The International Loadstar was built from 1962 to 1978 and was the first medium-duty truck International Harvester designed from scratch. It sat between the light pickups and the heavy R series, and later between those pickups and the Fleetstar and Transtar conventionals.
International Loadstar at a glance
| Maker | International Harvester |
|---|---|
| Production | 1962–1978 |
| Class | medium-duty truck |
| Models | Binder, 1600, 1700, 1750, 1800, F1800, 1850, F1850 |
| Chassis | 4×2 as standard, 4×4, 6×4 and 6×6 also built |
| Cabs | the 1957 A-series cab, later shared with the Fleetstar; crew cab available |
| Loaded weight | 18,200 to 30,200 lb (8,300–13,700 kg); up to 50,000 lb with trailers |
| Petrol engines | V304, V345 and V392, then the MV404 from 1974 |
| Diesel engines | International V8s to 200 hp, Detroit Diesel 6V53, Perkins sixes |
| Transmissions | four- and five-speed manuals; 8- and 10-speed Roadranger with diesels |
| Bonnet | butterfly bonnet, square one-piece tilting glassfibre bonnet from 1972 |
| Replaced by | International S series, 1978 |
Written from the English Wikipedia article on the Loadstar, a single source.
History of the International Loadstar
The Loadstar was International Harvester’s first purpose-built medium-duty truck. It slotted between the light-duty pickups — initially the C series and later the D series — and the heavy-duty R series, and after the R series ended it became the smallest International conventional, below the Fleetstar and Transtar. It was produced mainly as a straight truck for local delivery, construction and agriculture, and it also served as a fire engine and as a “Schoolmaster” cowled chassis for school buses.
The range ran from the 1600 to the F1850, with the numbers showing size and weight rating. Most Loadstars had a medium-duty 4×2 chassis, but 4×4, 6×4 and 6×6 versions were built, and a four-door crew cab was available. The 1750 and 1850 had mid-range diesels, the 1600 and 1700 could be ordered with four-wheel drive, and the F1800 and F1850 had tandem rear axles. The cab was the one introduced on the A series in 1957, also used by the Fleetstar in its first years.
Engines changed with the years. The V304, V345 and V392 petrol V8s of 304, 345 and 392 cubic inches were the mainstay from 1962 to 1973, developing 193, 197 and 236 horsepower; CNG versions of the V345 were also offered, and in 1962 the V304 was standard on the 1600 and 1700 while the V345 was standard on the 1800. The MV404 of 1974, a 404 cubic inch V8 with a four-barrel carburettor, made 210 horsepower and became standard on the 1700 and 1800. The only petrol sixes were the BD264, BD282 and BD308, and the diesel choices were International V8s up to 200 horsepower, the Detroit Diesel 6V53 and Perkins sixes up to 130 horsepower. Most trucks used four- or five-speed manual gearboxes, with two-speed rear axles on petrol single-axle models and eight- and ten-speed Roadrangers behind the diesels.
The Loadstar changed very little over sixteen years, which was exactly the point: International Harvester was a conservative company and its components had long production runs without yearly changes. Early trucks are recognised by their grey grille, curved wings and butterfly bonnet, while from 1972 a squared-off one-piece glassfibre tilting bonnet was fitted. The forward-control Loadstar CO 1600, 1700 and 1800 were built from 1963 to 1970 and became the Cargostar for 1971, with a wider cab and larger grille, a line that lasted into 1986. In 1978 the medium-duty S series consolidated the Loadstar and the Fleetstar into one family. A 2012 plan to revive the Loadstar name for a low-slung cab-over refuse truck with a stainless steel cab never reached production.
Design and features
- Purpose-built: the first medium-duty truck designed as such by International Harvester.
- Many chassis: 4×2, 4×4, 6×4 and 6×6, with single or tandem rear axles.
- V8 power: the V304, V345 and V392 family, later the 404 cubic inch MV404.
- Long production runs: the same basic design for sixteen years without yearly changes.
- Bus and fire chassis: the Schoolmaster cowl chassis and fire-engine conversions.
International Loadstar versions
- 1600 and 1700: lighter models, available with four-wheel drive.
- 1750 and 1800: heavier models with mid-range diesels.
- F1800 and F1850: tandem-axle trucks.
- Loadstar CO (1963–1970): forward-control cab-over version.
- Schoolmaster: cowl chassis for school-bus bodies.
The Loadstar was replaced by the S series and sat below the Fleetstar. Its predecessor among the light trucks is the C series.
Video: 1971 International Harvester Loadstar 1600 Truck on GovLiquidation.com
Video by Government Liquidation on YouTube.
Sources
- International Loadstar, English Wikipedia: models, chassis, engines, transmissions, CO and Cargostar
