1975 IHC Travelall Custom 392 Cubic Inch Gasoline V8 from North America
Summary:
The International Travelall: a big, versatile vehicle that's like nothing else on the road
Faults:
I've replaced the starter solenoid, the water pump, the brake master cylinder and wheel cylinders, and I've had the radiator rebuilt since I've owned my Travelall, but I almost consider these items routine maintenance on a nearly 30-year-old vehicle... I doubt any of these items will give me trouble for another 30 years.
One of the great things about working on these vehicles is that IHC bought many of the parts for their vehicles from other manufacturers; my rig has factory parts on it from GM, Ford, & Chrysler, so even though IHC stopped making light trucks after 1980, most parts are still readily available.
The most troublesome aspect of my vehicle was the distributor; one of International Harvester's electronic ignition systems for these years was basically an aftermarket system built by Holley. A common problem with these systems is that they tend to go wonky with age... when the outside temperature was above 80 degrees or below 40, my rig would sometimes just stop running with no warning... a disconcerting condition, to say the least. I found an older points-type (non-electronic) distributor to substitute, and I've had no problems in almost two years now.
General Comments:
The International Travelall is a four-door truck-wagon, similar in size and execution to a Suburban.
It has a nice, roomy interior, and my vehicle has the Custom trim option, which includes extras like courtesy lights, cloth upholstery, and extra sound insulation.
The two biggest drawbacks of this vehicle are the body rust problems common to all IHC vehicles and the fact that they get about 8 miles per gallon in the city, maybe 12 on the highway if you get a nice straight downhill stretch with no headwinds. But hey, that's the price you have to pay to be king of the road.
(Interesting side note: though many may call this vehicle an SUV, the official designation, according to the factory placard inside the driver's door is MPV)
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st September, 2004
11th Sep 2006, 19:46
I had one of those also, built about the same year, but it's been a while now and I can't recall. Your experiences were pretty much as mine were. It was expensive to repair and to up keep, but it was a fun and very useful vehicle to own.