World Trucks No 11 - International

There are trucks, there are large trucks, and then there are International trucks, magnificent American machines built in the firm belief that any transportation problem can be solved with a sufficiently substantial engine, an enormous chassis and enough steel to construct a respectable railway bridge. While European manufacturers were busy worrying about narrow roads and economical fuel consumption, International Harvester was producing vehicles for a country where distances were measured in hundreds of miles and a modest load might weigh several tons.

In World Trucks No. 11 – International (1981), Pat Kennett turns his attention to one of America’s most distinguished commercial vehicle manufacturers. Published by Patrick Stephens Limited, this fascinating addition to the World Trucks series explores the history, development and engineering of International trucks, celebrating machines that became an essential part of American agriculture, industry and road transport.

International Harvester’s origins lay in agricultural machinery, an industry where reliability, mechanical strength and the ability to endure considerable punishment were regarded as rather more important than attractive upholstery. These principles translated remarkably well into commercial vehicle manufacturing, producing trucks whose reputation for rugged construction helped establish International as a formidable name in heavy transport.

From practical delivery vehicles and hardworking farm trucks to enormous highway tractors and specialist industrial machines, International developed an impressive range of vehicles designed to tackle practically every imaginable transport requirement. Some were relatively modest working machines, while others appeared capable of towing a small village without the occupants noticing.

Kennett’s account examines the evolution of these remarkable trucks, capturing an era when American commercial vehicle design combined mechanical durability with unmistakable styling. Vast bonnets, prominent radiator grilles, substantial wheel arrangements and powerful diesel engines gave International trucks an imposing presence that made the average British delivery lorry resemble something intended for distributing biscuits.

Naturally, operating such machinery required a particular sort of driver. Long-distance American truckers routinely negotiated enormous journeys, unpredictable weather and mountain highways, frequently spending more time in their vehicles than most people spent in their own living rooms. Fortunately, the larger trucks offered accommodation and equipment intended to make this existence marginally more civilised, although the average motel probably remained preferable.

By 1981, International was navigating the changing demands of the commercial vehicle industry, facing competition, technological development and the eternal challenge of persuading transport operators that purchasing another enormous truck represented sound financial judgement.

Condition: Good. This is a previously owned copy dating from 1981, displaying ordinary signs of age and handling. Unlike an International truck of similar vintage, it requires no replacement tyres, diesel injection overhaul or extensive investigation into several decades of hard industrial service.

Published by Patrick Stephens Limited in 1981. ISBN: 0850594499.

Offered by Crappy Old Books, where we admire magnificent commercial machinery, particularly when enjoying its history does not involve obtaining a heavy goods vehicle licence or explaining an enormous diesel bill to the accountant.

An excellent addition to any collection of American trucking literature, commercial vehicle history or specialist automotive reference books. Particularly recommended for enthusiasts who appreciate that International built trucks for serious work, in a country where the road ahead might stretch for a thousand miles and the nearest convenient parking space could accommodate an entire British housing estate.

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