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International built the 1100D series only in 1970. In 1985, Ken Smithson bought this truck from a Bluffton, Alberta man by the name of John Lewis. When work began in the 24 by 24 foot shop at Ken's farm, the truck was dubbed "John Lewis". Ken and the two young men who worked with him - Lorne Hicks as body man and Terry Sheane as mechanic - routinely named the trucks, which made identifying them much easier and also more interesting."John Lewis" was in rough shape, with a smashed low-cost grill. While Ken was working for the government, putting in a big culvert west of Bentley, Alberta, a young man drove up with an 1100D series International. His old half-ton was beat up and ran very poorly, but it was a more expensive model and had a perfect chrome grill. Ken approached him, wanting to buy his truck, but the young man - Adrian Vig - did not want to sell. Ken gave Adrian his name and phone number, cautioning Adrian not to wreck the grill. That fall Adrian phoned and they made a deal. To acquire the grill Ken had to buy the entire truck for $400.
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International 1970 1100D fully restored in 1989, with a chrome grill.1970
Ken Smithson's farm, north of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Ken Smithson
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2004 front view of the 1970 1100D.1970
Smithson International Truck Museum
Credits:Rimbey Historical Society
Photo by Verna Field
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The 1010 series International truck was made only in 1971. About 1984 Ken Smithson was working east of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, putting in another culvert. By that time he thought he had collected every series of International half-ton. But while in a restaurant having dinner, Ken saw a man drive up with an International he had never seen. Leaving his dinner, he hurried out to the gas pump and asked the young driver of the International - Peter Baker of Leslieville, Alberta - to join him for coffee.Unfortunately, Peter could not sell his truck. It had come to his wife from her father. Over a year later Peter Baker phoned Ken and said his wife would sell. Sixteen hundred dollars was a steep price, but Ken needed the truck. He had never seen an International with that grill before. Aside from a lot of rust - rust that gave the truck its working name - the 1010 was in good shape. "Scabby Baker" was restored in 1988.
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The International 1971 1010 before restoration in 1988, with its unique plastic grill.1971
Ken Smithson's farm, north of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Ken Smithson
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Another shot of the yet to be restored 1971 1010 International half-ton.1971
Ken Smithson's farm, north of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Ken Smithson
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1971 1010, restored in 1988.1971
Smithson International Truck Museum
Credits:Rimbey Historical Society
Photo by Michael's Studio, Wendy Huff
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In 1972 and 1973, International made the 1110 series. Bought in 1980 from Lloyd Strain who lived near Hoadley, Ken and the boys called this 1972 model "Strain". Lloyd bought it used from Roper's Ltd. in Rimbey and drove the truck for years. It had a Chevrolet engine, a small American Motors six-cylinder.The 1100C series, running from 1968 until 1969, was the last International half-ton that came with a large International six-cylinder. While International continued to use V8 engines, from then on they used only American Motors six-cylinders, which they had purchased when American Motors ceased manufacture. Ken bought Chevrolet parts to repair the engine of his 1972 1110. He also replaced a fender and door that had been damaged by a collision with a disc.
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The 1972 1110 International, restored in 1986 with the original step-side box.1972
Ken Smithson's farm, north of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Ken Smithson
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2004 front view of 1972 1110 International.1972
Smithson International Truck Museum
Credits:Rimbey Historical Society
Photo by Verna Field
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The 100 series, the last half-ton International made, was manufactured in 1974 and released into 1975. Ken Smithson purchased a badly rusted 1974 from Johnny Keegstra. While it could have been a good truck and had a recent wheel alignment, it had many other problems.12
1974 100 International half-ton, as purchased from Johnny Keegstra.1974
Ken Smithson's farm, north of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Ken Smithson
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1974 100 International. The same truck as the one above, also before restoration began.1974
Ken Smithson's farm, north of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada
Credits:Ken Smithson
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Ken then bought an old three-quarter-ton service truck from P and B Equipment in Wetaskiwin, southeast of Edmonton. The box was a wreck but the truck was sound. Ken told Lorne Hicks - his body man, also a good mechanic - that they had to turn the three-quarter ton into a half-ton. The back end was simple, requiring changing clamps and installing the rear end, and then hooking up the driveshaft. But the front end proved more difficult.Lorne crawled under the truck, looked around, and pronounced that it could be changed over without even losing the wheel alignment. Years later, when the trucks were already housed in the Smithson International Truck Museum, a blockman from International dropped in at the museum. When Ken told him about the transformation of the 1974 - using a three-quarter-ton frame and body, and a half-ton front end, wheels, and undercarriage - the blockman said, "That's a five-eighth." International actually sold those trucks, with a half-inch deeper frame ideal for pulling trailers.
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