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1947 International KB Truck Was Left to Rot in the Woods, Gets Saved After 50 Years

Established in 1902, International Harvester was one of America's largest manufacturers of agricultural equipment. The Chicago-based company is also famous for the Scout, the small SUV that prompted Ford to build the Bronco, but it also offered a range of light-duty trucks.
abandoned International KB truck 8 photos
Photo: Restored/YouTube
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International's first truck rolled off the assembly line in 1907, but the light-duty hauling business didn't catch traction until the 1940s when the K series came out. Much like Chevrolet's AK series (Ford did not launch the F-Series until 1948), the International K was made available in a variety of models and load ratings, ranging from 1/2-ton to 90,000 pounds.

The K was updated into the KB in 1947, which remained in production until 1949 when the more modern L series was introduced. Popular due to their durability and low price, the K and KB series trucks are now largely forgotten and often abandoned in barns and junkyards.

This light-duty KB1 hauler had a similar fate and spent around 50 years in a forested area inside a farm. Fortunately, the rare pickup truck got a second chance at life thanks to the folks over at YouTube's "Restored," who had already saved three more vehicles abandoned on the property.

Apparently, the owner didn't want to sell the truck, but they agreed to get it out of its resting place to check out what's going on under the shell and inside the cabin. But they're still hoping that owner will eventually let the International go.

The truck is obviously in rough shape. You can no longer tell what color it was back in the day and many surfaces are covered in rust. And like it usually happens with abandoned vehicles, both the cabin and the engine bay are now home to a couple of rat nests.

But amazingly enough, the truck seems to be complete in terms of trim and features and it still has an engine under the hood. It's a 214-cubic-inch (3.5-liter) inline-six of the L-head variety that should be good for 83 horsepower when running. This engine is part of the Green Diamond family that powered International Harvester trucks from 1934 to 1949.

While they're far from expensive, these old KB trucks are definitely hard to find. And with so many Ford and Chevy trucks from the era available out there as restored classics and restomods, an International KB is definitely a breath of fresh air. Hopefully, this old hauler will get a proper revival soon.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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