Travelall

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The Travelall was an early full-size pickup truck based wagon / SUV. It was similar to the Chevy Suburban, and made by International Harvester from 1953 until 1975, when IH stopped selling passenger vehicles.

International began using the Travelall name in 1953. The R-Series panel truck was equipped with side windows and seats to make the Travelall. A new tailgate and liftgate design was available on the Travelall. However, rear barn doors were also still available. Two or three rows of seats were available. A Travelall name badge was mounted on the front cowl directly below the International name badge. A few L-Series trucks were also produced with windows and seats in 1952, but whether the Travelall name was used that year is unknown. Prior to 1952, International station wagon type vehicles were mainly woodies, having wooden bodies produced by outside companies. A few K-Series panels in the latter 1940s were built with windows and seats and used by airlines to move people at airports.

The 1953 through 1957 Travelalls had two doors. Access to the reat seats was gained by flipping up the passenger side of the front seat. From 1957 to 1960, the Travelall had three doors, the third door being located on the curb side of the body. From 1961 to 1975, all Travelalls had four doors.

By contrast, the Chevy Suburban used two doors until 1966. Suburbans from 1967 to 1972 had three doors. Suburbans since 1973 have four doors. International was more advanced in their body designs than the Suburban. They were last redesigned in 1969 with a more modern look, but sales declined and IH exited sales of passenger pickups and wagons entirely in 1975 (except the International Harvester Scout, which lasted thru 1980), though they still make medium and large trucks.

Travelalls were also produced with raised roofs and extended wheelbases for applications such as school buses, ambulances and airport limos. Many of these modifications were performed by the Springfield Equipment Company and were marketed by International.

Four wheel drive was available as an option on Travelalls beginning in 1956. Engines were six cylinders or V8s, from the 220 six cylinder of the 1950s to the 392 V8 of the 1970s. A 2bbl version of the AMC 401 V8 was used in 1974 when International's 392 was in short supply. Transmissions available included automatics, 3, 4 and 5 speed manual transmissions. The 5-speed was optional from about 1966 until 1973 and could have either a direct or overdrive 5th gear.