You have heard about the family pet that got lost while on vacation and finds it's way home and sometimes it is across the country. Well how about the truck that finds it's way home. A friend of mine told me the story about the 1959 International West Coaster that he found and got quite the shock of his life. In 59, Jim bought his truck when he lived in Northern California and began his career. Several years later he and his wife adopted a baby boy, Tim. Tim grew up with the truck being around and when old enough he kept her polished to a T. A bunch of years later something financially happened that Tim said "Because of my needs, dad had to sell the truck". Well now, the present and a lot of years later Tim is self made and pretty comfortable and one day the old truck crossed his mine and didn't leave so that night he told his wife about it and told her that he would like to find another one to build as a show truck for his dad to enjoy at the local truck shows. She agreed that he needed to do it so he told a few of his trucker buds what he was looking for and about 7 mos went by without a word and then the phone rang one night and it was the owner of a semi bone yard and he stated that he was calling about a 1959 International West Coaster that he had started to strip for parts but stopped when he heard the story about Tims quest and he would let him have the truck for what he had in it. Tim brought it home that weekend and parked it out back not knowing that his dad was going to come down that weekend. Jim pulls into the drive and of course he see's the truck and so Tim tell's him that it was supposed to be a surprise but since he had already saw it he might as well know so he told his dad, "Because of me you had to sell your truck so I found you another one that we can build and enjoy as a father and son deal" to which Jim replyed, "No, you only think you found me another truck when in fact you found my truck". Tim didn't believe him and laughed. Jim had not gone near the truck, he just saw it from a distance and the truck had even been painted a different color years ago so how could he know if it was his old truck or not?? Jim drove home and pulled the first registration card for his truck out of the scrapbook and returned to Tim's where they matched the numbers to the title and the vin tag and......... you got it, Dad's truck was home. It was sold in California and made it's way back to a bone yard in the same town as Jim lived in here in Colorado. Well she don't look like much right now but she will stand tall when she rolls into the fathers day show this coming fathers day. I have already started some test panels for the interior which Tim and Jim has given me a no bars held as to what I want to do. Just a few thoughts as of now are black crinkle dash, heater box and steering column, polish all the aluminum. Black carpet with semi gloss black seats, headliner, door panels etc. then a Sage Green strip on the drivers side that circles the cab front to back and top to bottom. Here is a pic of the test panel for the carpet along with some pics the truck. Will keep you posted as I progress with it.
Neat! I love the old trucks! There's a guy who comes to some of our shows with a 1962 Mack B61 that is perfect. He pulls a 30 foot lowboy trailer that has a early 1900's cast iron wheel Fordson tractor on it. What's the specs on the International? Gas or Diesel? Which engine? How many gears? Wheelbase? It would look good with a 36" coffin sleeper and dual 6" straights.......
What's the specs on the International? Gas or Diesel? Which engine? How many gears? Wheelbase? It would look good with a 36" coffin sleeper and dual 6" straights....... Don't know all the specs but will get them. What I can tell you is that it is 240 inch wb, 262 hp diesel, 6:75 gear ratio and tops out at 78 mph. As for the sleeper they are looking for one even tho Jim didn't have one on it back when since he was hauling logs. and they talked about dual stacks but are now leaning towards keeping the original appearance with just the one but that may change as time goes on.
