Okay, so, I’ve been working on this old 1951 International pickup truck. It’s been a real journey, let me tell you! I started by looking everywhere for parts. I mean, this thing is ancient. I found a place called “Old International Trucks” up in Lethbridge that has a decent catalog.
I hunted for restoration parts all over. Places that do advanced custom chrome plating, nickel, and copper plating. This old beauty needed some serious love. I’m talking pot metal, steel, the whole nine yards.
I started taking apart the whole thing. Pulled off the frame, the truck box, bumper, rocker panels, you name it. Even the trunk lid and all the little compartments. Then I moved on to the instrument panel, grille, seats, floor, and roof. Every door, all the aero ground effects, those body kits, fenders, and even the glass came off.
Next, I started shopping for parts and accessories. I found that the hinges were easier to find than handles. Apparently, the cab design, just the cab, was used for a few years, so there were actually some interior parts being reproduced! Who knew?
I also found some places that had International Travelall parts. I guess those are similar in some ways? They even had performance parts. That got me thinking about maybe souping this baby up a bit. I did see some brand new 4-door parts and thought, “Hmm, interesting.”
- Got my hands dirty with the disassembly.
- Found some neat places for parts.
- Discovered the cab design was used for a while, which helped!
- Even found performance parts!
I got excited when I found discounts and sales on some parts. Every little bit helps, right? It was a limited offer, so I jumped on it.
Man, it’s been a wild ride. But, bit by bit, this old 1951 International pickup is coming back to life. I’m learning a ton and having a blast doing it. It’s a lot of work, but seeing this classic get restored is totally worth it.
Restoration Progress
So far, so good. I’m documenting everything as I go. It’s messy, it’s greasy, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun. Can’t wait to see her shine again!
