B–1500B |
Written from the English Wikipedia article on the International C series, a single source. No free photographs of the model were found, so the previous cover image is kept.
History of the International C series
When the C series appeared in 1961 it brought more than a new face. The front end was modernised, with twin headlights mounted side by side and a concave egg-crate grille, but the truck also received a completely new chassis with all-new independent front torsion-bar suspension. That allowed the cab to be mounted four inches lower, which improved the ride at the cost of an even larger transmission tunnel hump.
The new body came with new equipment. The standard pickup bed was joined by a straight-sided Bonus Load bed, and there was a utility “workshop” version. The wheelbase grew because the front wheels were moved further forward, which increased the front clearance angle despite the lower body. The most significant new body style was the four-door Travelette crew cab — the 1961 C-series Travelette was the first American-made four-door, four-wheel-drive production pickup.
The range and the naming changed almost every year. At launch the trucks were the C-100 to C-130, with gross vehicle weights from 4,200 to 8,800 lb; the heavier B-series duties were not replaced. For 1963 and 1964 the range was renamed C-900 to C-1500 and given single headlights and a new convex egg-crate grille. For 1965 the name became D series, followed by the 900A–1500A in 1966, the 908B–1500B in 1967 and the 908C–1500C in 1968. The Travelall followed the same changes from April 1961, riding on a 119-inch chassis in C-100 and C-110 form, and a four-door panel van with glazing only in the front doors was also offered.
The cheapest C series was the C-900 of 1964, a short 107-inch wheelbase truck using the Scout’s 152 four-cylinder engine of 93.4 hp and minimal equipment, designed to fight low-cost imported pickups before the Chicken Tax changed the market. It was originally sold without a bed and with a black front bumper. It did not sell well: 6,293 C- and D-900s were built in three years, followed by 1,235 900As in 1966. For 1967 the four was replaced by a 266 cubic inch V8 of 154.8 hp in the 908B, with a 115-inch wheelbase and a longer bed; the 908B was advertised as the lowest-priced V8 pickup on the market. Buyers could also order International’s D301 diesel between 1963 and 1968, unadvertised and to special order, of which only a few hundred at most were made.
Design and features
- Torsion-bar front suspension: independent front suspension and a much lower cab.
- Travelette: a four-door crew cab, and the first American four-door 4×4 production pickup.
- Bonus Load bed: a flush-sided alternative to the step-side body.
- Frequent facelifts: twin headlights, then single headlights and a convex grille from 1963.
- C-900: a short-wheelbase, low-cost model aimed at imported pickups.
International C series versions
- C-100 to C-130 (1961–1962): the original range.
- Travelette: four-door crew cab.
- C-900 to C-1500 (1963–1964): renamed range with single headlights.
- Travelall and panel van: wagon and van bodies on the same chassis.
- D series and 900A–1500C (1965–1968): later designations of the same development.
The C series followed the A series and its B-series successor, and its station-wagon body is described with the Travelall. More trucks are in the collection.
Video: 1936 International Harvester C-1 Hot Rod Truck
Video by jtandst12 on YouTube.
Sources
- International C series, English Wikipedia: chassis, body styles, range, C-900, diesel
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